Connecticut western news., 1895-01-31
HIS LAST CRIB.

| struggled through Lord Heathington' soullery window, 'tI ain't as narrer as I used to be when fust entered the purfession, not by long ohalks. I'm putin on flesh, that's wot I'm doin, and it's time l left off burglin and took pub. Lawd, but that's made me sorter sultry"
 Burglar Joey Brown took a large red handkerchief from one of his suspi ciously capacious pockets and wiped his face with energy. He was an old hand at the game, was Joey. True, he had been "quodded" once or twice, but | what of that? Every burglar whose soul is in his work must expect to be ''quod- ded" occasionally during his career Besides these doses of ''penar' afford time for reflection and rest l Joey had made his way cautiously from the news which lay at the back of Lord Heathington $ town residence, and | when he had reached the small court yard which separated the stables from the main building the rest had been easy. and here he was in the scullery. | Joey rubbed his face until it shone like copper kettle and then returned the handerkchief to'his pocket.
 ''If this 'ere exploit, ' said MT. Brown, addressing the tubs and bowls around him, ''turns up trumps and brings in the dibs, well"-with a satisfied ohuokle-"Joe Brown and burglin | will part company. Joe Brown is get tin too fat for th4s kind CT work. And | now, as Macbeth observes in the play, Let us away, and inspect is lordship's | valyoobles. '
 Joey, whose boots, it is hardly neces- sary to explain, had been left in a shady corner of the news, made his way noiselessly out of the scullery into the kitchen and thence into the corridor. "These footmen,'' said Joey, who seemed to Do perfectly acquainted with his whereabouts, ''snore like logs. I might do a 'ornpipe in boots 'ere and I never be 'eard with that hawful row | goin on"
 After looking in on the slumbering 1 footman for a momenDMr. Brown pro- oeeded on his way and ascended to the | first floor.
 They've several little articles in tho drorin room wot I want to inspect, he murmured, after which we will pay our custom'ry visit to the plate closet. :"
 Joey made his way quietly into the drawing room, but before annexing anything of value he deposited himself upon divan and grew poetical. Just to think. he murmured, "on'y this one crib, and then I've done with tho purfession forever. Little pub in the country-shady medders-cows and sheep baain-new laid eggs and milk. there will Joe Brown spend the hautuml. of his days-the evenin of useful ca reer. E will go to church, be Q church. warding." Here Joey gave vent to a most unctuous chuckle. "Just fancy, Joey 'andin the bag! Oh, wot delights are in store for Joe Brown when @ re tires from business! 1t won't be long afore there's Mrs. Joseph either Wot, | oh, wot is home without mother? And now, Joe, you must gag bit and get to work on these 'ere golden''- Creakl
 Joe sat up with a start, and then, with wonderful alacrity for man of his bulk, left his seat and slid behind a screen which stood near him. 1 Creakl
 Somebody on the move" said Joe softly. There's door goin.'' He lis. tened intent1y, and his quick ears soon detected the sound of footsteps crossing the hall. Arrived at the foot of the staircase, the person, whoever it was, began to ascend, upon which the bur | glar left his place of concealment, crawl | ed to the door and peeped out. l '' Is lawdshipP'
 | Joe quickly got back to his screen and decided to give the master of the house a good half hour in which to get to bed and to sleep. '"That was narrer shave" he soliloquized. "Supposin I 'adn't 'eard i'm and 'e'd come plump in 'ere and found me restin on is sofay! Wy, it 'ud lave meant goodby to the pub and low ore yerf' to the Scrubbs or Portland. This ought to teach you, Joey, that, like other woca- tions, burglin is never entirely learnt. Now, suppose we''-
 Creakl
 "Some one else abahti" was Joey's classic utterance as he once more crawl ed, to the door and peeped out.
 There was some one else about. As Joey peeped out tall, dark man in evening dress issued from the room fac ing that which was honored with Mr. Browns presence and stood for a mo- ment examining something which glis- tened in the moonlight, for, contrary to Joey's expectations, the moon had dis engaged herself from the clouds which had previously enveloped her and was | ch ,-I~A %l. world beneath her.
 Whatever the thing was that he was examining the man put it quickly into the inside pocket of his dress coat and then made his way to the staircase. As the ray which came through the fam light over the door fell on his face Joey saw that it was convulsed with rage and every evil passion. His teeth were clinched, and his dark eyes gleamed with fury. At tue foot of the staircase he paused.
 "He refusesp' he missed. My own brother refuses me this favor-a trifle to him, all the world to me- Very we'll. ' He stopped speaking and seem- cd to wrestle with his better self for a moment Then, with an oath, he began to ascend the stairs.
 "Well. said Joey to himself as he
 rubbed his eyes, this 'ere's rum go.
 Fust is lawdship goes to bed at
 o'clock of the rnornin, when know fur
 certin-'avin 'ad it from the second
 footman 'imself over glass of beer
 lis usual hour is l l at night, and then,
 close on his heels, comes is lawdship's | brover a-swearin and cussin dreadful
 to 'ear and lookin at summat woi
 shines Joey, my lad, we'll see this
 hout.' So saying. Mir. Brown crept softly ur
 stairs. stopping at intervals to listen ] and make sure that he was unpsroeived.