Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-05-01
THE RETIRED BURGLAR.
One of the Most Remarkable Incidents In
 Ills variegated Career.

One of the Most Remarkable Incidents In
 Ills yariegated Career.
 After had gathered in what l could find in tho dining room, " said the retired burglar, telling of his experience in house in western Massachusetts, 1T started for the parlor. This parloE was just in front of the dining room, and there were heavy curtains between. l pushed these curtains one side aud went in carefully, so as not to mar the furniture by Kicking it. feeling along for the table which ! knew must be ID the center l came to it presently and found it very solid feeling, with a sort of molding or carving along the edge had struck it on side apparently, and so felt toward the dining room until came to corner of the table, and then felt along the end for the next corner to get the dimensions of it. I struck the other corner so quick that it made my hair raise right up knew there was only one thing they build of such shape, and that's coffin.
 II turned my light on it. and it was big oak casket, one of the kind they make now days, square and solid, and It had three silver handles on each side. 1 1 didn't dare look in. but l felt as though ought to have them handles. The head was toward the front of the house and the foot toward the dining room. set my lamp down and got my screwdriyer out of my bag and began on one of the handles nearest the foot. I suppose must have felt little easier after I'd got that one of and into the 1 bag know l went around the end and then up the other side pretty prompt getting 'em off smooth as could be. and around the head and started down the other side where I'd begun. l got the handle off by tho head on that side, and then I went at the last handle. the one in the middle. In turning the last screw out of the handle dropped my serewdEiyer
 1t seemed to me as though it made more noise than an iron telegraph pole dropping inside of an empty iron oil tank just lay down and waited. didn't dare run. expected million people would come pouring down the stairs and from all around. and jusA waited, lying on the floor. but there didn't anybody come You know, the fact was that dropping that sorewdriveE hadn made noise enough towake up 2 mouse, but 1t seemed to Ese like shs greatest racket you eYer heayd, and it scared me most to death. Butwhen no body came l picked up the sorewdriges and set it in the notch of the soTew again, and I'd just got that handle of when heard somebody say:
 Don't you think you're crowdin us here little, my friend, carrying away them handles?' It was the dead man sitting up and looking down at me. l suppose he'd been in an epileptio trance or something of that sort. and dropping that serewdriver. had made just shock enough to start him into life again.
 T was so scared dropped the han dle, but grabbed my bag-I suppose instinct made mo do that-and started out through the dining room again and down cellar and out by the window ! came in by. didn wait to see if any body was coming this time.
 I got $l17 for those five handles. IL seemed pity to lose the other one, but it was always great satisfaction to me to think that 1 d woke the man up 'i-- New York Sun.