Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-06-06
LOAN or A LATCH KEY

prisoners dock, a convicted felon.'
1t is Impossible to adequately de-
scribe the effect produced by this start
ling confeSsion sudden and dea tn
like silence fell upon the company
each and all stared at the speaker in
undiguised establishment and expec-
fancy.
Yes, gentlemen, fifteen years since
to the very day, |, Robert Clyde was
tried, found guilty and sentenced to d
term OF ten years penal servitude for
burglary, and had Ii not been for a
But, perhaps, YOU would like To hear
the whole story
A burst OF applause and loud,
hearty chorus OF hear hear" greeted
Clyde's words; every man IN the room
and there was a large ana fairly rep
resentatlye gathering eagerly awaited
the explanation OF SO extraordinary
and incredible statement.
Robert Clyde was one OF the most
prominent .oWnsmen IN the extensive
ana important borough OF Daggcrfieid.
Yet ne nau not been fifteen years in
the town. lie had come among them a
tagging industry, allied with Il sturdy
dntfexiDle principle, he had pushed his
way upward into position OF wealth
and influence
Wei, gentlemen" continued Clyde,
as soon as the company had reiapseu
into silence, this is my story:
i had just entered my teens when
my father died-my mother had been
dead some time-leaying behind him
tritie over Zoo, little enough for
friendless lad to have to face the
world with. | had neither trade nor
profession, but after a good deal of
trouble | succeeded III obtaining a sit
uati0n as porter to a large and fash
lonaDle draper. | placed my fathers
legacy Ill the bank, thoroughly deter
mined never to touch it until abSo-
lutely compelled. | was robust, steady,
hopeful, and by sheer hard work,
coupled with the stricteSt economy,
managed to live in some degree OF COM
fort and responsibility. After a while,
however, | grew restless and unhappy.
| felt within me an irriStible I'M
pulse to rise to something higher and
better than the daily drudgery to
wien my employment subjected me.
About this time an emigra tion agent
came to DaneSleigh-my birthplace,
g"ntlemen-aGa, III glowing coIorS,
pointed the splendid prospects which
awaited the 'enterprising emigrant'
just the thing for me-, | said to
myself, at the close OF the lecture.
. GRO |
trious- begging away without the
faintest nope OF beGtering myself
There's no mortal tie to bind me to the
old country, and it's morally certain
that there won be the keen, savage
selfish struggle for existence out IN the
lar, appropriated west that there is I'M
England. At any rate, I'll make a bUlu
bid for fortune
This resolution | quickly carried into
effect, and drawing together all the
money | possessed out OF the bank, Il
got together u small outfit, and burn
ing with high hopes, sailed for the
land OF The stars and stripes
'GOncerning my life there, L will say
nothing. My expectations were not
realized, and, bitterly disappointed, Ii
returned, after a few years absence,
all but penniless TO England.
How | managed to exist during tnel
first few months after my return | do
not know
AT length-after many weary?
trampS and much priyation-I OBJ
tanned a post ct a boot depot i'll Red
garth-a small town in the extremeI
south My work was neither very
Light nor very Iemunerative-but | was
glad enough of it.
by a strange and-for me-llnfortu-
nate coincidence, the very next week
after my arrival the first of series
startling and impudent burglaries took
place. \ shop was broken into and
ransacked. Then, in rapid succession,
no fewer than four other burglarieS
were effected. The gentry and trades
people Of Redgarth and its intermedi-
ate neighborhood became greatly eX
cited and alarmed. The police redou-
bled their vigilance; new locks and
bolts were fitted on to the doors, but
every precaution seemed futile.
We'll, gentlemen, it was my fate
and cruel one toto become en-
tangled i'll those burglaries. Talk
about narrow squeak. No one was
ever nearer to irretrieyable ruin than
| WAS at that time.
1T was my practice, after business
hours, 10 take a quiet stroll down the
Maldon road. one eyentful night in
accordance with This habit, l was walk
ing lelsurely along, when a young fell
low suddenly davted out from door
way of 4 large, substantially built
house.
You don't happen l., have such a
thing as latch key about you, do,
YOU: nc asked, abruptly.
Il stared at the speaker in amaze
ment; the request was an unusual one
to say the least.
know its funny question to ask,
he continued, noticing my heSita ton
and attr.buting it to the right cause,
but the fact is, I've locked myself out
OF my own house. ! was writing a
letter IN the library, when somebody
pulled the bell. l am alone in the
house.. and had to answer the bell my
self. But there was no one at the
door, and | stepped out to see if there
was anyone about. In my hurry | for
got all about the latch and pulled the
door behind pc, thus, unWittingIy,
locking myself out in the street.