The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-04-04
~~@~U~% %@eS~~~(
; B0WLDERS BURGLAR. .
.~@@N @AN% 49,

| Bowlder's wife was away at the
! time, and Bowlder, left lonely and
forlorn to look after the house and
earn money, was having sad, bad
time, indeed.
Not that Bowlder really lacked any
thing, but he missed his wife.
Where before the merry prattle Of his
offspring made the racket of a boiler
shop, all was a solemn peace and
hush. The Bowlder mansion was IKE
a graveyard.
| Naturally Bowlder felt lonesome,
| and to avoid as much as might be hay
! ing his lonliness thrust upon MN Dy
| the empty desolation Of the house. he
| made it rule during his wife's vaca-
| ton not to go home until O'Clock
| q. m.
On the night, or more properly,
morning. in question, Bowlder wend-
| ed homeward at sharp 5. He had
been missing Mrs. B. painfully all the
evening, and, to uphold himself, had
subscribed to divers drinks. Ihese
| last Bowlder put safely away within
his belt, and they cherished him ana
| taught him resignation, and he did not
miss his wife as much as he had.
BowIder, at last, by mistake, got his
! latchkey into the keyhole to which 1t
appertained, and the door swung IN
ward. This was a distinct success,
and Bowlder heaved a sigh of relief.
| This door, which had grown singular
| " obdurate since Mrs. BIS departure,
| had been known to hold BoWlder at
| bay for twenty minutes.
Bowlder had Just cast his hat on the
hall tloor-he intended to hang 1t up
| In the morning, when he would have
more time-and had got as far on a
| journey to the second floor as one step,
| when a noise in the basement dining
room enlisted Bowlder's attention.
His curiosity, rather than his fears,
! was aroused-another happy effect Of
his libations.
! Without one thought of burglars,
| Bowlder deferred, his journey up
| stairs, and returned instead to the
dining room below. Bowlder would
| Investigate the untoward noise which.
| while soft and light. was still of such
| volume as might fall upon the ear.
| :eWonder if the house is haunted?"
| ODScISCu DO" 1uCA, 40 AAO WIZ uS "a
| ously below.
1t had all the thrill of perfect sur
| prise when,. as Bowlder turned into
| his dining room. he beheld bulls
eve lantern sitting on the table, she'd
| ding malevolent stream Of light on
| his face, and caught the shadowy out
lines Of a tall man behind it, who
| seemed engaged in pointing a gum at
| him.
''Hold up your hands'' said the tall
man, land don't come a step further,
or out goes your light"
'Well, I like thish!' observed
Bow1der, in tone of querulous; COM
plant, at the same time, however,
| clasping his hands above his head.
IL like thish What's the row here?"
The tall man made no reply, but
came around and deftly ran his
hands over Bowlder for possible arms.
Bowlder had no gun. The tall man
seemed satisfied, and. stepping back.
told Bowlder he might sit down and
| rest his face on his lap. Bowlder took
| advantage of the permission.
"Any objections to me 1ightin' She
gar?' queried Bowlder
':Not at all,'' said the tall man.
Bowlder. was soon putting away.
Besides being friendly. not to say po-
| lite, Bowlder bestowed one on the Wis
| itor.
Els it mild cigar:'' asked the bur-
glar.
Colorado claro," said Bowlder
'"That's all right 'assented the 9TH
er. ''Don't like strong smoke. It
makes ny head ache"
| AS the visitor lighted the cigar
Bowlder noticed that he wore a black
| mask across his eyes, and that the lat
! ter shone through the apertures cut
| for their convenience like beads. The
mask gave Bowlder a chill which the
| pistol had not evoked! Indeed, it came
very near destroying the whole force
| of the drinks he had accumulated.
When the stranger had lighted his
cigar Bowlder and he puffed at each
other a moment without word.
'sWhat are you doing in my housh?'
at last demanded Bowlder. . .g.z> Is
The stranger smiled and puffed on.
! Then he kicked a large sack with his
foot. Bowlder had not observed the
| sack before. AS the stranger touched
| 1t with his foot it gave out metallic
| clinking.
Bowlder''s eyes roamed instinctively
to the sideboard. There wasn't much
light, but enough to show Bowlder
that the sideboard's burden Of silver
ware was gone. With such start
BoWlder was able to infer great
/ deal.
Made a clean sweep, eh?" re-
/! marked Bowlder. .
i The masked stranger nod ded.
II you've got all there is loose and
y little il the housh. !" said BoRld eal-, he