The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-07-23
TWO GOOD TURNS.
BY WALTER LEON SAWYER.

Gut, being a good wife, she asked no
questions. Before she had fully accom-
Enodated herself to the novel event, the
pnan-of-all-work gave her another sur
fprise, presenting "a telegram which set
z,crth that his sister was i'll and needed
l0im. OF course Mrs. Balcom let him go.
1t did not occur to her that the double
departure left her and the children I'M
protected, and if it had she would have
smiled at the idea of danger. She did
mot know that there was a burglar in
tOwn.
Mr.. Balcom did know. AS he came up
Erom the train the evening before, his
ueighbor Jones had stopped him to
whisper that the Hartshorne house had
Seen entered and judiciously ransacked.
The Hartshornes were in Europe. Their
acaretaker had been sOjourning in that
Ither foreign land, drunkard's para
1ise; but as soon as he came out of it
he discovered the robbery and FASTENED
~ ask Jones' advice. Jones, who had a
nervous mother-in-law, suggested that
She matter be kept as quiet as possible;
and he wanted to know if Mr.. Balcom-
You did just right" Mr.. Balloon in
corrupted, when the story had gone
5Aus far. "These country constables
would brighten every woman into hys-
series, but they wouldn't catch
burglar once in thousand times. Pro-
$essional, is hep"
so | suppose. He seems to have gone
unto the house and through it as though
ne knew his business"
~T'il back my burglar alarm against
mimi" Mr.. Balloon chuckled, conf
eicntly,
How about Ben Ezra ?" the neighbor
asked.
NO fear of him. You see my stable
is as well protected as my house." Mr..
Balcom explained. Fact is, I'd sooner
lose half there is in the house than that
horse. Little off his feed, the poor fel-
low is. l had a veterinary out yesterday
10 look at him, but can't drive him for
4 week. I guess /"
Il suppose we ought to do some
ching" Mr.. Jones ventured to hint. He
hnew if allowed to go on, Mr..
Ialcom would talk about his horse until
AlC SldG-tluu lllt 1lSIencT-ulGQ q
natural death.
oh, of course we must trip the fellow
ioefore he goes any further. Tell you
w'hat: l know private detective who
WAS on the Boston force for years
lCDg enough to get acquainted with
every rascal in the country. I'll bring
IIin2 home with me tomorrow to look
lA 4 4 l.,
yay him hundred than have the thing
get out and bedevil the women"
Eyes, indeed" said Mr.. Jones, fer
venlly.
Soitwas decided And after the neigh
hors had exchanged the usual remarks
on the dryness of the season and the
reed of rain, Mr.. Balloon sauntered
homeward, calm in the contentment
which a managing man has a right to
feel. He kissed his wife and children,
and then he went outand caressed his
horse. He looked carefully to the locks
1and the alarms. They were perfect and
in order. He went to bed in peace.
That night, however, he had horrid
dream. 1t seemed that Ben Ezra was
nNbtNhs tlilb IlC llStt DClI(CO Ills lOI-
9tine in seeking the horse; that finally,
Nrhen he had sunk to a beggar's outcast,
he found the wreck of Ben Ezra hauling
a garbage cart! The dream so wrought
upon Mr.. Balloon that he awoke in d
cold perspiration. He rushed to the
stable, and proved it only dream. But
1T might be a warning! That supcrsti-
fancy linoraraI with hir,, +hrn, 1rh
the hours of dusk and dawn, and the
early glare of an August sun did not
dispel it. 1t hurried him to the city, as
has been told.
looking at it in the light of his new
knowledge, Mr.. Balcom could see many
reasons why Maple Park should attract
Il burglar. Its isolated and unguarded
location is one; the smallness and sleep
iness of the town that it fringes is an
1tEer. Seekonket has only two cou-
stables and one hand fire-engine-
Ehnugh, to be sure. it has four churches
and the aristocratic residents cut
themselves off from all these blessings
Ivy building on the farther side of Green
lieafs hill. AS Maple Park holds aloof
from Maple Park; and Mr.. Balloon won
e3ered, the longer he thought of it, that
some frowsy Napoleon did not organize
Eaisarmy of tramps and obliterate Maple
aark
Mrs. Malcom was not imaginative.
and no such terrors ever oppressed her.
SHE was young enough to enjoy her
Mooney, and old enough to appreciate
gsar health and since her daughters had
9ct reached 4 manageable age, neither
.Ssc:, health nor her money seemed in
danger. OF course, she should have
Gss'en, as she was, happy woman. She
spent her day as the truly happy must
Tft small activities that amuse one and
Es1lke one feel useful but not fatigued.
IA accustomed was she to the routine
s1f quiet that when Abbie, the cook, APP
psared eXcitedly before her she was
sf0W TO realize that this particular day
might prove an exception.
The stables afre, Miss Baloom!" the
cook proclaimed.
is it?' the mistress absentlv an
'awercd. Tell Henry to put it out,