Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-02-29

that he started upon discovering that
the latch had been broken. II was eyi-
dent than upon entering tho room he
was surprised and eonfnked ID ace ila
saieeFdeg Bat he drew sheet from eha
bed. spread Il tbe. Gleor and proceed
ed to rnnsaek the room. EVSce-stl5--aliisis
bewilderment increased, aud be must
have been discouraged to find 50 littl0
worth taking.
He was not long in completing tho
footing Of tho room, aud then ho went
to the door aud stood moment ia tho
passage, listening intently. After that
he began carefully to descend The stairs.
His conduct thenceforward was exacsiy
a repetition Of his predecessors. Ifo
passed my door, tinklad tho plated sill.
yerware in the dining room. left It
alone, returned to the yegtihnle, stood Il
moment listening ut my open door, Gnu
tiously retraced his steps up stairs
passed through the window. closed il,
dropped his parcel to tho ground, clam.
bered down the lattice and passed out,
closing the gate behind him.
1T may be supposed chat tho coin.
oidences amazed Mo beyond measure.
This. more than anything else, seemed
TO unnerve mo al the more. All this
time realized | had been acting tho
part Of coward. Me1ely to have liglasa
ed the gas III my room would have cIeaf
ed the house Of the second burglar, hut
had not thu courage Is "a Fha6
My alarm and nervousness heeana
so great that arose from bod aud vaa..
just about 70 strike match with whiehs
10 light the gas ia the chandelier when
l heard the gate latch click for the third
time. My match remained innsbruck. aEd
I listened with a fascinated intehtnaas
to this last invasion. Iii all particulars
il was identical with tho second, down
to the point when the burglar descended
the stairs and passed my open door ~
his way TO the dining room. 10 light
the gas then would have been 10 piaae
the man In corner and compel him to
fight. realized not only that ii Is tax
ing ones life in ones hands 10 cut OF 4
burglar retreat before attacking him
(as knowledge Of q chance of escap0
diverts bis attention from tho r.eeeeai5y
for self defense aud renders bin easter
to overcomel. bat that | was Bosv IL
condition in which | lacked both ESQ
courage and the strength tomake the ii
tempt.
.'1he position which | now occupied
in the room was half way between tie
bed and the window. ASH was So much
nearer the window than before, / could
hear sounds from without with much
more diatinctness. While I stood thafo
listening To the third burglar finkle the
plated ware ] was startled to hear tbs
gate latch click again and the football d
a fourth Burglar on tic board paved
passage. As he was climbing the latsiea
a fifth burglar entered the gate, tliEo
sixth, then others, until burglars % Al
endless procession were enienipa usy
premises and rifiiBs my h0sse % 0ue
common aud unyarying plan.
HTt Is useless to say that al fnteIIi4
gent man should not have entertained
such an idea for moment We kssow
that might have reasoned that pefssaps
there had been only one, Or. 81 most.
two, burglars after all. and thai tie
fright which they gave me caused me 70
conjure up the others fre8n feat ~
ranged imagination. Il tuipht b pFessff
able to indulge ID great maHy oihs
specnlations 90 this subject but fhs
truth remains that could sss 1eaon IL
all
''In simple desperation .Eerhaps fssg
BY sort Of fascination. / egepa Is tie
window IN order to efsssss witf Iase
curiosity tho PROCESSION u burglars
tering the gate. turned the sissss Ct i
lower blind and looked cut 10 eni
visible. and yet burglars were tsilI sl0ug.
ing through thu gate
1.-THE expSar same like q Ebeck
sng revelation sind was playing
with some loose Essna sl2ss Immediately
a5osa nsy head as ! stood there, and our
of that eight aud varying feuud ny
imagination rad constructed fhe phaa
tasy from beginning to end No burglar
at ali had invaded my house anna
and teased myself for come tins after,
ward by compelling nay attention II
leave the rafting Stats as intervals asa
fill my house with burglars --an
Francisco Gall.