The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1897-06-12

w you, Uncle Bob3''
may. "oh, that was an awful thing to
do"
Not such a very awful thing the
way we did It," said Uncle Bobs, calm
ly. Listen and I'll tell you all about
IL.
Teddy Gordon, my school chum, was
the swiftest runner in Pokesville. One
Fourth of July he captured no less than
$50 in prizes. Next morning I met him
coming down the road.
Hello, Teddy said /, decided what
to do with your money yet?
Yes he replied, I'm going into
the burglar business
Ted Gordon, have you clean gone
out your senses? What on earth do
you mean?
Exactly what say replied Ted,
calmly. I've got my eye on an easy
house to begin on, and look here, Bob,
I'm going to take you into partner
ship
We'll, not IL know it, said I, my
eyes opening wide with amazement at
Ted's GOODNESS. In the first place it's
dead wrong, and in the second it's very
dangerous
"'oh, l guess you'll Join in this en-
terprise all right responded Ted, with
a smile. Now, listen
Looking cautiously about to see
that there was no chance Of being over
heard, Ted unfolded his plan.
Why, it's a splendid schemer
broke out, presently. OF course I'll
join you. And look here, Ted, the old
lady hasn't got any bulldog or any
thing, and / don't believe she even
locks her doors nights. Come along
now, and let US get together our
things'
"And arm in arm we strolled down
the street, muttering our plans as We
went
Miss Judith Brown, or Aunt Judy
as she was often called, lived in a some
what dilapidated little cottage about
half q mile down the road. The poor
old lady had recently fallen upon evil
times. The 800 income with which
o4C 1oa ASA yCoA . IloAd6CA " ACCP bOAy
and soul together was suddenly cut
down tc one-half that amount And
to make matters yet worse her eyes
began to fail her. so that she could no
longer add to her small income by sew
ing and fancy work. So altogether
matters were looking about as black
and gloomy as they well could.
THE carpet in her sitting room was
very threadbare, the chairs old and
rickety, and as for the table. 1t could
scarcely support the few cracked
dishes her frugal meal required her to
put upon it.
Occasionally Aunt Judy had q lady
visitor, and then with what mortifica-
ton the poor woman was compelled to
set before her caller Clipped cups and
saucers, and to warn her not to bear
too heavily on the chair upon which she
was sitting only a few of her &C
Quaintances knew.
"'Tilly,' she said one evening to the
little girl she kept more for company
than anything else. 'Tilly, tomorrow
when you go down to the grocer's, see
II he won't give you another soap box.
We must save the chairs for our call
ers.'
"This evening after the Fourth she
was feeling very down-hearted, indeed.
Il looked as though she would have to
openly appeal to charity, and this she
had never been driven to before. 1t
- do ho
"a little after eight she and lilly
retired to their chamber up under the
caves, and soon they were fast asleep.
About ten o'clock, when all was
dark and still, a wagon drove up, and
turning out from the road stopped on
the other side Of Aunt Judy's back
yard fence. Here it lay completely
hidden both from the house and from
the street.
Three minutes later Ted and /
poked out our heads above the boards,
and seeing that no one had been dis
turbed, we climbed lightly over and
crept up to the back door. AS we ex-
pected. it was only on the latch, for IL
there was anything that Aunt Judy
had no occasion to fear it was the mid
night thief.
"Once inside the house, we drew
down the blinds and lighted our bulls
eye lantern. The old cat looked up at
us in surprise from the kitchen hearth.
and then, evidently considering the
idea Of burglars too absurd to entertain
for a moment. again dropped on to
sleep.
an the kitchen we quietly removed
our shoes In true burglar fashion and
crept forward. The scene of our op-
erations was the sitting room.
sHistr whispered Ted. gently,
now. II We are discovered. we are
found The situation lent the chest
nut a fresh pungeney. And IT was as
much as we could do to keep from
bursting into a roar Of laughter. We
got our risibflities under control. how
syer, and set to work