Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-12-26
I'M Il on 40 THE BURGLAR.

Tho s+ou,. pr pr s [mid Little Old Maid
Rr;n o;na fe. Id Man to Terms
Great Deli ion'
Tb.ro = again! Miss Frolic sat
nm IN ~ y curl paper wagging
With sneo, of satisfied apprehen-
sio SION q sp 1or g-expected burglar had
80 ue ION! She could hear him
novin a. .assalthily about the hall, says
Mosla4ss s Magazine. She was quite
composed And in a twinkling she had
whisked herself ito her dressing gown
and lit a candle.~~ She even east a
glance at herself in the glass, remem-
bering that there had not beer man
in the hall for twenty years. With q
final quirk to her gray ringlets, Miss
F'rolic sailed out to recoinnoiter. She
stepped to the banisters and surveyed
her visitor through the gloom; he APP
peared big enough to swallow her
whole, and Miss Frolic thought of her
spoons, and her heart sunk. Suddenly
an idea occurred to her. She glided
shining from her drawer, and with
mouse-like movements, descended the
back stairs The burglar was in the
tIulHS IOOul ny lilo liIuS I1S " co
kneeling by the sideboard, very intent
upon the business Of transferring a sill
yer teapot to his bag. There was a
small dark lantern before him. All at
once he started, gave hoarse cry, and
then crouched, trembling, with his
hands still in the bag. A figure was
standing over him and a circle of cold
steel was pressed against his ear.
''Ketched-I own it" said the bur-
glar, wriggling.
"set right still where yew air" adj
vised Miss Frolic, gently. Il amt wal
accustomed to firearms, an this 'un is
subject to goin' off impromptoo
The burglar swore. Caught by wo-
man. He wriggled again. There was
an ominous click; his hair rose.
Thar, amt l tellin' yew," said Miss
Frolic. eproachfully: its real dan
gerous to trifle with an unsartain
weapon like this
what are you goin' to do?' growled
the burglar with an oath.
Young man, I'm gOin' to set right
here till mornin Admirin' yewr back
ha'r amt an eXaltin' occupation, but
maybe, eff in the mex four hours, I kin
interdoose some moral principles inter
its roots, won't regret it.
He was completely in her power. and
he knew it. He was absolutely help
less so long as she held the revolver.
Presently. with her watchful eyes upon
him, she drew a chair toward her with
ker foot and established herself there
or, upright as dart, certain as fate
Family man." she asked, in light
and conversational tone.
YAH" said the burglar contemptu-
ously
Bin long in the-the-businessg
said Miss Frolic. delicately.
'Pah!" said the burglar.
Thus foiled, Miss Frolic relapsed
into silence She was
growing very tired, but she dared not
move The clock struck three. The
burglar feigned sleep, but Miss Frolic
allowed the cold circle to nestle low
ingly into his hair, and he sat up with
a gurgle of fear He could see her out
of the corner of his eye. with her ring
lets askew and her prim little figure
erect with effort. The lantern cast up
oily smells and somewhere in the dark
ness Of the hall a cricket chirped.
Twice Miss Frolic's lids fell over her
straining eyes and twice she lurched
forward in her chair to save herself
Just in time. The gray
dawn came. and with its birds in the
garden. and, oh, welcome sound, steps
upon the path. Suddenly the burglar
knocked Miss Frolic's arm up.
''Ketchim," shrieked she; and he
dashed through the window, straight
into the arms of the hired man
Miss Frolic went to see him in Jail.
and they were quite friendly As the
burglar looked at her tiny, fragile
form, he muttered:
Done, by that. But, then, she had
her weapon."
Il calk'lated yew'd be interested in
viewin' it, SO ] brought it along" said
Miss Frolic, and she held out-her
curling tongs.