The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-26
MY FIRST BURGLARY

BObe euduonIy ~ D1ckey ana bE e0J on bDo
piazza together, twas committed when
was boy OF 12." !,
"whatl You committed burglary .
you, Uncle Bobss" cried Diokey In disnsy. 4
"Oh, that was nawful thing to dol"
mot such very nawful thing, tho way
wc did IT," nid uncIc Bobs calmly. "IIis-
ton and III tell you all about 10.
"Tcddy Gordon, my school chum, was
the gwiftest runner I'm P0kevillc. One
Fourth Of July he captured no less tbsD
800 In prizes. Next morning I met him
coming down tho road.
"Hcllo. Teddy mid I. Decide what
to do with your money yctY'
"'Ycs,' be replied. I'm going into tho
burglar busincss I've got my eye on an
ensy house 10 begin on. And. look here,
Bobs, I'm going 10 take you into partner
ship.
Looking cautiously about to see that
there was no chance Of being overheard,
Ted unfolded bis plan.
"Wby, it's splendid scbemcp broke
out presently. OF course III join you.
And, look here, Ted, the old lady hasn't
got any bulldog or anything, and don't
believe sho oven locks her door nights.
Come along now and Let us get togsther
our things.
miss judith Brown, or Aunt Judy
az she WAS often called, lived in n some
what dilapidated little cottage about half
mile down the road. Tho poor old LADY
had recently fallen upon evil times. MAI
ters were looking about as black and
gloomy az they well could.
"'Tilly,' she said one evening TO the lit
tie colored girl she kept more for company
than anything else Tilly, tomorrow whsn
you 60 down to the grocer see II he won't
give you another soap box. We must save
the chairs for our callers
"A little after 8 she and Tilly retired 70
their chamber up under the caves, and
soon they went fast asleep
"About 10 O'Clock, when all was dark
and still, wagon drove up, and turning
out from the road stopped on the other
side of Aunt Judy's back yard fence.
"Three minutes later Ted and poked
our heads above the boards, and seeing
that no one had been disturbed we climbed
lightly over and crept up to the back door.
AS VIC expected, 1t was only on the latch,
for II there was anything that Aunt Judy
had NO occasion to fear 1t was the midnight
thief.
"Once inside the house we drew down
the blinds and lighted our bullaeye lantern.
"In the kitchen we quietly removed our
shoes In true burglar fashion and crept
forward. The scene Of our operations was
the sitting room.
"Gathering up as many chairs as we
could bear off without noise, we carried
them to the back door. After that we took
the table. Then, with much difficulty, we
lugged of the rickety old sofa. Next we
took couple Of armfuls each Of odds and
ends, and finally plucking up the thread
bare carpet by the roots we bore 1t 0ff,
chuckling to ourselves, for we had com.
pletely denuded the room.
"Pulling on our boots, we now carried
our booty out to the wagon, and then--
well, half an hour later Ted and I were
well along the road on our way back.
"When Tilly came down In the morning
to hight the fire, her eyes almost popped
out Of her head with amazement. As soon
as she had recovered herself she rushed up
stairs.
"'Oh, missile, missiel' she cried. IT'S
all gone, missile! The robbers have tooken
all your furniture. It's all gone, missile,
even to the carpet and spoons and every
thingp
''Poor Aunt Judy's face was sight to
behold. In trembling haste she threw on
her wrapper and hurried down stairs.
Pushing open the parlor door, the ex.
cited old lady received shock which we'll
nigh took her off her feet There before
her was a brand new set of furniture
chairs, sofa and tablo, the latter spread
with white tablecloth, and with bright
new knives and forks and spoons and pref
ty cups and saucers upon it, the like Of
which she had never expected to see In her
little home again. In the center of the
room was laid large rug, and stuck up
In the corner was a roll of carpeting suifi
cient to cover the border of floor that was
yet exposed.
"With a quick glance the astounded
woman took it all In, and then she drop.
ped on her knees and sobbed aloud. Then,
rising, her face greatly frightened, she
said simply: Make some tea, Tilly. We
must christeI our new teapot.
GAS Tilly lifted the cover of that article
something green flashed to her eye from
the inside. She shook it out.
"'Oh, look, missieP sho cried. Look
herel Money Seel Ten and five-$25! !
Oh, missile. this is just great! The Lord
Is good, isn't hep
eyes, child, replied Aunt Judy, and
then, the old pride coming suddenly upon
her, she said: But we'll have to find out
who did 1t and send them back. We
mustn't keep them, Tilly. It's too much
like charity"
"Were you ever found out, Uncle BobsP"
inquired Dickey.
"Yes, the newspapers got hold OF the
affair, and pretty soon Teddy and were
known all around town as the blessed
burglars
"But before this happened the minister,
at Aunt Judy's request, had inserted this
little item:
Reward Offered.-Any person giving
Information concerning the burglars who
entered the premises of Miss Judith Brown
on the night Of July will receive thou.
sand thanks. AS for the burglars them.
selves, Miss Brown would be greatly
pleased to have them call upon her some
evening when she Is awake to receive the
gratitude their kindness and consideration
deserve. "-Exchange.