The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-07-20
THE PUBLIC HOUSE.

"A fine public house" said Blanoo
Watson, the humerist
Yes, l replied, looking at the
building We Were approaching, but u
strange position-away from the high
road, and surrounded by villas "
very strange position We Will
rest in the public house, and will tell
very strange position. -
smiled and followed him into the
saloon bar. We sat at ono of the tables
and We're silent for time, he thinking
and watching him
THE story begins, he said present
~, with n burglary committed hy n
certain Bill Jones one night long ago
Bill was young member Of his
profession Hitherto he had not ut
tempted anything very big, but contin-
aed success in small things had made
him bold. On this night he broke into
the country house of II well known ac-
tress in the hope of carrying OH her
jewels.
lie succeeded III getting the jewels
anu Ad1 ithN iilk Win tlitIii NHtli no
found that the slight noise he had made
had attracted attention. \ servant girl
met him ut n turn of the stairway and
began To Shrek He rushed by her and
to the window through which he had
entered. As he passed through ii again
he heard doors being opened and knew
that the house was fully aroused. -
l
ed The actress employed u detective.
The detective built this public house in
an out of the way place, hoping that
Bill, as an out Of the way young man.
would call i'll one day for drink Curl
ously enough, Bill did. -
Blanco Watson frowned.
This is an intellectual story" he
said ut does not depend on eoinci-
dences
Twill continue Bill avoided the
first pursuit by u long rum across coun
try, and then walked toward his home
not daring to use the railway. He kept
to the byrOads as much as possible, and
ut the close of the next day had reached
the noighborhood of London
"A oIait ~ iiB ihoih' ~ ii'ii SAtt
suggested to him the ACCESSIBILITY OF
hiding the jewels until he had arranged
for their sale After making sure that
he was not observed lac entered the field
and picked up the spade a tree of pc
ouliar growth stood just beyond him
III the manner Of fiction, he counted 20
steps due north from the tree and then
"A L.1. ,,lnn.I t,,p.I., IN, -
and filled il up again.
"He arrived homo safely that night
but was arrested IN the morning The
servant girl had given AN accurate de
scription of him to the police, and they
had recognized it.
In duo course he was tried. The evi
denoe against him was very strong. The
servant girl swore that he was tho man
she met on tho stairs. Some of the vii
layers swoTe that they had seen him
near the house previous to the bur
glary. He was found guilty and sen
fenced TO seven years penal servitude.
Bill behaved very we'll III prison
aud at the end Of five years was released
on ticket of leave He decided to wait
until the ticket had expired and then
to get the jewels and leave the country
But day or two after his release he
walked out to look at the field.
There was no field During the five
years he had been III prison the estate
Of which the field was part had been
built upon. He wandered about the
houses in despair But as he turned
corner no saw something which suggest
cd hope. Behind some ratings was IL
tree of curious growth.
1T was the tree 20 steps due north Of
which he had buried the jewels. He
recognized it Immediately and ran to-
ward it, Again he was i'll despair A
yard or two north Of the tree was u
chapel, and the jewels were under the
chapel lie leaned against the ratings,
covering his face with his hands.
ut happened presently that the head
deacon Of the chapel, kindly old man,
came down the road. He saw Bill stand
ing like one in trouble and stopped ana
asked what was the matter and whether
ho could help.
For few moments Bill did not
know what to reply, but then he spoke
well. He said that once he had been q
burglar, but that he had learned in
prison that burglary il wrong that now
he was trying to live an honest life, but
that as he had no friends it was not
easy.
1.-The old man was touched. lie had
found Bill leaning against the chapel
ratings, and Bill had said that he had
no friends Was it not his duty as head
deacon Of the chapel to be friend To
Bill? Clearly IL was.
He took Bill home with him. He
was a bachelor, and there was no one to
restrain his beneyolence. They had sup,
per and talked together The deacon
found Bill intelligent and fairly well
educated and offered him employment.
He was builder iii the neighborhood,
he explained, and had a vacancy in tho
works. Bill gratefully accepted the offer
and began his new career on the follow.
ing Monday
Months passed. Bill had changed
wonderfully. He had forgotten his old
habits and learned new ones The deacon
was delighted Not only was Bill the
best Of his workmen, but he was the
most regular attendant at the chapel.
bill longed for the jewels, and he
worked hard because he knew that
money would help him TO get them. He
attended the chapel because while there
he was near the jewels, the seat he had
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