Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-01-20
THE REAL BURGLAR.
By CHARLES B. LEWIS.

From the time / could read the life
and adventures of Sixteen String jack
up to few mouths ago had a pro-
found admiration for the highwayman.
Next to the highwayman came the bur-
glar / don't know but he was an equal
favorite in my imagination. For years
/ left doors unlocked and windows open,
hoping a burglar would call, but for
reasons unknown to me my house was
avoided
A few weeks ago | was left to keep
bachelors hall while the rest of the
family paid visit in the country. One
night at midnight, as / peacefully slept
in my bed, something happened to
arouse me. 1t took me minute or two
to discover what that something was,
but made no mistake. A man stood
over me with cooked revolver held
close to my head, and as he saw that I
was awake he growled:
"Now, then, wants to talk to yer.
If yer go to raisin any row, yer'll git a
bullet plumb through yer head y
"Who are your asked.
"Yer kin call me most any name"
'And what do you want here?''
''I'm after the swag.
'Then you must be burglar?''
EUR sure. -
So my burglar had come at last. ] sat
up in bed to get good look at him, and
after one glance / felt sick at heart. The
burglar of my imagination had always
looked the gentleman. This fellow was
low browed, common looking man who
hadn't been shaved for week even if
he had washed his face or combed his
hair during that period. He not only
looked common, but he looked low mind
ed and tricky. ] had always given a
burglar credit for wearing good clothes,
but this man had on cheap suit, and
it was badly worn in spots. was dis
appointed and disgusted, and he saw l
was and asked:
care you sure that you are bur-
glar?' queried.
'tOf course I am. Haven't l bin ar
rested five or six times and served two
different sentences fur burglary?"
"That may be, but | had different
idea of the fraternity. You are not an
intelligent looking man. You wear very
shabby clothes. You can't speak ten
words without making slip in your
grammar. Be candid with me. Aren't
you chap who got in here by mistake?
Wasn't it your plan TO rob the clothes
line or steal something from the wood
shed?''
"What yer givin me. ole man?'' he
exclaimed as he tapped me on the head
with the muzzle of his pistol. after
I gifts through with yer yer II think I'm
burglar fast 'nuff. Git over ag in the
wall Now, then, if yer move finger
I'll bore yerp'
One side of my bed stood against the
wall, and / moved over at his bidding.
My clothing hung on a chair at the foot
of the bed, and he laid down his pistol
and picked up the garments in success
sion and searched them. From my trou
sers he took roll of money amounting
to about $40, from my vest gold watch,
from the breast pocket of my coat some
papers Of no value to him, and after a
glance he returned them. On the dresser
was my diamond scarfpin, and when he
had placed that with the other plumber
I said:
81 have always believed that men
were driven to burglary through power
ty or misfortune or unjust treatment.
How was it in your case?"
81 went into the bizness because
wanted sunthin dead easy he replied,
with solemn wink of his left eye.
"And doesn't burglars conscience
trouble him now and then?'
81 never heard if it did. If the pur
leece let's us alone, cur consciences are
all right. Where's the rest CT the stuff,
ole man?''
care you asking if have anything
else of value you can carry off?''
eur surel This is no haul: There
isn't 'nuff money in this to pay me fur
wa1kin half mile. :"
s'It will figure up close to $500, and
Az cOOAAc W 44lO eAdV 10 pAOtVJ AoAA pay AOl
an hours work. .
"Shet up. Now, then, git outer bed. y
"What for?'
"I'm goin to tie yer fast while /
ransacks the crib Where's the wife and
children?'
"Out in the country p
That's good. III hev the crib all to
meself. Put on yer trousers. Now sit
down.
He placed the chair against the radi-
ator, and as ] sat down he whipped a
sheet off the bed, tore it in strips and
tied me to both chair and radiator. He
was nervous and alarmed all the time,
but attempted to hide it by buster.
finally told him that he ought to be
ashamed of such nerve and was reward
ed by cuff on the ear which kept my
head ringing for five minutes. When he
had secured me to his satisfaction, he
looked me over and said:
'sI'm goin down into the kitchen for
sunthin to eat, and if yer try any tricks
on me it'll be the wuss fur yer. !"
1T is no use to go down." I replied.
'There has been nothing to eat in the
house since the folks went away week
ago."