The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-02-26

| supposed the burglar to be above rohbing
infants of their pennies. If I'd had the
least idea that any such man as you was
around, I'd have taken precautions to keep
you out BY the way, how did you
enter?'
''By the kitchen door"
Eyes, left it unlocke ed in order to save
Il burglar time and trouble Where are
you going now ?"
''Ill take look about If yer walk out
or try to git away, I'll be right on to yer
in mint !"
He LETT the bedroom and went down the
hall, and heard him in the guests
chamber and the servants ROOM He was
gone about ten minutes, and when he came
back he was in had temper. AS | wasn't
stocked up for burglars he had found no
other plumber.
Look here, cully" he growled as he
stood looking at me. 81 hewitt found no
handbook yit y
II might look around here myself for
six months and not find one," anwered.
But if yer don't bank yer sugar where
is it,"
Whenever / have dollar left | give it
to the Society of Reformed burglars"
'Oh, yc does ph? \ ell, wants more
, none. See? Yer got money hid some
where, and If yer don't shell out I'll
cripple YER"
you've got e, cry dollar in the house"
With that he pulled up a chair, sat
down, took match from his pocket and
lifted one Of my bare feet on his knee. lie
was going to burn the sole of my foot to
make me hetray the hiding place of my
cash.
''Will Yer tell or take this? he d..
manded as he scratched the match on the
floor.
l was about to answer when | saw the
form OF policeman in the door. He had
seen lights Pickering about up stairs, had
entered the yard to find the side door and
the kitchen door open. Suspccting that
ali was not light, he had entered the house
and looked about and made his way up
stairs. My burglar had his back to the
door, As he held the lighted match in his
fingers the officers stepped forward aud
gave him blow with his club, which
knoc''ed him of the chair and seemed for
awhile to have FINISHED his career When
the handouts had been slipped on his
wrists, | was united, and the officer and
sat down to compare notes and wait for the
fellow to regain consciousness. We didn't
hasten matters by the use of brandy or
water or palm leaf fan We gave him ali
the time he wanted, and meanwhile went
through him and recovered my owl. After
long half hour my burglar opened his
eyes and sat up and inquired:
whats gon on here?"
Nothing much,' | answered "You
were not satisfied with taking all had but
were going to torture me in hopes of get
ting another shilling or two. This of1irer
came in just then and cracked your head
"And Pm il prisoner"
"You are"
"Say, gents, I'm a poor, unfortunate
man and was driven to this, aud l hope
yer II take pity on me-" he whined, having
no more pluck than a child.
81 thought burglars were brave, deter
mined men," | said
"No, sir, they are not If yer'll let me
go, III leave this part Of the country and
never come back. Gents, think of me dear
old MOTHER
"Wbat! Do burglars have dear old
mothers to weep and worry when arrest and
prison Gomez
eyes, sir, and my wife will be so upset
that she won't be able to 90 to her washn."
''Then you are the husband of wash
woman?"
Its trre, sir. See gents-Im weepin.
I'm as sorry as | kin be, and if yer'I let
me go I'll never even steal an apple as long
as live. Try me, gents-try a broken
hearted, sorrowful man, who must have
been walkn in his sleep, or he'd never hev
got in here"
And that was my ideal, my hero, my
burglar. He had come after score Of
years of waiting, and l had found him
ignorant, vicious and only a step above the
brate.
went away and sat down by the hall
window and gave way to MY grief and dis
appointment, while the officer lifted the
mudsill to his feet and walked him down
stairs and escorted him to the station. |
hoped the man might nerve up and become
a hero as he faced the Judge and jury but,
alas, he pleaded guilty, shed tears when
sentenced and as they took him away he
turned back to me and whispered:
Yes. sir, Pm Il burglar, and | axes yer
humble parding fur disturbin Of yer sleep
that night"