Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-18

ouu pieces OF JeWeIIy, nalI a dozen old
coins and the baby's savings bank, CON
tanning l19 pennies.
"You wouldn't rob a baby, would
your" I asked as be poured the pennies
into the pocket of his sack coat.
"And why not?" he queried with a
cunning leer. Its the bizness of q bur
glar to take all what comes"
We'll, that 8 another disappointment.
| supposed the burglar to be above rob
bling infants Of their pennies. II 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, l left it unlocked in order to
ave a burglar time and trouble. Where
are you going now?'
"Ill take q look about. If yer yell
out or try to git away. I'll be right on
to yer in a minit!"
He left the bedroom and went down
the hall, and l heard him in the guests
chamber and the servants room. He
was gone about ten minutes, and when
he came back he was in bad temper.
AS I wasn't stocked up for burglars he
had found nc other plumber.
Look here, Gully ~ he growled as he
stood looking at me. II hewitt found
no handbook yit."
II might look around here myself for
six months and not find one," l an.
swered.
"But if yer don't bank yer sugar
where is it?"
Whenever | have a dollar left | give
it to the Society Of Reformed Burglars. "
"Oh, yer does, Ell? Well, 1 wants
more money. See? Yer got money hid
somewhere, and if yer don't shell out
I'll cripple yer!"
you've got every dollar i'll the
house"
With that he pulled up u chair, sat
down, took a match from his pocket and
lifted Il of my bare feet on his knee.
He was going to burn the sole Of my
foot to make me betray the hiding place
of my cash.
"Will yer tell or take this?" he de-
manded as he scratched the match on
the floor.
twas about to answer when l saw the
form Of a 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. Sus-
pecting that all was not right, 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 officer
stepped forward and gave him a blow
with his club, which knocked him off
the chair and seemed for awhile to have
finished his career. When the hand.
cuffs had been slipped on his wrists, l
was united, and the officer and l 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 OF a palm leaf fan.
We gave him all the time be wanted,
and meanwhile I went through him and
recovered my own. After a long half
hour my burglar opened his eyes and sat
up and inquired:
whats goin on herey'
Nothing much" I answered. "You
were not satisfied with taking all I had,
but were going to torture me in hopes
Of getting another shilling or two. This
officer came in Just then and cracked
your head"
"And I'm a prisoner"
"You are"
"Say, gents, I'm a poor, unfortunate
man and was driven to this, and l hope
yer'll take pity Oh me-, " he whined, hay.
ing no more pluck than a child
II thought burglars were brave, de-
termined men," l said.
'No, sir, they are not. If yer'll let me
go, I'll leave this part of the country
and never come back. Gents. think of
me dear old mother"
"What! Do burglars have dear old
mothers to weep and worry when arrest
and prison Gomez
eyes, sir, and my wife will be SO up
set that she won't be able to go to her
washin."
"Then you are the husband of a wash
woman?"
"It's true, sir. See, gents-I'm weep
in. I'm as sorry as I kin be, and if yer'll
let me go III never sven steal all apple
as long as I live. Try me, gents-try a
broken hearted, sorrowful man, who
must have been walkin in his sleep, Or
he'd never hev got in here"
And that was my ideal, my hero,
my burglar. He had come after a score
Of years of waiting, and I had found
him ignorant, vicious and only a step
above the brutes. I went away and sat
down by the hall window and gave way
to my grief and disappointment, while
the officer lifted the mudsill to his feet
and walked him down stairs and escort.
cd him to the station. I 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 sen
fenced, aud as they took him away he
turned back to me and whispered:
"Yes, sir, I'm a burglar, and I axes
yer humble parding fur disturbin of yer
sleep that night"
Automatic Photography.
An automatic photograph Of q deer