The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-29
Burglar and Bridegroom,

! to Boston was Just drawing out of New
Haven late in the afternoon when a young
man with dark mustache AMI glasses
who had evidently just boarded the train
walked down the car aisle and paused
inquiringiy at the vacant seat by my
side. The train was well filed ana after
pausing for an instant as If 10 see wheth-
er 1 objected to sharing my seat with
him, the stranger planted himself at my
side.
Finally he leaned over to me, and
touching my arm, said:
Il trust, sir, the arrangement will be
satisfactory
Il beg pardon. sir" replied
Il am Miss Celeste's man. 1 was sent
to meet you
1 never neglected an opportunity to take
! advantage of circumstances. and 1 merely
replied:
Indeed"
1--WE are due at Providence at 7:22 The
/ ceremony viii take place at s. he Went
t on, ignoring my non-committal replies.
If you please to give me your baggage
checks he continued, II viii have the
servants attend to it when We arrive"
Il have nothing with me but this
satchel," I replied.
"Ah, you have sent it on ahead That
is good. But" he said, you are perhaps
! wondering how recognized you"
Il am not remarkably well known -
1 replied, and my pictures-'
"Ah, you look just like them. Miss
Celeste allowed me TO look at one. l
| am gratified that you did not forget a
suggestion I made to Miss Celeste that
you wear fedora and a pink rose
so that was your idea, was it?'' said.
The train commenced to slow up for
Providence. Ny companion arose, and 1
followed him when he leaped upon the
| platform.
! \ carriage attended by two footmen was
in waiting. and my companion kuded me
to it, I was in such a strange position
! that I would have preferred doing with
/ out the footmen at this particular time.
In few moments the ca. age drew
| up at the door of a largo. weIl-lishted
| house, with a broad vS(.nda. From the
/ parlor laughter a. conversation inGi-
| Gated that a large company was pres
/ ent AS we alighted another carriage,
which had been just ahead of US, turn
ed from the curb and a solitary gentle
man walked up to the house.
I'VE are just in time. that IS the min
ister," sad my guide. 81 will show you
| to your room, if you please, and you
can join the company IN the parlor as
y
| you can ring" The broad stair ease was
at hand, and 1 was saved the embarrass-
ment of meeting any of the guests whom
1 might be expected TO know. Celeste,
also, 1 escaped.
My room was large and upon the bed
a number of packages We're spread out.
/ opened one of them. 1t was dozen sill
yer spoons. A small card read: Ito Mr.
and Mrs. Geo. Mopart. Congratulations"
Evedinetiy the package was intended tor
me- I opened several others. Just as
took it up l heard the knob Of my door
trun, and unconsciously 1 slipped it in
my pocket.
My companion of the train entered
Miss Celeste desires ne to say that
she will meet you at teh head OF the
stairs in ten minutes, and will descend
with you for the ceremony"
"Oh, thank you. William. is your name
William? I forget"
James, sir"
every well, James. That will do
I retied my cravat and then took an
other look at the presents; 1 remembered
afterwards that l failed to return that
pin. Several other remarkably costly
presents of small size were also missing
afterward, though 1 remembered perfect
ly seeing them on the bed while 1 was in
the room.
I had just about six minutes in which
to keep my appointment with Celeste. Had
it not been for the ceremony which was
scheduled to take place Immediately af-
terward, I believe 1 should have allowed
my love Of adventure to lead me to the
head of the stairs. Celeste! Nice nanel
I wondered what she was like, as l soft
ly opened the door and looked out into the
hallway. She was not there yet. Neither
were the servants. I let the room. clos
ing the'door tightly 6eh.ad me.
The hall was deserted. At the head of
the stairs I could hear laughter and COR
versat;on. I had my hat in my hand,
but in order not 70 excite comment I
had left my satchel behind. I stroled
out on to the veranda. Just at that mo-
ment down the street 1 heard the rumble
of a cab. In another moment a four
wheeler. driven furiously, hauled up and
a young man leaped out. He dashed up
the path, taking the steps three at a time.
I drew back into the shadow. He passed
50 quickly that I could not see his face.
I sauntered down the path The driver
was just turning his cab around.
Hi, cabby," I shouted to the Jehu. "A
dollar if / get to New Haven depot in
five minutes"
l bought copy of the Providence Jour
nal next day at Boston, TO see how the
ceremony had been performed.
For a Providence paper the Journal
really did very well on that story
I enjoyed reading the humorous account
Of how the bridegroom missed his train
and how the butler had mistaken another
gentleman on the train for Mr.. MoDart-
1 disliked, however. to have the Journal
make such open insnuations against he
honesty of the person thus introduced
in Mr.. Mopart's stead:
II is stated that IN all probability the
butler had stumbled upon clever ras-
cal and crook in his search for the bride-
groom, for a number of costly wedding
presents which had been left IN the room
with the supposed Mr. Mopart had mystic
riously disappeared, as he himself had
done but a few minutes before the real
Mr.. Mopart had arrived.
he had left behind him a small hand
satchel in which were found q number Of
j.mmies. skeleton keys and other articles
used only by a certain class OF gentle
men. It was the discovery OF these arti-
cles that first aroused suspicion
As for the wedding. that had taken
place In spite of the excitement.-New
York Evening World.
Contempt for Public Document
Representative Hepburn was noticed
-. -l.--