The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-01-27
THE REAL BURGLAR
BY CHARLES L. LEWIS.

favorite in my imagination. For years
I left doors unlocked and windows open,
hoping a burglar would call, but for
reasons unknown to me my house was
avoided.
\ few weeks ago l was left to keep
bachelors hall while the rest Of the
family paid a visit in the country. One
night at midnight, as I peacefully slept
in my bed, something happened to
arouse me. 1t took me a minute or two
to discover what that something was,
but l made NO mistake. A man stood
over me with a cooked revolver held
close to my head, and as he saw that I
was awake he growled:
"Now, then, l wants to talk to yer.
II yer go to raisin any row, yer'll git a
bullet plumb through yer head"
"Who are you:' l asked.
Eyer kin call me most any name"
"And what do you want here"
"Im after the swag."
"Then you must be q burglar::'
Fur sure"
So my burglar had come at last. l sat
up in bed TO get a good look at him, and
after u glance l felt sick at heart. The
burglar Of my imagination had always
looked the gentleman. This fellow was
a low proved, common looking man who
hadn't been shaved for a 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. l had always given a
burglar credit for wearing good clothes,
but this man had on "a cheap suit, and
it was badly worn in spots. l was dis
appointed and disguised, and he saw l
was and asked:
Are you sure that you are a bur-
glar:' I queried.
''Of course l am. Haven't / bin ar
rested five Or six times and served two
different sentences fur burglary:'
THAT may be, but l had a different
idea Of the fraternity. You are Q an
intelligent looking man. You wear very
shabby clothes. You can't speak ten
words without making a slip in your
grammar. Be candid with me. Aren't
you a chap who got in here by mistake:
Wasn't it your plan to rob the clothes.
lire or steal something from the wood
shed?''
What yer givin me, ole MANI" he
exclaimed as he tapped me on the head
with the muzzle Of his pistol. "After
l gifts through with yer yer'll think I'm
a burglar fast huff. Git over ag'in the
wall! Now. then, if yer move a finger
I'll bore YER"
One side Of my bed stood against the
wall, and l 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 a roll Of money amounting
to about $40, from my vest a 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:
II have always believed that men
were driven to burglary through power
~ " 1CuAC VI u1JusU tItdlIQ6ut.
How was it in your case:"'
II went into the bizness because l
wanted sunthin dead easy" he replied,
with a solemn wink Of his left eye.
"And doesn't a burglars conscience
trouble him now and them
II never heard if it did. If the pur
leece let's US alone, our consciences are
all right. Where's the rest Of the stuff,
ole man."
Are you asking if I have anything
else OF value you can carry off,"
Fur sure! This is no haul. There
isn't huff money in this to pay me fur
walkin half a mile"
1T will figure up close to $500, and
it seems to me that is pretty fair pay for
an hours work"
"Shet up. Now, then, git outer bed. -
"What for::'
I'm goin to tie yer fast while I
ransacks the crib. Where's the wife and
children:"
"Out in tho country"
That's good. I'll hev the crib all to
meself. Put on yer trousers. Now sit
down."
He placed the chair against the radi. |
ator, and as l 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. l
finally told him that he ought to be
ashamed Of such nerve and was reward.
cd by a cuff on the ear which kept nv
head ringing for five minutes. When he
had secured me to his satisfaction, he |
looked me over and said:
I'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 60 down." I replied.
"There has been nothing to eat in the
house since the folks went away a week
ago."
"Then I'll hev to go hungry. Let's
see what's in this safe deposit"
He opened all the drawers in the