The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-05
TRUTHFULBURGLAR.

all away, and I have been living
alone In the house, q detached villa IN
New Jersey. for upward Of . month
:, Several burglaries have occurred In thu
II vicinity.
d Night before last ! was awakened
Il about O'Clock by a noise made by q
}, clicking door, and opening my eyes,
4 saw q smooth-faced, observation-disclosures
l. ing man at the bedside. I did not cry
' out nor hide under the bed clothes nor
= do any Of the conventional things that
one does when burglar comes to him.
). I looked at him calmly for Q mo-
o ment, and then said, How dedo?"
s An expression of surprise passed over
: his intelligent features, but he said
Z mechanically. pretty well. thank you.
= And youi"
"Oh, I'm as we'll as could be expected
, under the circumstances. Are you the
burglar who has been doing this vii
: lager" 1.'
i II am" said he, drawing up a chair
and sitting down.
why don't you deny III" asked. I
wasn't afraid. He amused me, this
nonchalant burglar. )
i Well, because I'm not ashamed of
my profession for one reason, and
mainly because was brought up by
my father to tell the truth"
you tell the truth and yet you are
burglar. How can you reconcile
those facts?"
They are not irreconcilable." said
he taking corn cob pipe out of his
| pocket and filing 1t. Il am d burglar
and my father was one before me. but
he was perfectly honorable man. He
never lied and never lie, steal be-
cause that is my profession, but make
1t rule to tell the truth upon all oc-
casions. Why, II the success of my
venture tonight depended upon my ly-
ing to you, I'd Immediately leave this
place as innocent of plumber as when I
came in. Where's the silyer?"
TOP drawer Of the sideboard."
There was q magnetism. q bonhomie,
about the man that captivatsd me.
"Are you srmed?" asked he. as no
pulled at his pipe.
III / had been I'd have winged you
before this" said I, laughing.
Il believe you and l honor you fof
being perfectly frank with me-"
why, as to that I'm not to be out
done in frankness by thief"
THAT will make my task so much
the easier. After I've finished this
pipe I want you to give me your word
that you'll lie still until I've taken all
/ want"
I I admired the mans nerve and said,
For the time being consider you my
guest, and, Spanish fashion, my house
is at your disposal"
+, Don't put It on that basis. or l will
leave at once. This is no time for ap-
ing the Spanish" -
You are right. But l tell you can
didly that I would far rather have
found out that you were liar than q
burglar. Your lies would not be likely
to injure me, but I'll be out just so
much by what you take. I'd much
rather you were liar"
And / would not. II I steal I do but
take something that, to paraphrase
Shakespeare, was yours, is mine and
has been slave to thousands, but to lie
would be to lay perjury to my SOUL
and that would not do, no, not for
Yenice!'
II see you know Shakespeare" said
], punching my pillow SO that could
be more comfortable. was reading
this odd fellow, and / believed that
could dissuade him from his purpose"
Know Shakespeare? was an actor
once"
l felt that had him, for I know act
ors better than he knew Shakespeare.
Ibid you ever play Hamlet?" I ASK
cd, sitting up in bed.
Il did, and made such a hit that il
Il hadn't been for the venality of the
press and my sense Of honor would
had been adjudged one Of the greatest
Hamlets Of the day."
"Give me the soliloquy. give you
ny word that ordinarily rather'd be
'obbed than hear it, but like your
voice and believe that you can do it
Justice"
A self-satisfled smile illuminated his
ace. He laid down the pipe and gave
ne the soliloquy, and it wasn't bad.
Bully" said when he had finished.
Why, man, you make an Indifferent
hief, else you would have decamped
ong ago, but the stage has lost an ac-
or that would have in time compelled
he unwilling admiration Of the press"
An SO jollied him, and he gave me
he trial scene from The Merchant OF I
7enice" and other selections, until
avn began to show In the east, when
e picked up his bag and said, 1T
'ould be shame to rob a white man
Ike you" Then he bid me goodbye
nd left.
! congratulated myself upon my
nowledge Of human nature, until l be-
an to dress, when l found that the
GLOW had finished his burgling before
woke, and he has all my silver
harles Bartell LOOMS, in The Critic.
On.
Wonderful Dancing Fea.
A wonderful feat in dancing is re-
)rded from perljn A. rocant hou