Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-10-05
HIS LAST CRIME.
"DITYi my simplicity"
- Ginnnla nnni1nh WAnda


infantile accents by little maid OF
three, they struck an answering
chord somewhere IN the heart of
the hardened criminal who stood con-
cealed behind the heavy drapeHes OF
the window.
He had ground his teeth and NUT
tered hard curses when, some minutes
before. his plain of action had been
unexpectedly foiled by the entrance Of
the child and her nurse.
What business had they here? Thii
was my lady's room, and as such
should have been perfectly free from
now until she retired for the night
Lady Harrington's jewels had long
been eagerly desired BY the burglina
profession, and now an excellent op-
portunity had occurred in which TO an.
mex them.
Slippery Jim had been selected as the
very man to bring the job to success
ful issue.
Under cover of dull November
night, he had fixed his ladder to the
window. climbed up, and effected an
entrance.
NY lady was at dinner, and as Jim
turned up n jet of gas over the dress
ing table, he had congratulated himself
on his adroitness.
Then had come a sound Of hurryinG
footsteps, and quick as thought the gas
was lowered. and Jim hidden behind
the curtains. The nurse entered, carry
Ing her little charge, the spoiled dar.
ling of the house.
sleep with muvver," she had insist
ed, when being put TO bed in her own
little cot, and to pacify her the nurse
had brought her thither.
Next, the little tyrant persisted that
her mother must put her into bed, and
In response to a message from the
nurse. Lady Harrington had come has
tily into the room.
The young mother looked an1iously
at the little flushed face.
What is 1t, darling? Do you think
she is poorly, nurse|
NO. my lady. only bit fractious,
and / thought II best to humor her"
Me wants 90 to hear my pairs"
Then had followed the repetition of the
favorite nursery prayer, Gentle Jesus,
meek and mild" but 1t was the third
line, PITY my simplicity" that had
struck the answering chord in the burg
lars breast.
Where had he heard that before
Pity my simplicity! The words burnt
into his brain as he crawled close to
the window. He scarcely needed what
was passing in the room, as he grimly
wondered at this seeming familiarity
with n childs prayer. Precious long
time since he had thought of prayer,
not since his poor mother-ah! now he
knew
1t was the very prayer he used to say
to her as a tiny boy, and he remem-
bered that he always stuck at that par.
ticular line, because he could not say
"simpltcity" How 1t all came back
1t was years and years since
But Lady Harrington was putting
her little daughter into bed.
Good night, darling; make haste to
go to sleep"
"Night-nlght," murmured the child
sleepily; then, .Oh, pretty, prettyw and
the tiny hands were pulling at the Jew
els that encIrcled her mothers throat
Lady Harrington unclasped the neck
lace, and put 1t in the little girls haHd
There, Muriel shall have the pretty
thing If only she will go to sleep"
The mother then left the room, charg
ing the nurse to stay and take the neck
lace from her when she had falle1
asleep. The nurse fingered until the
lIttle girl was fast asleep, then looking
at the necklace still tightly clasped
murmured:
Poor little dear, she's oyertdred.
shan't disturb her to take the neck
lace" Then she, too, left the room.
The coast was now clear for Slipper,
Jim. He moved quickly towards tn,
safe wherein lay the famous Harring
ton jewels.
With unusual celebrity he applied hi.
tools and forced the lock. The heavJ
door swung back. Jim's eyes glistenet
as he saw the numerous cases packet
within. He opened one after another
and gloated on the rare gems within.
What haul! Enough to set tn,
whole gang up for life. Just then 8
slight sound made him start. He look
ed round quickly. No, the little CIR
was still asleep. He began to pacl
the cases in his capacious bag, whei
another sound made him pause In hi
work
"IIang the childr he thought, an
grily, as he crept towards the bed.
Though she had thrown the clothes
back a little, she was sleeping sound
ly. Something glittered in her hand.
1t was the necklace, and much toe
valuable to be left. He tried to un.
clasp the rosy fingers that had fas
tened 50 tightly on their treasure. Sud
Gcnly. the blue eyes opened wide, but
Jim held up his hand warningly.
If yer cries out, little 'un, I'll kill
yer, Give me the necklace"
The blue eyes looked wonderingly al
slippery Jim. Their owner had never
been addressed in such rough languaS1
lcfure.
Give me the necklace" he repeated,
and pulled 1t from her roughly.
The rosy lips trembled, and big tears
SIthered and fell. Jim felt q strange
Iuaim as the little face puckered. and
she tried to repress her sobs.
100 ave taken my muvyer's pretty
;irgs. 600 naughty bad man! Does
co ever say 90 'pairsT'
Jim shook his head, and she jumped
Up, and kneeling in the bed, raised her
piping treble:
Dear bod, this is a very bad, wicked
nan, he doesn't say any pairs. Yhaos