Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-01-20


coins ana the baby's savings bank, con-
tanning 1l9 pennies.
You wouldn't rob a baby, would
you?'' / asked as be poured the pennies
into the pocket Of bis sack coat.
''And why not?p he queried with a
cunning leer. It's the bizness of bur-
glar to take all what comes.
Well, that s another disappointment.
I supposed the burglar to be above rob-
bing infants of their pennies If 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 2
eyes, left it unlocked in order to
save burglar time and trouble. Where
are you going now?"
"I'll take look about If yer yell
out or try to git asgay, I'll be right on.
to yer in minitP'
He left the bedroom and went down
the hall, and heaz MIN in the guest s
chamber and the servants s 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 no other plumber.
Look here, Gully r he growled as he
stood looking at me. II hewitt found
no bankbook yit I"
81 might look around here myself for
six months and not find one, I an
swered.
"But if yer don't bank yer sugar
where is it?''
Whenever | have dollar left give
it to the Society Of Reformed Burglars. !"
"Oh, yer does, eh? Well, / wants
more money. See? Yer got money hid
somewhere, and if yer don't shell out
I'll cripple yerl"
you've got every dollar in the
house. -
With that he pulled up chair, sat
down, took a match from his pocket and
lifted one of my bare feet on his knee.
He was going to burn the sole Of my
foot to make me betfay the hiding place
of my cash.
''Will yer tell or take this?" he de-
manded as he scratched the match on
the floor.
was about to answer when saw the
form of 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 deor. AS he held the
lighted match in his fingers the officer
stepped forward and gave him 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, /
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 or palm leaf fan.
We gave him all the time he wanted,
and meanwhile went through him and
recovered my own. After long half
hour my burglar opened his eyes and sat
up and inquired:
What's goin on sEe ~
Nothing much, . answered "You
were not satisfied with taking all had,
but were going to torture me in hopes
of getting another shilling OF two. This
officer came in just then and cracked
your head.
"And I'm prisoner?'
"You are. =
''Say, gents, I'm poor, unfortunate
man and was driven to this, and hope
yer'll take pity on me, Z" he whined, hav-
ing no more pluck than a child.
81 thought burglars were brave, de-
termined men, | said.
'tNo, sir, they are not. II yer'll let me
go, I'll leave this part of the country.
and never come back. Gents. think of
me dear old mother. y
'sWhatl Do burglars have dear old
mothers to weep and worry when arrest
and prison Gomez"
Yes, 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 Ikin be, and if yer'll
let me go I'll never even steal an apple
as long as 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 score
of years of waiting, and / had found
him ignorant, vicious and only 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
ed him to the station. hoped the man
might nerve up and become 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:
'tYes. sir I'm burglar, and / axes
yer humble parding fur disturbin of yer
sleep that night, =