The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-07-01
CATCHING A BURGLAR

until tomorrow. | had much rather you
waited and saw him"
'"That is impossible, madam" said Mr..
Boughton.
eff you paid me the $2,7S3 1 couldn't give
you receipt in full of the account"
THAT makes no difference" he replied.
''1t would clear off the debt against me. In
spite of all could do got here too late for
banking hours, and it is of vital Importance
that leave for Chicago tonight. should
esteem it a great favor if you took the
money"
Every WELL them" said Mrs. Ducey, and
make out the receipt. While she was count
ing out the crisp bills, Nanno, the maid,
answered the doorbell, and in spite of her
perplexity in the handling of unfamiliar
money matters, Mrs. Duccy perceived that
it was some peddler, and an insistent one
at that, for Nanno grew quite impatient
with him. "No we don't want anything to-
day. No, no. Don't you dare put your foot
in the door,"
ooh, Mrs. Ducey," said Nanno, "the nerve
of thin peddlers. Sure, fought he'd never
| go way at ell, and you countin' that money.
| wonder did he see it. And did you take no.
tice to how he hoc2g round in the street !?
oh, Mrs. Ducey, | wisht we had a man in tn
house this night. We're that far from the
neighbors We might wake up in the marnin'
dead in our beds and nobody know it but our
silvcs"
Mamma, is tea ready? I'm most
! starved shouted Howard, as he came burst
I ing into the room like young whrlwind
why, we've got man here, Nanno," said
Mrs. Ducey.
'If YOU please, ma am" giggled Nanno,
I'D like him little bigger all round, bar
rim tn appetite"
What's the matter with your knees
Howard? declare, it's one woman's work
to look after your stockings. What makes
you rattle so?"
Give been playing marbles"
For keeps?'
"M-hum," responded Howard sheep
ishly.
DO you know what marbles you won?" ,
Course do. That's from Charley Mey-
ers. and these two are from Harry Elliott,
and this 'aggy' | get from Willie Dodson-
and, oh, say, mamma, burglars got into
Willie Dodson's house last night and stole
their silver and Mrs. Dodson's watch and
Willes $50 gold piece that his grandpa gave
him, and, just listen: They went through
Willie Dodson's room and it walked him up.
and he said: Is that you, papa?' and the
Io5bcr said Yes; hush up and 20 to Sleep
but Willie l;liew by his voice that it wasn't.
hut he was too scared to say anything, and
just let the burglar go en-
| Howard raced ahead on this topic know
ing that it would divert his mothers mind
from making him promise to give back the
marbles he had won.
Il would holler, wouldn't you, mamma,
and wake papa, and then lie wcu,d get up
and Shoot the burglars, wouldn't he?"
And what would the burglars do9 I'd
rather they should take everything in the
house than hurt papa or you"
THAT'S cause you're a woman and
afraid
Aren't you afraid of burglars, too? Sup
| pose they came tonight, when papa is
away"
Il don't know" unused Howard. "You
wouldn't let Inc have his revolver, of course.
But tell you what; they shouldn' have my
things without a fuss"
In the meantime, suppose you try what
| hot water and soap will do toward getting
civilized peoples. By that time tea will be
ready"
Do what she could, Mrs. Ducey was not
entirely able to suppress feeling of uncasi-
ness as the evening wore on. There was the
| unaccustomed responsibility of the money
which Mr.. Boughton had paid Then the
| pcddlcr had hung about with such persist
cncy. Towards story about the burglary at
| the Dodsons' was not queting, by any
means, but above all and through all was
the feeling that if there were only man in
the house-but there were only those two
women and a little boy. She kept Howard
up for the sake Of his company till even he
was satisfied he had stayed up just as late
as grown folks"
Finally he stumbled off upstairs to bed.
His mother heard him footing about on the
smooth hardwood floor of his chamber, and
| then all of a sudden arose a sharp rattle.
whats that, lloward!" she asked.
Its just those marbles fell out OF my
clothes, he s!cepily responded.
To most of us the led is the surest refuge
in time of trouble. There one can find for
getfu!ness, it it is to be found any place To
| this haven of peace Mrs. Ducey crept away,
though the veil of sleep which fell about her
was so thin that she heard the first football
OF the burglar on the tin roof of the veranda.
For he did come. 1t seemed to Mrs. Ducey
| that he must hear her heart beat, so loud was
its clamor on her ribs She heard him open
tie window stealthily. She heard his cloth
Ing rub against the window frame of How
ards room. He must have been a clumsy,
incXpcrt burglar, for he struck his shin
against chair, and raped out whispered
cath or two. And then the hair of her flesh
stood up, for she heard Towards clear
treble demanding: "Who are you? What
do you want? Get out of here"
II 'sh Go to sleep" whispered the bur-
gar. tits papa"
No, it's not you're thief Get Quit"
"Shut up, you little devil" hoarsely NUT
tered the man. ''Shut up, or I'll choke your
wind off forever"
"Police!" screamed Howard, slipping out
from under the bed clothing.
The man made lunge at him, but slipped
sideways, and before he could recover him
self his head struck the iron frame of the bed
with dull crash. lie groaned and fell limp
on the floor.
In. an instant Howard cleared the bed,
ilared up the gas, and sat himself upon the
PROSTATE burglars head.
I've got him, mamma" he cried "Ive
got hml Run here quick! Call Nanno."
AS he spoke he slipped from his great toe
the loop OF the strand of Irvine which, when
stretched across the room and tied to a
rocking-chair, had made the primitive bur
glar alarm that had Weakened him. In jiffy
lie had bound the unconscious criminals
wrists together with the string. Then he
buckled the intruders ankles together with
his boolstrap,
1--WE got him, mamma" he cried to her,
his eyes swapping like Goals of fire. "Nanno,
you run over to Mr.. Elliott's and telephone
to the police to send an ambulance" That
was the man in him. And say, mamma,