The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19
TEE RETIRED BURGLAR.
A Night That Was Profitable Enough hut
stu Not Altogether Satisfactory.

One night in the dining room Of house where
! was making short call said tho retired bur
glar i found the gas left burning but turned
down low, and when I'd turned that up little
l found on the table under II the bcautifullcst
little cold lunch you ever saw. There was sbou,
hall turkey, pretty near all one side Of him,
including the second Joint which is my especial
fancy and do like cold turkey l--and bread
and pickles and things and of on one edge Of
this spread there was plate OF some sort Of
cakes and candies and what silver there was
on the table was Of the kind worth carrying away.
Well now you know, my motto has always
been business before pleasure. hut couldn't
resist that turkey and just simply pulled on, the
chair from the end Of the table the one that wos
closest TO IL. and went at II, and Il was good az
II looked the only disturbing thing about II all
being that II was contrary to good sense and good
judgment to set there and eat H. plugged away
on the turk until had eaten about all there was
to II, and then reached over for that plate Of
cakes and things and drawcd IL toward me-
wasn't going TO eat any Of them, but wanted
TO look at 'em-and az pulled the plate along
there rose up back Of II on the table tho top fold
Of little folded paper that had been placed under
II: and picked that UP and opened IT, II read
something like this:
DEAR GEoRGE: When you get through
eating don't fail TO put away the silver.
I'D already put away most Of IT, dropping
II into my bag as got through with IL as I went
along. and I'D Just reached over for a last pickle
and got that, and dropped the fork In my bag
bottles out and take that when / heard the rat,lo
OF key In tho front door; and knew what that
mean, well s,,r enough: u was e. George .
part Of a second l was more or less paralyzed.
because I'd come in myself at the front door.
was my way OUT and in thai time George was
looking IN tho dining room door; he was quick.
springy chap and he'd come In the front door,
swung that ~. and turned the key In the lock
and swung round toward me all In practically
ono movement He was no sardine George,
for me without a moments hesitauon | was
hearty lunch i'd Just eaten. but held my end up
es well as 1 could and We went at IL there In the
The carpc, was thick and We hustled around
mcr and tongs kind Of way Tor haif a minute
Or NO without making any noise. and then one or
NE Other Of us io.nood up against tho under
No Il made the dishes on i, fairly Jump Then
We sluggod away at each other for half a minute
bu, not making any particular noise either. iii
he run In on me and We both fetched up agin the
table again Win Jolt This time Ma! made things
som, body upstairs WAS hollennK:
Murder, Murder,
had got 70 be done and soon: because that sort Of
ho n, II rs kcP. up long. always attracts at
Inn .@ and ' into Gs9rge nov az s VEL as
grand North American bulg,r on him that dou-
bled him up and sent him humpin. over to The
some sor Of stand there was there with q
big image on H. solid, and that went down on tho
floor with a Jam that Jared the house. alongside
Naturally that was the time for me 70 20 and
! went without tho least trouble In The world;
Tenn ATNR ~. aN4 los. k.lA.