The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-25
The Retired Burglar.

81 found myself one night" said the
retired burglar, Gin the dining room of
house where they had safe to put
things in. 1t was kind OF an old
fashioned house, and this safe, which
was painted in imitation of the wood,
was built into big, old-stl lie side
board, fine, solid, substantial piece OF
furniture. spread burlap bag out
on the dining room table and then
turned my lamp on the sideboard and
safe again, just TO take another look at
it, slick and solid and shipshape as it
was, and then got ready to go at the
lock. But before beginning on il,
more as a matter of detail than any
thing else, because while folks do
sometimes forget to lock their safes
they don't forget 'em one time in a
million, tried the knob, and I'm
blest If this safe, big safe as 1T was,
that I'd expected lot of work over,
was locked at all / just turned the
knob and swung the door wide open.
well, now, you ought TO seen the
inside Of that safe, lined with purple
velvet and just filed in with silver
stuff. The stuff kind o. od-fashiOned,
as you might have expected, but beau
tlful and just sightseeing when l
turned the bullseye on it. The velvet
that the safe was lined with was very
Gue and rich, too, and the bright silver
and the purple velvet looked 80 poorly
together that it seemed pity to break
'em up; but business is business, and
put my lamp down and began trans
ferring the stuff from the safe TO the
bag on the table.
81 cleaned out all the pigeonholes
and cubbyholes of the silver, and q
beautiful lot it was, and then l looked
| in with the lamp, and began on the
dra vers. There was quite number
of drawers, big aud little, and here
there was a variety of silver knives
and forks, and before l knew it I'd run
up against some gold napkin rings and
gold spoons. 1t just beat everything
you ever seed, and the next drawer
opened had j5welry in it-watches and
that sort of thing. 1t seemed as though
this safe must have been intended anC
used not only for the silver, but as 6
sort of family strong box to keep valu
ables in.
"Well, you know, almost wondered
if I'd ever done anything to entitle mt
to all this, because here was a small
fortune made in a single night; but
kept on putting the stuff in the bag al
the same, and pretty soon l had every
thing cleaned out except one little sor
of small inside safe that was leaving
till the last, and that l shouldn't hav,
been surprised, judging from the res
of the safe, to find filed with diamond
in bracelets, and rings, and butterflies
and stars, and all that sort of thing
l was going to put that stuff in m,
pockets; 80 tied up the bag, and 60
that down off the table, all ready t.
carry off, and then l turned to opel
the little safe, and l pulled that doc
open with one hand, holding the ligh
with the other, to look in. And it wa
filed with 'em, just glittering there
enough to take your breath away, an
moment later something happened
that pooty near took my breath ava
for second or two. As l swung tn
door open little wider to get at tn
stuff easier 1 heard click, and thel
the loudest and wranglingest, and jang
lingest and slambangingest burgla
alarm you ever heard. i slapped tn
door shut again, hoping that that woul
cut off the connection and stop the be-
ringing. But it only seemed to start
up louder'n it was at first. And then
turned my back on the diamonds.
was going to let them go, and have tn
rest if could; and l picked up m
lamp and the burlap bag and starte
for the door, ! hadn't taken two step
when the burglar alarm seems to brea
out louder'n ever, and it seemed no.
to be right in the room where l was
before that at had seemed to be some
where else in the house, but now
seemed TO be right there in the ROOF
and in one particular spot, and
couldn't help turning toward it to loo
at it for minute and see what sort {
thing it was, and realized that it We
my own alarm clock banging away
wake me me up and let me know thu
it was time to get to work.
Sand it might interest you to kno
| 4 4 80 - A.