The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-29

THING or A FINANCIAL BASIS ?"
"a East Fifty-ffth street. Town a lot Of
solid silver tableware and some highly
priced silver trophies and cups which my
horses have won at various shows, fairs
and exhibitions. The value of these is
considerable, and l do not care to leave
them in my dining room on the first floor
at night. always have them carried up
stairs to my bedroom in baskets at night.
This silverware was in my room when
/ heard the doorknob turned. Who's
there?' l demanded. No reply. is that
you, Mcator2:' l said, thinking it might be
my faithful butler.
"For answer tho door was pushed wide
open, and imam about 5 feet 8 inches high
and Weighing perhaps $50 pounds, put his
foot across the threshold. You'd better
keep quiet, he said in a low, threatening
tone. IF you make no noise, I'll do you
no harm, but if you shout I'll shoot By
the dim light entering my chamber from
the street lamps I could see. that he was
pointing a revolver straight at my head.
II am an old man now" said the bank
er, smiling, land my nerves are naturally
not SO strong as they once we're. 1t is un-
necessary to deny that I was frightened at
first, and the inclination to shout for help
was as strong as instinct. I knew hat my
son, who was sleeping on the floor just
above me, would rush to my rescue with
out one thought of himself, and I felt sure
that my only manservant would not be
far behind. There vas an electric burglar
alarm at the head of my bed, SO placed
that / could easily have reached it in the
dark without the burglar seeing me.
81 was just about to push the button
when my wits came back to me, and / was
able to recall what / had often read about
burglars, that, though they generally
come armed, they prefer not to add muir
der to their crime, out will shoot when
driven into q corner and when they think
it absolutely necessary to avoid capture.
I reflected also that my sons life was
worth to me much more than any amount
of silver plate, so I said to the burglar:
All right. I'll be quiet.
ssThen tho man, still keeping his re-
volver pointed at me, advanced into the
room and shut the door. I'm going to
strike a light, ne said. Cover up your
head with the bedclothes. 1 don't want
you to see my face He struck a match
and lit one of my own candles. I had
covered up my head, but not completely.
I kept an eye on him all the while. He
wore no mask, and seemed to be about ~
years old. His clothes were not shabby,
and no used excellent grammar. His ao-
cent was not what you call Tough, but
his face was hard and ~forbidding. My
eysight is not good now without glasses,
and l doubt if l could pick him out in a
crowd. There was nothing out of the way
about him to assist in Identifying him.
"The man at once began to take stock
of the articles in my room. | expected, Of
course, that he would carry them all off.
1 suppose he had a confederate. This sup
position was strengthened when he u
denly asked me, What is your manner
What in the world do you want to know
nv name for?' 1 asked, surprised. We
might want to make restitution some
day, he replied, and then it would be
handy to know your name When he
said we l felt glad l had not called my
son. l told him my name.
HE verified il by reading my initials
on the silver. He seemed to think the
tableware rather too bulky for his pur-
pose, however, and began to slip into his
pockets two or three small ornaments
which I valued far more highly for their
associations thar for their intrinsic value.
SAT this sight ] began to feel injured.
I am telling you this story just as it hap
pened. & seems all like a dream as l sit
here now-a bad dream too. I can look
back at myself and recall my feelings al
most as those Of a third person. pushed
dow The covers ana resolved to reason
with him, as man to nan. Now, look
here, / said, I think you would be foolish
to take those things which are marked
with my name and initials. If you pawn
Oh them. thew would nrohablv lead to your