The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-10

Wuen she EuCCeeueu IA
awaking me. recollected
the next day that had
been In the midst OF a lovely dream OF
South sea adventures, one OF which In
volved . night with an octopuS-a creature
that aid Its level best to crush In my ribs
By repeated strokes Of is largest tcnta.
Chrtstmas dinner)
..Eh, what," I muttered. Someone
trying to get---- Oh nonsense! How Of
ten haven't told you that no one II
going to be such fool a. to run the
risk Of penal servitude on 80 unpronta-
II assure you. George. ! distinctly
..Yes, my dear. you distinctly heard .
burglar upon i've previous occasions
though. admit. never once upon
Christmas night. You needn't repeat the
symptoms. I'm fully acquainted with
them all. Is 1t the catch OF the dining
room or the scuilery window this timer
Never mind answering me. I'm asleep.
ia advise you to follow my example"
Don't be so provoking. George l ad-
s ~ sAa' ! may nave 's'A n'''AA'A %
..Nay have beenf''
..But I'm not mistaken this time. dis
tinctiy heard
"Hsh!"
was sitting up in bed, being startled
into complete wakefulness. nay. complete
alertness, by the sound OF the dining room
window being gently raised
.sWhat did sayr' whispered my wife.
with as emphatic note of triumph a.
woman can iunpart to whisper.
ssH'sh!"
/ listened breathlessiy, and clearly
heard the little creak that the pulley Of
the sash cord was accustomed to give
when the left window Of the dining room
was forced more than a foot. The sound
AL - ~ nx<A axF.
cry morning after breakfast. when my
VIE invariably raised the window to
throw out the crumbs to her birds. 1t
WAS legend with us that the birds knew
that particular creak OF the pulley. and
that It made unnecassary the use OF
gong to call them to their breakfast.
Then / fancied that heard the sound
OF the shaking OF the window, as II the
lower part OF the frame was being press
"a by the body of someone getting pain
fully into the room through the half
opened window: and moment after
wards heard the faint tinkle made by
the shaking OF few old china cups which
stood In their saucers on small table
close to the window.
"Ah!" whispered my wife. ana was ac-
tually annoyed at the tone OF triumph
che succeeded to impart to what was. af-
tar ALL only . breath. Women are 30
s.H'shp' I whispered. q wonder II she
was surprised at the emphasis OF the
rebuke was able to impart to the sibi-
liant breathing) .
I rot out Of bed In an instant. and
pulled on q garment or two. Then I
drew my revolver from the little shelf
had made for 1t under the table and
stood at the bedside.
ssYou are never going to face him."
whispered my wife mo. no; let me
whistle out 81 he window for the po-
lice"
(f3he kept policeman's whistle by her
side as set OF against my revolver.)
s.Hsh!' / whispered. III you hear
shot blow your whistle out Of the win
dow all you know, but not till then"
stepped noiselessly from the room.
leaving the door open behind me. and
stood for a few moments at the head OF
the stairs listening for any sounds that
might comes from the room below. Some
how I did not feel quite so anxious as l
had been to find out who 1t was that had
! entered the dining room by the window.
In less than minute. however, my cour-
are had returned, for I distinctly heard
the sound OF a screwdriver at work at
the door OF the dining room. and even
while listened there came the sound OF
q screw falling on the polished border OF
the floor.
1t only took me second to think. THAT
burglar Is such a bungler, nave notnin8
TO fear from him."
I went gently half way down the stairs.
thinking all the time what fool the
robber was to go to all the trouble OF
screwing the lock off the door. when
II he had the merest smattering OF his
business he would know that everything
worth stealing In such a house as mine
Is invariably kept In the sideboard of the
dining room. The dozen silver spoons
(.'the gift of the brides youngest broth
er,J, the Queen Anne silver tea and
coffee service ('the gift of the brides
rnother'J, the silver salt cellars c'the gift
Of the brides sister''), these are the ar
tftles, well known and highly appreciated
by the burgling fraternity, which always
repay q man for his trouble In opening
the drawer OF the sideboard.
And yet there was fool bungling away
at the screws of the lock!
felt that ! could not have much TO
fear from so clumsy a practitioner, so
crept down to the hall and knelt behind
one of my wife's large palm plants which
stood In great pot in corner, ana
cooked my revolver.
.srhe moment he opens the door / shall
shoot him dead" was my thought as I
knelt 1t was not precisely the ideal re-
Election for one to have when on ones
knees, on Christmas night. but for the
moment 1t seemed an excellent thought
to have. The burglar was bungling once
more over the screws and | felt the BIT
terest luminosity to him, renecting tnat l.
the worst amateur carpenter In the world,
would have to screw on the lock again In
the morning.
F,ut an I waited In the darkness could
NOT held asking myself II 1 had not as
sumed the very attitude as we'll as the
sentiments of a murderer. 1t so happened
that had never had to shoot a man previ-
ously. and the novelty of the experience
was telling OH me. / had never been In the
western part OF the United States, so that
for want of experience had lost all conii-
dence In myself. I knew that 1 should
break down at the critical moment and do
something weak-fre in the air. or per-
hans at the burglars legs. Was 1t possible
that. after all, my wife knew my nature
better than did, and that she perceived
that II was safer to blow her whistle out
OF the window than to stalk the intruder