The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
THE RETIRED BURGLAR.

! THE RETIRED BURGLAR.
A Second Story Experiment That He Made
On Only Ono Occasion.
| Once in the course of my experience, and only
once" said the retired burglar Il tried TO get into
| a house by flying trapeze. That when
| was young in the business. and young in years.
| There big comfortable looking house in a
| town had made few visits TO that summer that
| had window that sort Of fascinated me, 1t was
always open, the lower sash thrown up back OF the
upper but this window was in the gable end OF the
| house. where there veranda roof 10 reach 1t
by. where II seemed in fact perfectly safe 10 leave
IT broad open they did, day and night, because
| nobody could reach il without q ladder But
never looked at that window without thinking Of
| what an cosy way into the house IL would be II
one was only on the level with it.
| Standing in the lawn about twenty feet from
| the end Of this house there was a big tree, with
stout, big branches one of these branches that
| grew out toward the house had a curious sort Of
turn or elbow in 1t that grew in such way that ii
| had a nearly horizontal section running about
ten feet from the house and about ten feet higher
| up in the air than the top of that window That
| ten feet was as practically good ten miles,
| far as keeping people out concerned, but one
! day IL struck me that man could swing into that
| window from the tree by trapeze, made fast TO
that str aight stretch Of limb I'd Just been seeing
some circus stunts done on swinging bar and
| didn't sec why couldn't swing one well enough
| to land on that window sill anyway.
I climbed the tree night with a piece OF
twino and nail for a weight, to make some little
experiments and see Just how long the uapeze
would have to be To strike the window sill l tied
the string with the nail weight on the horizontal
| limb, and swung II from another limb back OF
| IT, further away from the house, the limb that
intended TO swing from myself when had tho
trapeZe ready. l swung IL TO get length that
would bring the trapeze just 40 that when swung
forward l could put my feet and legs through tho
window, and bend EN- down and hold on by EN-
there inside and slip of the bar onto the window
| sill Then was going To tie the trapeze TO one of
the window blinds TO keep II there while was ex-
ploring the house, and when came back to the
window. loaded up, l was going to get on tho
trapeze and cast loose and swing back TO the tree
and go my way.
Well got the exact length that the trapeze
wanted TO be 10 reach from the under side OF that
limb 10 the window SILL and then made at home
a trapeze TO carry me over had rope ends plenty
long enough to wind round the limb, and l had the
hanging part measured exactly so l could mako
the uapeze fast with Just the right length below
the limb When the night came that was To try
II Skinned up the tree and made il fast had
a Irvine tied 70 the trapeze bar and then climbed
the other limb that was to swing FROM and pulled
the bar up To me there and got on it grasped the
ropes in either hand and when l was all ready
swung of.
TT seemed like tremendous drop going down
but did not have long TO think of it, l made Just
one swish down through the air and was going UP
the other side before you knew H. But didn't for
get myself I'd practised this and kept my feet
and legs straight out in front Of me and ready
TO curve em through the open window when I
came TO IL and then drop EN- and cnch EN- there;
but somehow had made miscaculation in trying
the ropes or else at tho very last instant went
wrong with my feet for instead of thrustng my
feet through the open space Of the lower window
jabbcd them both plumb through the double sash
above, up to my knees let go OF the rapeze in
the excitement which don't think was surpris-
ing. and the next instant hanging head
downward outside: with my bag, that had my
tools in, that had carried by a strap over my
shoulder. dangling down below me now with tho
strap around my aImpit
When smashed through those two windows
made as much noise you'd hear in blowing I'D
a crockery factory. and knew. of course, that IL
would only be a mighty short time before there
was somebody around, and made great effort to
get free. knew would go smashing down on
the ground, but wanted TO take the chances on
that rather than be caught and didn't hesitate
at all about trying To pull my legs out from those
windows, though knew should fall the minute |
got EN- out But, though I'd lost the trapeze in
that one moments excitement when ! struck tho
windows was cool enough now and was Ggur- |
Ing on how to get the window SILL which couldn't
quite touch now, and so break my fall somewhat,
when / did get free, and above all things turn |
myself over so that when did 20 down I'd strike |
the ground on my feet and not on my head
Il yanked leg Dartly clear and then tho |