The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-09-14
POWER OF BEAUTY.
Keeping the swag He Had
Gathered.

81 fancy saidsa handsome woman
of so or more, relates the New York
Sun, that there is as much truth as
poetry in what has been said about
the power of woman's beauty OF
course, it is supposed that only poets
know anything about the matter; but
/ can bear testimony of different
sort, and it is from my own expert
ence. When l was girl of 20 was
really very pretty, and had no end
of gay gallants dancing attendance on
me all the time, which was some sign
of the truth of my statement, for l
was neither very rich nor very bright.
just an ordinary, real pretty girl, that
was all. But the power was there,
though l was not conscious of it's
strength until after my experience.
Il lived In southern city Of $4,000
people, and one night / attended a
dance half dozen blocks from my
home, and did not get back until one
o'clock In the morning, my escort be-
ing the gentleman who is now my hus-
band. He proposed to me that night,
and when came into the house fancy
/ must have been prettier than ever
was before, for / never was so happy.
The house was still, for the only peo-
pie in it, except two old servants away
back in the L. were my father and
mother, who had gone to bed hours be-
fore. I slipped upstairs to my room
as quietly as mouse, and, turning up
the gas, / was confronted by a bur-
glar, who pointed pistol at me and
told me not to make any noise or he
would kill me. 1 didn't faint, because
! was SO happy thai it inspired me, !
suppose, and / stood still, looking at
him. He looked at me, too, dressed in
my best gown and shining with lot
of jewels, for our family had some fine
diamonds and other things of orna-
ment that had descended to me, and,
like most southern girls, / liked to
wear them, even when 1t was not in the
best taste.
i wouldn't hurt as pretty girl as
you are for the world he said, with
bow, but I've got to have the sinners,
SO just take them off and hand them
over, while pick up what / can find
lying around loose
with trembling fingers / took off
my handsome jewels while he gathered
up all he could find on my dressing case
and put them in his pocket, keeping the
pistol pointed at me. He was not. a bad
looking man, and as put out my hand
to him with the jewelry in it, l smiled
at him, frightened as was, and asked
linn if he wouldn't go right away. But
he did not take the jewelry and he did
not go away. He simply stared at me.
in undisguised admiration and took
out of his pocket all the trinkets he.
had gathered from the dressing case.
"'i you will excuse me, miss, for
impertinence,' he said, I'll say to you
that you are the prettiest girl ever
saw in my life, and always did adj
mire pretty girls. ! hate to rob You
like this, and If you will let me kiss
you, just on your cheek, where 1t is
pinkest, I'll leave everything else and
take only the remembrance.o that as
a reward for this nights job
This time / did almost faint, but
tried to be strong, and succeeded so
well that kept my wits. II, was some
thing dreadful to be kissed by bur-
glar, but he was SO respectful. and real
ly did admire me, and, besides, ! was
saving several thousand dollars worth
of jewels, SO didn't say word, but
just turned my cheek toward him. He
took off his cap. bent forward, touched
me on the cheek with his lips and stood
back with his pistol in his hand.
Now, If may trouble you to go to
the front door with me- he said, so
that if anybody should see me coming
out it will not cause any remarks, will
relieve you of my presence, which
assure you would never have occurred
had known as much as 1 know now
II thought could never do it, but
I did, and / stood in the door till he
disappeared around the corner; then
collapsed utterly, and the night watch
man found me there Is or 90 minutes
afterward and reused the house. By
the time I knew enough to tell any
thing the burglar was far, far away.
The story got into the papers, of course,
and in week or two received note
of regret from my burglar, postmarked
Cincinnati, which was the only clew we
ever had of him. But the kissing part
Of the story was not printed. kept
that to myself, and the first person to
whom told it was my husband, and he
was gallant enough to say that the bur-
glar had got the Better of the bar
gain"