The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-03
burglar N TIE CLOSET
MISS ELLA RICHARDS HAD A VERY
INTERESTING AD-
VENTURE
INTRUDER WAS REPENTENT
After n Lecture He Was Allowed
to Go, but He Quickly Re-
sumed His EVIL
Ways.

"I'u Just run home and match this
! silk" remarked Miss Ella Richards to
| her hostess last Thursday She was
spending the afternoon with a friend on
Selby avenue, and her own home, 7l9
Selby, was almost next door. The two
young women had been engaged in the
feminine pastime of making fancy work
Miss Richards knew that she would find
no one at home. both her mother and
father having left the house early in
the afternoon, but she had the key and
was soon rummaging through the fancy
work box on the table in her own room.
Selecting the silk she desired, with
| housewffely forethought, she decided to
return the basket to its proper place in
the closet, and for that purpose opened
the door. Behind 1T, shrinking into one
corner Of the closet, and endeavoring to
make himself as small as possible, was
a man. Miss Richards looked at the
man and the man looked at Miss Rich
ards is it the man that was to fix the
screens this afternoon" wondered for a
few brief seconds Miss Richards. But
no. 1t didn't seem likely the man who
was to fix the screens would curl him
self snugly up in dark closet.
1t was, it must be, a burglar!
The thought made Miss Richards turn
| pale, but although she is slender,
rather delicate-lookfng young woman,
she possesses grit, and she braced her
self to meet the situation.
Really, it was an awkward one, both
for Miss Richards and the burglar The
! burglar relieved the tension with a re-
mark that was very much to the point.
I'm thief he remarked, apropos Of
nothing in particular, and with a rather
anxious glance at his palid hostess.
Miss Richards might have remarked,
quite truthfully. too: You don't look
it, for the burglar was young and good
looking, and spoke quite like a gentle
man" Dut levity, of course, was out
of the question
''Have-er-you taken anything?" she
asked. Really the situation was embar-
RAISING.
Nothing; absolutely nothing" an
swered the young man, his anxious eyes
still fastened on Miss Richards, while he
extended pair of slim brown hands
cOnvincngly 1--WE just come in" he
went on eagerly, in clinching proof t1is
entrance had been via an unlocked win
dow, a fact Miss Richards discovered aft
erwards. 'If you will raise no alarm
II you only let me go in peace, I will be
so grateful to YOU" The anxious eyes
became imploring and Miss Richards
ceased to tremble and looked judicial. OF
course, there was the moral side of the
case to be considered
Don't you know" she said severely,
that it's wicked and contemplate to
sneak into house in this fashion and
steal?"
An, my dear young lady, if you only
knew the whole story-but, no. I'm a
thief. You are quite right and
You seem young to have started out
on such a career interrupted Miss Rich
ards, earnestly. IF I were but sure
Il will reform, I will turn over a new
leaf" broke in the burglar eagerly, dash
ing his hand against his forehead in the
time-honored fashion of all repentent gen
tlemen of the road. MY story is not a
Peasant one, young lady, but perhaps 1
have only myself to blame. My parents
were rich, my every desire was gratified
and as l grew up 1 was sent to college,
1t was" said the burglar. with a tragic
gesture, the beginning of the end. I got
In with wild set. Then my father lost
his fortune and my parents died and
after"
You see he wasn't an original burglar,
but his story was not without its effect
You may CO." said Miss Richards
finally and with calm decision, "'but at
least promise me that you will not" there
was pause, the speaker bordering deli
cately the choice Of an inoffensive word,
you will not visit any other houses to-
day."
Madam, you have my word" grateful
ly replied the burglar with quite the air
of Beau Brummel. With uncovered
mead he walked past the young lady and
started for the door
Just minute" she called diffidentIy
searching nervously for her pocket. II
was found and a half dollar extracted
from its folds This rather shyly was
profered the burglar. But the light
fingered young man started indigAantly
After such kindness, such admirable
courage" he exclaimed, CALAMITY, do
you think 1 would stoop so Iowl All.
young lady, 1 see You do not trust me.
out tme-t1me will Show" And with a.
deep bow the young man disappeared.
MISS Richards, casting tradition to the
winds, refused to faint after her unex-
pected caller had departed Instead she
resumed her work with the pleasant glow
that comes from the consciousness of a.
good deed done, a soul started on the mar
row path. The glow lasted until yester-
day, when Miss Richards had a caller
1t was Mrs. E. ]. Romans, of SOC Holly
avenue.
Mrs. Romans had an exciting tale to
unfold. On the same Thursday that Miss
Richards had encountered the burglar
Mrs Romans also had a caller. She han
pened to be out, in fact the only one
In the house at the time was her hus-
bands mother, quite an old lady. who
has but recently come to st. Paul. The
screen door in the front of the house had
oeen left unfastened and when Mrs. Ro-
mans little boy came in about 4 O'Clock
ne met rather nice looking young man
he asked. why no one" she renlied
And then the boy told of the man he had
seen The two went up stairs to find out
II burglar had really been there. They
found five valuable gold rings, two gold
watches and chains and IS in money miss
ing. AS Miss Richards visitor had left
the Richards house about 3 O'Clock and
as the description given by Mrs. Romans
little BOY resembles closely that given bv
MISS Richards. it seems very probahle
mat once free the burglar had thrown
eood resolutions to the winds and started
out with fresh determination to plunder
1tS quality is the best on the ,Darl,+