Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-27
THE POWER OF BEAUTY.
Burglar Who Preferred a Kiss to
Keeping the Swag.

truth as poetry in what has been said
and Is being said about the power Of
woman's beauty. OF course, 1t is sup
posed that only poets know anything
about the matter, but can bear testi-
mony of different sort, and 1t is from
my own experience. When l was
girl of 90 1 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 | was neither very rich
nor very bright-just an ordinary, real
pretty girl; that was ALL But the pow
er was there, though l was not con-
scious of its strength until after my
experience.
81 lived In southern city of $4,000
people, and one night | attended
dance a half dozen blocks from my
home and did not get back until
o'clock in the morning my escort being
the gentleman who is now my husband.
He proposed to me that night, and
when | came into the house | fancy |
must have been prettier than i ever
was before, for | never was so happy.
The house was still, for the only people
In 1t, except two old servants away
back in the L., were my father and
mother, who had gone to bed hours
before. / slipped up stairs to my room
as quietly as a mouse and turning up
the gas | was confronted by burglar,
who pointed pistol at me and told me
not to make any noise or he would kill
me. | didn't faint, because | was so
happy that 1t 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 ornament that had
descended to me, and like most south
ern girls l liked to wear them even
when 1t was not In the best taste
L wouldn't hurt as pretty girl as
you are for the world he said with a
bow; but I've got to have the sinners,
so just take them off and hand them
over, while l pick up what l 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, keep
ing the pistol pointed at me. He was
not bad looking man, and as put out
my hand to him with the jewelry in it
smiled at him, as frightened as was,
and asked him If he wouldn't go right
away. But he did not take the iewelrv
and he did not go away. He simply
stared at me in undisguised admiration
and took out of his pockets the trinkets
he had gathered from the dressing case
"'If you will excuse me, miss. for
impertinence, he said, III say to you
that you are the prettiest girl | ever
saw In my life, and | always did ad-
mire pretty girls. l 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 of 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. 1t was some
thing dreadful to be kissed by a 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,
l assure you, would never have occur
red had known as much as | know
now
II thought never could do it. but
did, and | stood in the door TIL he dis
appeared around the corner; then col
lapsed utterly, and the night watch
man found me there 10 or 90 minutes
afterward and reused the house. BY
the time | knew enough to tell any
thing the burglar was far, far away.
The story got into the papers, of course,
and in a 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 per-
son to whom told 1t was my husband,
and he was gallant enough to say that
the burglar had got the better part of
the bargain. York Sun.