The suburban citizen., 1900-10-27
BILLY MASONS "FOOLISHNESS." !"
BY E. E. ReXford.
Observation-Disclosures Observation-Disclosures

was left to look out for himself, which
he felt quite able to do.
The night closed in, dark and threat
ening storm. The wind blew fiercely
about the house, and made a roaring
sound in the chimney of the fireplace.
Billy did not feel at all frightened at
beng alone, but he could not help
feeling lonesome.
He went up to his room about eight
o'clock and concluded he would go to
/ bed
II wonder if Stewart is in the Office
stin?" he thought. I'll call him, and
see"
He went to the instlument,an made
! his call"
Click. click, click, came back the an
swer presently.
Didn't know but that you'd gone
home" telegraphed Billy.
Busy making out my monthly re-
port" came back the answer Shall
not be able to get away very early
tonight. Goodnight
Goodnight" responded Billy, and
then he went to bed.
He dropped off to sleep almost i'm
mediately But he awOke just as the
old clock downstairs was striking ten.
As the sound of the clock died away,
he became conscious Of another sound
"a sound like that Of & step in the
room below-a slow, careful step, as
Of some one who did not care TO make
noise enough TO warn others Of his
presence.
Il wonder if some one is down stairs,
or am l imagining it?' thought Biny4
He sat up in bed and listened.
"I do hear steps, he decided. who's
down stairs I'd like to know? None
Of our folks-they wouldn't be tip-toe-
ing round like that. 1t must be
| burglar or tramp"
Blly's room was over the sitting
room There was a register in the
floor Immediately in front Of his bed.
When this was open, light would shine
through from the window below As
| he sat there, he heard a sound like
the careful opening OF door, and then
he saw glimmer of light through the
opcning in the register plate. He
leaned out Of bed, and peered down
into the room below. Presently a man
passed under the register. lie could
see enough Of him to tell that it was
a man, and that was all. He listened.
Pretty soon he heard a sound like that
Of bureau drawers being opened.
1T was a burglar" decided Billy,
Hell get away with fathers box
that he keeps his money in, as sure's
the world"
Suddenly IN idea came to Billy. 1t
was not very late yet. The clock had
just struck ten, 1t was possible that
Stewart was still at the station, at
worl, on his report for the month. If
he could only call him up!
"I'li try it," decided Billy
He took a quilt from the bed and
dropped it lightly over the register.
"Thatn keep the sound Of the in
strument from getting down to the
man." he thought.
Then he got out Of bed noiselessly
and tiptoed across to the table on
which the instrument stood.
His hand shook as he touched the
key Of the sender, so fearful was he
that Stewart would have left the Of
fee. He sent the call" and waited
almost breathlessly for Il reply.
Presently, click, click, click, went
the machine, and Stewart had an
swered him.
a burglar here" he said to the sta
tlon agent over the wire. Send men,
quick. No time to lose. Hurry"
"All right" came back the reply.
The village was about half a mile
away from the Mason farm. Billy
calculated that it would take at least
= fifteen minutes TO get mca together
and get them there. BY that time the
burglar might be gone. But they
would be so close on his track that
e they might be able TO run him down
He listened again.
- The man was still at the bureau, il
seemed. He was evidently rummagine
through all the drawers OF it,
q Every likely he knows there Is NJ
S one in the house but me-" thought
+ Billy, "and he feels safe in taking hi'
+ time for It. l suppose he'll take al
0 mothers trinkets, as well as fathers
money, if there happens to be any
s in the box"
0 By-and-by the man moved away
0 from the corner where the bureal
stood, and went out Of the room. Billy
K judged by the faint light that fingered
L in it, that the unwelcome visitor haC
0 gone into the pantry, just across til,
e kitchen from the sitting room door.
lie was convinced that he was righ
d in this surmise, for he heard the soun,
e Of crockery coming in contact witt
e other crockery.
q "He's hunting about for something
d to cat" thought Billy, "and don't know
d Just where to look for it, 80 he ha
o to keep looking till he finds It. | hop
a he'll come across the doughnuts an,
mince pie mother left for me, AM
d will like them 50 well that he'll keel
2 at them until some one gets here"