The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-05-02
THE POWER OF BEAUTY.

THE POWER OF BEAUTY.
A Burglar Who Preferred Kiss to Keep.
ing the swag He Had Gathered.
II fancy" said a handsome woman
Of fifty or more, that there is as
much truth as poetry in what has
been said and Is being said about the
power of woman's beauty. OF course,
1t Is supposed that only poets know
anything about the matter; but l can
bear testimony of different Sort
and 1t is from my own experience.
When I was girl of twenty was
really very pretty and l 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 was not conscious OF
Its strength until after my experience.
II 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 1
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 I must have been prettier than
! ever was before. for never was so
happy. The house was still, for the
only people in 1t, except two old ser.
wants away back in the ell, were nv
father and mother, who had gone to
ped hours before. I slipped upstairs
to my room as quietly as 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 it In
sptred 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 I liked to wear them, even
when it was not in the best taste.
"T wouldn't hurt as pretty a girl
as you are for the world he said with
a bow, but I've got to have the shin
ers, so Just take them of and hand
them over, while pick up what can
find lying around loose
with trembling fingers 1 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 a bad looking man, and as I put
out my hand to him with the jewelry
in it, smiled at him, as frightened as
I was, and asked him 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
the trinkets he had gathered from the
dressing case.
II you will excuse me, miss, for
tmpertinence,' he said. 'Pll say to you
that you are the prettiest girl ever
saw in my life, and always did ad-
mire pretty girls. I hate to rob YOU
like this, and if you will let me kiss
you, just on your cheek where it is
pinkest, I'll leave everything else and
take only the remembrance of that
as a reward for this nights job.
"This time I did almost faint, but
I tried to be strong, and succeeded Sc
we'll that kept my wits. 1t was
something dreadful to be kissed by 8
burglar, but he was 80 respectful, and
really 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 of his cap, bent forward
touched me on the cheek with bis
lips, and stood back with his pistol
in his hand.
Now IL may trouble you to &c
to the front door with me- he said
so that it anybody should see me COM
Ing out it will not cause any remarks
I will relieve you Of my presence
which assure you would never have
occurred had l known as much as ]
know now.
II thought never could do 1t, but
did, and I stood in the door till he
disappeared around the corner; then
/ collapsed utterly, and the night
Waterman found me there fifteen OF
twenty minutes afterward, and reused
the house. By the time knew enough
to tell anything the burglar was far
far away. The story got into the pa
pers, Of course, and In week or two
I received note Of regret from my
burglar, ppstmarked Cincinnati, which
was the only clue 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 burglar had
got the better part of the bargain"
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Alas! How Soon Forgotten.
is an echo or pain or trouble of any
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