Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-10-26
EtheI's Burglar.


seem to know when you are all alone in
She house There must be fairy bur
glar somewhere who has ways of spread
ing the news. or course, if there arc
fairy queens and witches and godmoth-
erS, there is no reason why there should
not be fairy burglars.
Ethel and Rose both believed in bur
glars but strange to say, they had out
grown their belief in fairies.
Ethel was l6. quite grown up, Rose
was II. and she thought Ethel knew
everything. Perhaps Ethel thought So,
too, but if she did no one ever heard her
say so. for she rarely talked about her
self.
Whatever Ethel knew she could do II
great many things. She rode horseback
on a fiery little colt, who would noy let
any other lady come near him. She
could beat Cousin Tom, who was 16 also,
at half-nlle boat race, she could san a
boat. and had good golfing record.
Moreover she was not afraid of any
thing, much less burglars.
That is why she insisted upon staying
alone with Rose in the cottage one night
in September. Father and mother had
gone back to the city house and had taken
Jim, who had been man-of-all-work for
Mr. Moore for twenty years.
Ethel and Rose both hated to leave the
cottage so early in the fall. so they had
begged to stay. Mrs. Moore had some
buying to do, ms she was planning to re-
furnish the town house, and Mr.. MoOre'S
business celled him. but they consented
to let the girls stay two days longer with
Nellie end jim.
At = o'clock the night after father and
mother had gone Nellie came out on the
piazza where the girls were sitting. max
ing wishes to star light, star bright"
I'm in great trouble, Miss Ethel" she
"a ia Gip hn
quite sudint like, an its a good twenty
mile to her. an no train. Jm's been
down to the liv'ry 10 get someone to take
me, but tn teams is all off to tn picnic.
an tn man says as how there's not
horse among them as 'ull be fit to 90
twenty miles when they get back"
Then Jim must take you, Of course
Nellie. I'm so sorry. But maybe you
will find your mother better when you
get to her. Tell Jim to harness right up;
Rose and | viii help you get ready
but, that'ull leave YOU two all alone
an if anythin' should
What nonsense" cried Ethel What
could happen TO us? or course Jim must
20. and Mt once. We're not bit afraid
are we, Rose? / guess I'm stronger than
Jim, anyway.
Nellie and Jim, with many cautions
and protcstationS, were finally started
off and the two girls We're left alone.
The piazza. where the girls had been
talking to the stars. seemed the minute
the carriage wheels rolled away to he
having shadow bah. Dark shadows
played pusS-in- ihe-cOrner among the
vines. the rocking chair creoked 0mnous-
~ all by itself. and Rose shiyercd lit
tie as the night breeze came signing
through the pines outside the cottage.
Ethel put on n very brave front. Now
I'm very brave hero and I'll protect
you. You shall come in to sleep with
me tonight, meanwhile, as we are our
own mstrcSscs, let's sit M till midnight"
Rose agreed. She had never sat up
as late rs u i'll all her life.
And let make molasSes candy in the
kitchen" went on the valiant Ethel.
There's nothing quite 50 cheerful IS
kitchen with the smell Of boiling molasses
ahout it,
They locked all the doors and win
dows ON the first floor, and made molas-
Sos candy in the kitchen. Then az they
ate it, Ethel read Rose some exciting stO-
rles. But in spite Of thc exciting part
Rose went sound asleep before it was II
o'clock. She was Curlcd up on the big
fur rug that she and Ethel had brought
from the hall into the kitchen
Ethel read on to herself until she, toa.
was sleepy. then she woke Rosie and to-
gether they went upstairs.
I'VE aren't a bit lonely yet, are we,
Rose Ethel said brightly.
Well, yawncd Rose, I'VE aren't real
~. bat down underneath / wish we had
gone 10 the city with papa and mamma"
Ethel laughed and talked until they
were quite ready for bed, then all Of
sudden there came a rumbling sound from
the parlor which was just under them.
'Hark"' said Ethel and Rose together,
Through the stiffness Of the night it
sounded very fcars0mc.
Rose began to whimpcr.
~ IuSb Igur - g1iI Ethel f1TF II IL
burglars they mustn't know there is any
one in the house Wen lock our door
and keep very quiet"
Ethel softly locked her door and Rugged
Rose close UP to her in the far corner
Of the room.
TIN sure they'll take my new music
box whispered Rose, as the racket con
tinued. And my new game Of croki-
mole, and my little wicker rocker, and my
new golf club, and the cabinet with all
my shells"
Frightened as she was, Ethel could
hardly keep from giggling as she saw in
fancy a masked burglar crawling out
Of the window laden down with wicker
rockers tall cabinets music boxes and
golf clubs.
The noise ceased presently. but the
two frightened girls sat hudded up liz
one corner Of the room for four long
hours.
BY that time ii was beginning to grow
little light in the east, and they both
crawlcd into bed, too tired to move and
before they knew it they were fast
asleep.
1t was bright daylight when they
awoke and faithful Jim was shouting 10
them from under the window He had
got fresh horses and come right back ~
his charges.
His face never seemed 50 handsome
and trustworthy before.
They dressed and went down stairs
fully persuaded that they would find
their pretty paror and dining room rob
bed Of their treasures. To their amaze
ment nothing had been disturbed. Ey-
erything was as they left it with the ex-
ception Of the folding doors that led from
the dining room into the parlor. They