The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-17
pEMDLEroN's BURGLAR TRAP.
1t Worked All Right, Only That
Night There Were No Burglars.

Night There Were No Burglars.
From the Kansas City Journal.
Screened by the sableness of a moon
less night, some rowing marauder seal
ed the high fence and lifted a cherry
pie from the ice box in Pembleton's
porch. When the cook came down at
sunrise and discovered the great bur-
glary she screamed.
Call der bolicei" she walled. "caII
der bolice! Der hat been burglars und
robbers, yahlf
Mrs. Pembleton clasped her hands
and shrieked. Mr.. Pembleton itemized
the silver plate and made effervescent
remarks about the police department.
Protection" he stormed. THE only
man that gets protection in this town
is the one who stockades his house and
plants artillery about the yard. This
is twice we have been burglarized in
two years. The last time the pilferers
carried off a jar of cream"
Then Pembleton's sharp eye detected
plai] patch fiuttering from the fence.
"A clewl" he breathed, "A clew! So
they are slick enough to scale the
fence? Well, Wen see If there are not
a few other slick people"
And he went in and told his wife that
he was too agitated to think of going
down TO the office, and he would re-
main home and construct some pre-
ventive against future burglaries.
"A sure preventive?" she asked, rath-
er incredulously.
Certainly Do you think 1 would
make such assertions If were not cap
able of backing them?"
Then he turned and walked down
the yard. Some minutes later Mrs.
Pembleton heard the din of tools ema-
mating from a shed in the far corner
At noon Pefnbleton came in to din
ner. He was warm, grimy and deter
mined.
What kind of an arrangement is
it?" ventured his wife.
1T Is the work of a genius" was
all he cared TO elucidate. But later in
the afternoon she heard him call. and
going out found him pointing proudly
to the fence.
Now we are safe" he said. mo
more disappearing pastry and cream"
But Mrs. Pembleton was not so SAM
guine.
III you imagine there is any repell-
ing force in those little wire nails and
strips of tin you had better see doc
tor. Why, they wouldn't prevent
tomcat climbing over"
Ii was then Pembleton smiled as a
vaudeville manager smiles when he an
nounces to the rising audience that
there is more coming"
my dear. just stand on this tub and
touch one of those little pointed nails.
Mrs. Pembleton hesitated, but her
curiosity was aroused and she stretch
ed out her finger. The next instant
she draw II back and screamed.
What do you think of 1t now?" he
asked. chuckling in triumph.
1T is charged with electricity"
Yes, but only few volts. Tonight
I'll turn her on strong, and there'll be
warm times II the prowler starts over
the fence"
80 are burglars"
II was useless to protest, and she
went in with visions of dead burglars
stretched on either side of the fence.
The following morning Pembleton
was awakened by loud voices and a
seriessof heavy knocks. Peering eau
tiously through the blinds he saw an
excited group OF neighbors lifting the
yard gate from its hinges. He also saw
several cats and rooster lying out
on the red bricks.
Gentlemen" hailed Pembleton, who
considered 1t safer to receive the call
ers from a distance, what can l do
for your"
What can you do?" fumed the tall
est of the committee. You can come
down and let me scrub up the yard
with youi Electrocute my old family
cat. eh?'
ami my prize Angora!" Numbered
another.
And my Shanghai roosterl"
Pembleton felt little unsteady
where his trousers bagged
Thu really sorry gentlemen, but the
fact OF the matter is--er-I was trying
to trap burglars"
There h no excuse In law. We have
telophoned an S. +. c. A. officer"
Things were looking blue for Penn
bleton, when one of the neighbors no.
ticed slight tremor about the ears
of his Angora. A moment later. Il
sprang IN the air and darted behind a
coop. Then a hurried investigation re-
vealed that all of the felines were only
stunned But the poor shanghai. not
being gifted with nine lives. was In
deed cold IN death. so Pembleton
bought the dead fowl at an exorbitant
f.rlce and passed around cigars. Thus
was the threatened "lynching bee"
postponed But Pembleton ripped of
the tin and nails and tossed the bat
terry IN the rubbish heap.