Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-27
New York Times.

Frank Fairman, alias Freezeout Fair
man, Fancy Frank, ETC., was burglar.
In every great city in the land officers
either knew him or of him, and by ten
years patient endeavor at getting other
peoples property between the hours of
midnight and a. m. he had gained wide
spread notoriety. AS a rule, whenever
he made his appearance in any metropolis
the police either arrested him on general
principles or kept tabs on him; so now
in these days New York, Philadelphia
and other cities began to know him less
and the small towns more. Though eXiled
his glory did not suffer by operations in
more restricted fields. Rather he added
considerably to his laurels by continually
avoiding arrest, or conviction If arrested,
by the aid of skillful lawyers. There
seemed for this king Of the Jimmy" no
day Of retribution.
But just then, while the snow falling
outside seemed a benediction from heaven
on the Christmas festival that midnight
would usher in, burglary and theft and
murder and crime seemeu so utterly out
of harmony with the glad spirit of the
day that to no mans mind in Paxton viii
lage did thought Of them even suggest
itself.
Fairman was in hard luck. He had been
en- route from Baltimore to New York,
where he tried to spend every Christmas,
but an energetic detective had followed
to dodge off into the little village. He was
not even sure now that he had shaken
his pursuer, and the fear, combined with
the certain failure to eat turkey at a
New York table d'hote, filled him with
wrath.
When he struck the town such a thing
as burglary never entered his head. He
had made big haiti in Wilmington, and
did not contemplate a raise for some
months. But whether it was a strange
vanity to startle the unsophisticated
townsmen with daring robbery by the
prince of housebreaRers, Frank Fairman"
he fancied he even now saw the black
type heading in the village paper-or
whether he felt desire to revenge him
self on the town for the delay he had suf-
fered is immaterial. He mad suddenly
resolved on a lob"
BY daylight he could catch an express
to town. There was the house he wanted,
it's windows staring down upon him now
through the curtain of snowf1akes-a
large. handsome residence. whose exterior
bespoke an alluring plenty within. Fair
man did not appear even to glance at 1t
as he STROBE by.
At last midnight came, and making all
| preparations for leaving by the a. m.
! train Fairman left the hotel equipped for
| the expedition. He effected an entrance
| into the dining room window Of the house
he had selected to plumber just as
o'clock doomed from several public clocks.
| To one Of his long experience the collec-
| ton of the exposed silver and its arrange
| ment in a compact bundle was short
work. Then he went upstairs, feeling his
way, and occasionally darling small discs
| of light into the gloom from dark Ian
tern. He would. ordinarily, have been
contented with his seizure Of silver plate,
! but tonight the spirit Of daring was
| strong upon him. and he would not turn
| back. Entering a small door to the right
| Of the landing at the top OF the stairs be
was ascending Fairman walked softly into
| a small passage. In the quick radiance of
his lanterns momentary exposure he not
ed q heavy door at the farther end, and
| this he opened with so firm wrist that
no sound whatever followed.
When he faced the door there had been
no CLEAN of light at either the keyhole
| or chinks, but when it opened, to his hor-
| ror, he stepped into brilliantly lighted
library, occupied by an old gentleman
| whose face was toward him.
With no loss of self-possession Fairman
closed the door behind him and sought
| the protection Of a fancy screen near The
door To retreat would have meant dis
| covery and he waited until he could slip
| out unobserved. Pecring over the screen,
Fairman noticed that the old gentleman
dropped to his knees in silent prayer. And
| as he watched he heard smothered sobs
| that seemed to shake the venerable man.
Then, of a sudden, they ceased, and in
q low undertone of appeal he heard the
words of prayer uttered aloud:
"Our Father, who art in heaven-thou
| to whom man turns in the hour of trou-
| BILE. even as the child turns to it's parent
| kneel tonight to implore, in the abun-
I dance of Thy mercy, that my boy, wan
| dering somewhere in the world, shall this
| day be returned to me. Oh, God, grant
| that poor, Maynard Frank, my deceived
and foolish boy, shall see in this time of
peace the opportunity to come back that
| I at least may look upon his face before
| / am called to the long home / pray"
Further utterance was abruptly checked
| by a storm Of violent grief that in any be-
holder would have stirred volumes of pity
to the silent watcher behind the screen
the heart-broken cry brought more.
His face paled and was clouded with
| agitation and profound bewilderment, and
| his excitement grew with every word Of
| the appeal
The old man had risen to his knees
and paced the floor slowly. Then, ac-
tuated by a sudden impulse, he walked
to the window, threw omen the folding
blinds, and raised the sash. In the
chill air with uncovered head, he pas
sionately renewed his prayer.
at is all l ask, all l wish for In what
] life is left me-that Frank should re-
turn. And why not today, why not
now. when all the bitterness of human
! ity is buried in hosannahs to Thy glory
and mans brotherhood? Is it too great
| a boon 1 ask that after all these years
! he may be again where he was? Can
not one of those glorious stars beckon
him the way? Surely he lives and sure
| y he viii come home.
ooh Frank, Frank, Frank"
Father, / am here!"
Silently Frank left his concealment.
and there by the open window. regard