The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-12-16

yO~ man must Whit III Ild-
chine of that description very badly or
be a professional sneak thief. Statis-
tics as to the number Of professional
sneak thieves in Chicago were hard to
obtain, but admitting that there were.
say, quite a number of them, the ex-
tent of territory within the city limits
rendered the chance about-weli, the
chance was remote that one OF them
would pass his house in Laburnum
place between Z p. m. and a. m, dur
ing which hours the danger OF theft
was most to be apprehended.
I'm the second place." said Wcnkel,
'people are, generally speaking and in
the lump, honest"
'That Is all very WELL" said Mrs.
Wenkel "but you won't talk like that
when you 90 down some fine morning
and find the wheel gone"
IF such n thing occurs will accept
the situation with my accustomed phi
losophy," said Wenkel in his superior
way. "But you will see that ii will not
occur"
Wenke. bought the bicycle early last
summer. The doctor recommended it
as n meals Of exercise.
He used to ride his wheel on the
boulevard for n while every morning
and evening, and on returning carried
at down into the basement. the en-
trance to which was under the steps
leading to the front door In the course
OF month or two. however. the de-
scent to the basement and the subse-
guent ascent palled upon him and he
fell into the habit of leaving the bicycle
at the front door during the day. 1t
was then Mrs. Wenkel began her re.
monstrances. One morning she came
10 him in a state of mild excitement.
MY dear" she said, 'you left your
wheel out all night"
"What Of it?' asked Wenkcl.
"Well, it is a wonder that no one
came along and stole it,"
Rubbish" said Wenkel And soon
after that he began talking about the
doctrine OF chances.
Three or four days later he left the
wheel out again. He didn't do il intcn-
tionally, but when his next door neigh
Dor noticed it and commented on it he
allowed him to infer that he had. He
sprang the doctrine of chances. Of
course, and added that diStrust OF
public honesty was very bad thing
ut Is when we show ourselves suspi-
cious Of people and apprehensive OF
misconduct that we are most likely to
suffer from the things we fear" he
said.
That's all right" said the neighbor,
who was not philosophical. "But
you're a chump If you leave that wheel
out, all the same. It's too good TO
lose"
II suppose il is all right TO be care
ful," said Wenkel, but own that the
idea Of locking everything up is dis
tasteful to me-"
There's no use tempting people, :"
said the neighbor
The following night and several
nights after that the bicycle was
locked in the basement. Then Wenkel
contented himself with allowing il TO
lean against the basement door. The
door was rather troublesome to unlock.
Mrs. Wenkel discovered that he was
doing this, and tried to persuade him to
carry the bicycle in. but he only
laughed at her fears.
She used to tell people about it when
they came TO her house. and everybody
prophesied that the wheel would be
taken.
Tut, tutr' wenkel would say. "Peo.
pie are honest in this nelghborhood.
We'll" the people would say. 81
know we'd hate to trust 'em." Where
upon Wenkel would be vaineloriously
puffed up.
Riding the wheel finally got 20 be nj
old story. and Wenkel discontinued 4
10 great extent. but the wheel re
NAMED in the basement entrance
where everybody passing in the stree
could see II. The friends continued {,
demonstrate and so did the neighbor
but Wenkel maintained shat he la,
confidence In his fellow man.
One day while Wenkel was dow
town the neighbor passed and salute
Mrs. Wenkel. who was sitting on tn
eteps waiting for the postman. II Sc
Mr.. wenkel is still putting a premium
on crime" he remarked with n wave c
his hand to the basement