The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-12-13

WN
Sy0a man must want ma
chine OF that description very badly or
be 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 number Of them, the ex-
tent Of territory within the city limits
rendered the chance about 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
TN the second place." said Wenkel,
sspeople are, generally speaking and in
the lump. honest"
That is all very we'll" said Mrs.
Wenkel, "but you won't talk like that
when you go down some fine morning
and find the wheel gone''
If such thing occurs l will accept
the situation with my accustomed phi
10sophy." said Wenkel in his superior
gay "But you viii see that it will not
occur"
Wenkel bought the bicycle early last
summer The doctor recommended it
as a means of exercise.
He used to ride his wheel on the
boulevard for a while every morning
and evening. and on returning carried
# 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-
Quent 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-
monstranees. One morning she came
to him in state Of mild excitement.
my dear" she said, .'you left your
wheel out all night"
what Of it," asked Wenkel.
~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 it inten-
fionally, but when his next door neigh
Dor noticed 1t 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.
%It is when we show ourselves suspi-
Eious 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 chump If you leave that wheel
out, al the same It's too good to
Rose
* suppose it IS all right to be care
Tul.R 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 WenkeI
Gontented himself with allowing it 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 everybo
prophesied that the wheel would be
taken
HTut, tuty' Wenkel would say. "Pco-
ple are honest in this nelghborhood.
Well" The people would say. II
know we'd hate to trust 'em. Where
upon Wenkel would be yainGlorlously
pnffed up.
Riding the wheel finally got to be an
old story and Wenkel discontinued ii
% q great extent but the wheel re-
mained in the basement entrance
where everybody passing in the street
could see Il. The frlends continued to
remonsrate and SO did the neiglbor
but Wenkel maintained that lie had
confidence In his fellow man.
One day while Wenkel was down
town the neighbor passed and saluted
Airs Wenkel, who vas sitting on the
eteps waiting for The ppsilnan II see
M Wenikel IS stlli putting premium
on crime. he remarked With wave of
bis hand 10 the basement