Evening journal., 1905-05-01
A HUSBAND
CATCHER

Going home one night after a late
supper, I climbed the stone steps Of
my home. put my key in the lock Of the
front door, opened the door and en-
tered the hall The light in the hall
was turned very low. It was always
left for me when I was out, and. after
depositing my bat and coat in the |
closet, I turned it out and started up
TO my room when suddenly from some
where on the ground floor came the
voice Of a young girl.
"Stopl'
Now, there was no girl in the family, |
not even a servant, for our only do
nestle was a woman of fifty, with an
Irish brogue Curious to know what /
the voice meant, / went into the living /
room and listened. 1t was pitch dark
and as silent as the tomb. There was
something grewsome in that silence. /
certainly had heard voice. and there
was but one explanatiOn-that 1t was
from the dead. Suddenly it commenc-
ed again, coming from a rear room.
you cannot harm me-"
What astonished me most was that it
should be supposed that any one would
want to harm a person with so sweet
and childlike a voice.
my innocence is my protection" the
voice went on. Change your life, be-
come guileless and no one can harm
you"
The first question that arose in my
mind was whether l had lost my rea-
son, the second if some one else had
gone daft. I was in no mood to speak
to this spiritual being, not because I
was frightened, for was too well
braced with champagne to be fright
ened at anything, but 1 could not make
out who was talking to me.
con the mantel is a vase,7 the voice
said after brief silence, 'in which
you will find $40. Take the money,
90 away and live better life"
This girl, who must be hiding In the
other room, had evidently mistaken me
for a burglar But who was she and
how did she come into our hOusei
fancied a terror stricken miss in wrap
per and curl papers crouching in the
back room endeavoring to get rid of a
robber by preaching and bribery. She
seemed to be firing her words at inter
walls.
"You had a mother. She may be liv-
ing now Think how it would wiring
her heart to think Of her dear boy a
thief and a robber."
MY little girl" / said-my words
We're slightly run together from the
wine had drunk-"if you'll permit me
to come in there and turn up the light
/ I'll show you that I'm no rohber, but
! young man in evening dress"
/ waited for a reply. l must give her
time to collect her faculties, for de-
spite her calmness she must be very
I much frightened. Her answer came at
/ last:
1T is drink that ruins so many young
men. Doubtless drink has ruined you.
mot yet, / replied. Il wouldn't be
the worse for another bottle now. But
enough of this. I'm going to find out
who you are. Don't be frightened
won't hurt YOU"
l struck a match. lit the gas and
stood astonished. BY the furniture in
the room l knew l was In a strange
house. Between pOrtieres could look
into a back room, and there on a table
stood a phonograph. l saw It ALL
Quick as a flash / turned off the gas,
stepped on tiptoe into the hall, and as
l passed out the front door the phono-
graphic miss said sweetiy;
"Thlnk how happy l shall be at hav-
ing saved human soul"
/ lived in a block of ten houses all
alike and was constantly trying to get
into any of them that mistook for
my own. This was the first instance
in which my key happened to fit an
other lock
! was going into my house one after
noon soon after this episode when l
saw very pretty girl mounting the
steps Of one Of the houses in the block
three doors from mine. Before enter
ing she called "Goodby" TO a friend
who had left her. recognized the
voice / had heard on the night Of my
unintentional housebreakng.
monograph / cried.
The girl started and turned.
'Think how happy / shall be at hav-
ing saved n human soul" said loud
enough for her TO hear.
Then we both smiled.
That same evening / sent in my card
and received an explanation. She lived
with an old maid aunt who was terri
bly, afraid Of burglars. The aunt had
bought a phonoeraph, into which she
and her niece had talked alternately.
with a view to induce any intruder to
go away. The instrument was wound
and set going when they went to bed
and would run till dawn. / had hap
pened in while the niece's voice was
sounding words of warning.
And so I was saved from a life of
self Indulgence for one Of usefulness,
though the warning Photographic
words had nothing to do with my con-
version. After Al brief courtship I be.
came engaged TO the owner of the voice
that had caDtiviated me and took the
place Of the phonograph in soaring
away burglars. I will, however, rec
ommend the device TO unprotected
I women, but would suggest that the
warnings spoken into It should be by
young ladies with melodlous voices.
Then if a burgler is not scared away
a husband may at least be caught.
TOuN u AnkfCTDONn