Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-01-24
HER BURGLAR
ELO1SE DAY

loWe'en night soothing as lullaby. In
somnia had for the time being taken
possession of her-perhaps because she
had been doing, or trying to do, Altogether
too much for her slender strength.
She turned with contempt from the
counting of sheep, going over a wall.
She wonders YEARLY how people can
be so foolish. Surely, the people who
sleep like tops invent silly futile games
for the poor unfortunates who do not
She got up, went over to the open
window and sat down to admire the
deserted street now bathed in silvery
moonlight Afar she hears the sing
ing and calling of the students who
are parading the streets in hundreds
in their usual annual celebration of
Halloween.
After a while she feels oppressed by
the loneliness and quiet of the night
the absence of sleep and the smallness
of her room. Anything for a change.
She will go downstairs for a little
while into the big draWingriOm be-
low She she wraps herself in a dress
ing gown and slips her feet into her
warm noiseless bedroom slippers and
glides cautiously down the stairs with
much care, not to awaken the sleeping
household.
With the same precaution, she pushes
up the blinds of all the draWingroom
windows and let's a flood of moonlight
into the long room. How ghostly the
ri
stands out clearly in the weird pale
light. She even sees plainly the pic
lures on the walls.
The students must be coming nearer
for she can hear the words of the song
they are singing.
They must be very near now, on the
next street perhaps, and there seems
to be some sudden commotion for the
song breaks off abruptly in the middle
of a verse, and the voices that only
Just now sounded so musical gave way
to the most unmusical calls and yells.
While straining her ears to hear the
song go on again her attention is at
tracted to hurried footsteps flying
along the quiet street, and the tall ig-
ure of a man appears running at full
speed.
For a second he pauses in front of
the very window from which Mildred
is looking and gives a hurried, haunted
look about him before he jumps MIN
bly, over the fence into the garden at
the side of the house.
Mildreds heart is in her mouth.
The newspapers lately have been filled
with accounts of burglaries and high
way assaults and robberies of all
kinds
What availeth it now that for long
months past she has seen to the secure
fastening of all the doors and windows
in the house each night herself, even
to those in the cellar, when at this
very minute there is dreadful man,
most desperate character, loose and
at large in their own garden.
She almost walls aloud (Only she is
too terrified) as she remembers she
had forgotten to push up the little bolt
a the top of the French window that
opens into the lawn. Probably it has
blown a trifie open. an aggravating
little way it has that she had often
thought might prove in some evil hour
inviting to a lurking burglar.
With a decided feeling of relief she
sees The substantial (to her just then
the delightful form of policeman
walking quickly up and down across
the street looking carefully around
him. peering into dark doorways and
peeping over fences.
And then all at once a great wave of
ply sweeps over Mildred. Mildred
has very tender heart Pity born
all in q moment for the poor hunted
wretch ia the garden.
Perhaps it is his first offense. This
dreadful band of burglars that are such
q terror TO the town may have got him
quite against his will.
II lie is caught he will be sent with
otd lail to Jail
Mildred shudGers. She has heard
it Is sUch a dreadful place, and often
makes weak men bad and bad men
worse. OF course crime should be
punished, but yet that awful Jail. If
street and looks over their fence he will
be certain to see the thief in the bright
mooniisht and then he will be caught
ana sent to that enforced habitation of
criminals. Al the thought Mildred
forgets herself and her fright. forsets
everything Lat the Ou;cast in the gar
Gen, ard hUrries over to the long
French window. She finds it, as she
had been 2friad, slightly open. AS
she opens ii wide she trembles, but re-
members having read of little children
not AFRAID OF burglars and why should
she EiG woman? Mildred's friends
would have laughed at the big
woman She looks out into the
night and hravely in her sweet soft
voice speahs TO the astonished man
outside
You may come in here and hide
for little while. A policeman is
licking for you now at this very mo-
LtlEt across the street."
Vague and uncomfortable thoughts
u compromising a felony and of being
N accessory 10 crime fit through
.!er mind
As for him, he advances reverently,
cap in hand. fearing that it is vision
thai will vanish if he speaks.
He wonders was there ever a Juliet
as lovely as this girl in blue dressing
gown with a long plat of fair hair
hanging over her shoulder, standing