Willmar tribune., 1909-12-15
4 RETIRED
BURGLARS STORY
By WILLARD c. IRVING.

of. I've beeu chased over tin roofs. |
I've been shot at. but never was ap- |
paIled but once, and that was by 81
lence.
I'D served term for burglary, spent |
what money Id been given on gettin. |
out and was looking for a job-not IL
Job Of honest work. Id tried that on
getting out once before and found It
impractic;,l,le. When an ex1Onvict
knows that he's liable any moment to
be spotted an. disc rllarged 1t takes the
zest out of him for work. I'D made up
my mind there WAS nothing left for me
to do but stick to my business. which
was burglary Well. AZ ! was saying.
was looking for /, house to get into
and. walking on the outskirts of Il city.
saw one that struck me as being very
inviting. 1t WAS in the center Of Il six
acre lot. with no net.htOrs near
enough To make it unpleasant for the
burglar and !, wood in he rear af-
fordin. 4 safe retreat. ! made a care
full survey Of the premises. No one
happened to I've visible in or about II ut
llI6 uut VI W.
dence that it was occupied. Newly
washed clothes were hanging on the
lines: smoke was issuing from the
chimneys; ch:ldren's sIeds and wagons
were scattered about in the yard. The
only thing ! didn't like abou; it waS
snow. but it was old snow.
The night was cold anJ blustecy. At
about 10 o'clock l took position in the
yard. shielded from the wind by Il car
riaye shed. with Il view to determining
by the lights what rooms were Mcu-
,,ied. The whole house was lighted.
got into vehicle and sat watching my
quarry The seat was comfortable. AMI
some blankets and robes that had been
left in it kept me warm. The result
was that fell asleep.
When l awoke every light In the
house was out. A distant clock struck
1. l got out. went to the house. took a
pane of glass out of Kitchen window.
turned the "catch." raised the sash
softly. pulled myself up and crawled
inside. Striking match. lit my dark
lantern and surveyed the room. Every
thing had been put in order after the
evening meal. A fire was burning in
the range. went through pantry to
the dining room. Here, too. all was in
, order.
| Passing through the parlors. I en-
tered the hall and went upstairs. TAX
ing every precaution against waking
the inmates. A bedroom door near the
landing stood ajar. listened. but
could hear no one breathing. l went
in and felt of the bed. There was nc
one in it. There being nothing of value
in the room. passed on to the next
examined it and found it also empty
Coming to one of the front bedrooms
certainly expected to find it occupied
and entered it with all possible stealth
listening long for the sound of sleep
ing being. That heard no such sount
began to affect my nerves. An empty
room is good find for burglar bu
the advantage in this case was over
come by the unexpected vacancy.
CROPPED my way to the bed, felt of
and found it unoccupied. Then. fash
ing my lantern about. saw woman
clothing that had been evidently take1
, off at bedtime lying on the chairs. Th
woman had vanished.
!, / went to another room and anOthe
with the same result. In some Of then
l found clothing that had been Iai'
aside, but no one in the beds. Non
: of the beds showed signs Of havin
been occupied. l went on to ever
story. and not a single living bein
? did l find. There was some plunde
on the dressers. but not very mucl
did not think of taking it. My min
s was fixed upon the lights had see
in the house few hours before an
= the present absence of those whol
the lights had served.
There is no similarity between day
light and dark for weird impressions
One human being. even If policeman
would have broken the spell. l feare
haunted house. but l feared nor
y that something in my brain had gon
: wrong. Had that which I had seen
e the afternoon and evening been a
d hallucination or did now experien<
o something that was not? Coming to
window overlooking the rear yard,
flashed my lantern down into it. Thel
were the clothes still hanging on ii
line. l walked back through the ha
bringing my feet down heavily OH II
n floor that l might hear a sound III
u, | tEnr0 III
It faint response-a response that adj
% ed to my growing terror.
Il Suddenly the rays of my lantel
n struck living figure. At once Il
instinct of preservation ordered me
cover my light. did so and waite
~ There was no sound. Believing l b;
u been mistaken, l mustered courage
z raise the lantern again. There W
!. the figure. but it was my own reflet
ID ed from mirror.
t. now had but one desire-to get o
# and away. Descending to the ma
I'd floor, saw piece of yellow paper I
SC the floor. What prompted me to pi'
n it up don't know. but did and rea
Mother dying. All come at once"
-; Here was a clew. The hour of sen
IL ing and receipt of the telegram W
~ written out and gave evidence that
ed had been delivered while l was aisle
. in the carriage shed. The family b
doubtless hurried to train, TAXI
even the servants with them.
could have taken away anything