Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-12-23
From aBurglar's
Note Book

ently-but the old yearning for gain
and adventure had swept me from my
moorings, and | was once more on the
road making little professional tour
and meeting with the usual nocturnal
adventures and varying degrees oil
success. when. one gloomy night,
inadvertently committed the fatal
mistake which brought to a sudden
termination
But 1 will not anticipate.
1t will be better To relate the hap
penings of that ill-starred night In
their proper sequence.
Standing well back from the high
way. on a slightly eminence, In the
outskirts of thriving village, | had
noticed large mansion, with we'll
kept lawns, extensive grounds, and
other external evidences (as viewed
from distance), of being the abode
OF wealth and luxury
| naturally supposed 1t to be the
country residence of some million
aire. and although the owner doubt.
less was not expecting a call from
me, | resolved to extend to myself
the freedom of his luxurious abode at
the earliest opportunity and carry off,
II luck permitted, few specimens OF
plate and other souvenirs of the &C.
casion.
So the first dark night, armed with
the necessary tools and my trusty re
volver, | strolled out to the neighbor-
hood of the imposing mansion along
about midnight, and greatly to my sur.
prise found no trouble whatever In
making my way into the grounds.
There was large iron gate at the
entrance. but ii was not locked, nor
was there any watch dog on guard.
When | reached the house | saw
what | had not before noticed, that
there were heavy bars to all the win
dows This struck me as strange,
but some wealthy householders have
peculiar notions, and | chuckled to
myself at the idea which the owner
of this place evidently entertained
that the window bars furnished an
added security TO his valuables. Just
as though a genuine housebreaker
minded such a trife as a half-inch
wrought iron bar,
Selecting a convenient window
kit of tools and made short work Of
the bars. Then prying open the win
dow catch with a thin knife blade. de-
signed for that purpose. [ cautiously
raised the sash and crawled inside
| found myself in a long and com
paratively narrow hallway, at the fur
Their end OF which a door stood ajar;
and | confess that 1t gave me some
thing OF a start TO notice that lamp
was still burning in the room into which
this door opened. Could it be that the
inmates of the house had not yet re-
tired? | listened intently, but could
hear no one talking or stirring All
was silent as the tomb.
The only sound that | could hear as
! stood there was the beating of my
own heart. Evidently no one was
awake. The light doubtless was from
solitary gas jet or night lamp which
mad been left burning, and instead OF
hindrance would be help to me in
my self-appointed mission.
determined TO explore the apart.
ment containing the light first. Noise
lessly tiptoeing my way along the
hall, | reached the door, gently
pushed it open, and stepped inside.
The moment had crossed the thresh-
old / saw that | had been entirely too
precipitate and unguarded In my &C
tons.
But II was too late TO retrieve my
error or retreat. A thick-set. dark
complexioned man, who had been
room (Which appeared to be some sort
of an Officer sprang to his feet and
came quickly forward. before | had
chance to draw my weapon or make
my escape from the room, and. seiz
ing both my hands in his powerful
grasp, cordially remarked:
"Ah. glad to meet you! I've been
expecting you for some time"
"Wwhy," | stammered, vainly en-
deavoring to wrench my hands loose,
whom do you take me for?"
why, you are the noted author and
housebreaker who has been writing
the "reminiscences of Busy Life by
a Retired Burglar for the Daily Com
ct and other periodicals. of course. AS
say, | have noticed your work and
have been on the lookout for you
for some time"
"And-and who are you, pray?"
Il? Why, | am Dr. Straitjacket the
head of this restraining institution in
10 which you have so thoughtfully
made your way, thereby saving your
friends the trouble of bringing you
here, and"
Suddenly | realized the terrible mis-
take that | had made, and struggled
no longer. My long and busy, as well
as variagated. career as a housebreak-
er and author was ended. | had bro
ken into the Home for Incurables, at