The Winslow mail., 1909-11-20
From maBurglar's S
Note Book

! and adventure had swept me from ny
moorings, and was once more on the
road making little professional tour
and meeting with the usual nocturnal
/ adventures and varying degrees of
success, when, one gloomy night. I
/ Inadvertently committed the fatal
mistake which brought to sudden
! termination
But will not anticipate
It will be better to relate the hap
penings of that ill-starred night in
their proper sequence
Standing well hack from the high
way, on q slightly, eminence. in the
outskirts Of thriving village | had
noticed large mansion, with well
kent lawns. extensive grounds, and
other external evidences (ss viewed
of wealth and luxury
naturally supposed It to he the,
country residence of some million
aire, and although the owner doubt
less was not expecting call from
me, ! resolved to extend to myself
the freedom of his luxurious abode at
the earliest opportunity and carry off.
If luck permitted. a few specimens OF
plate and other souvenirs of the oc-
casjon.
So the first dark night, armed with
the necessary tools and my trusty re
volver, strolled out to the neigbbor-
hood of the imposing mansion along
! oh fohf ~
prise found no trouble whatever in
making my way into the grounds.
There was large iron gate at the
entrance. but it 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 houseboders have
| peculiar notions, and | cbuckled 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 genuine househreaker
minded such a trifie as halfincn
wrought iron bar!
Selecting q convenient window I
produced a chilled steel saw from my
kit of tools and made short work OF
the bars. Then prying open the win
dow catch with 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
ther end of which door stood ajar:
and ! confess that it 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
near 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
awake The light doubtless was from
solitary gas jet or night lamp which
mad been left burning, and instead of
hindrance would be a 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, l reached the door, gently
pushed 1t open, and stepped inside
The moment I had crossed the thresh-
old I saw that | had been entirely too
precipitate and unguarded in my ac-
tions.
But 1t was too late to retrieve my
complexioned man, who had been
seated at q desk in the corner of the
room (Which appeared to be some sort
of an ofice) 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"
"W.why," ! stammered, vainly ep
deavoring to wrench my hands loose
whom do you take me for?''
! why, you are the noted author and
/ uOuS6DIGdkSE Wuc udS ucSA WtltluS
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, prsy?"
81? Why, I am DR.. Straitjacket, the
head of this restraining institution in
to which you have SO thoughtfuily
made your way, thereby saving your
friends the trouble of bringing you
here. and"
Suddenly | realized the terrible mis-
take that l had made, and struggled
no longer. My long and busy, as wei
as vsriegated. career as . housebreak k
er and author was ended. I had bro
ken into the Home for Incurables, a
last,