Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1910-01-27
FDomaBurgIar's
Note Book

AASSAAbot ohu Woo OhoO hnOAO Oh bAO
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 a sudden
termination
But win not anticipate.
It 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 a large mansion, with we'll
kept lawns, extensive grounds, and
other external evidences Gas viewed
from distance), Of being the abode
Of wealth and luxury.
/ naturally supposed It to be 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 CT,
II luck permitted, few specimens Of
plate and other souvenirs Of the oc-
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 1t was not locked, nor
was there any watch dog on guard.
When l reached the house l saw
what l 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 l 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 trihe as q half.inch
wrought iron bar!
Selecting q convenient window I
produced 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 long and COM
paratively narrow hallway, at the fur
Their end of which door stood ajar;
and l confess that 1t gave me some
thing OF start to notice that lamp
was still burning In the room into which
this door opened. Could 1t be that the
inmates of the house had not yet re-
tired? l listened iDtently, but could
hear no one talking or stirring. All
was silent as the tomb.
The only sound that could hear as
l stood there was the beating Of my
own heart. Evidently no one was
awake. The light doubtless was from
a solitary gas jet or night lamp which
had been left burning, and instead Of
a 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, reached the door, gently
pushed it open, and stepped inside.
The moment had crossed the thresh-
old / saw that l had been entirely too
preclpitate and unguarded in my ac-
tons.
But 1t was too late to retrieve my
error or retreat. A thick-set, dark
complexioned man, who had been
seated, at a 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
a chance to draw my weapon or make
my escape from the room, and, seiS.
ing both my hands in his powerful
grasp, cordially remarked:
"Ah! glad TO meet yOul I've been
expecting you for some time"
rW.why," / stammered, vainly en-.
deavoring to wrench my hands loose,
whom do you take me for?"
why, you are the noted author and
housebreaker who hae been writing
the "Reminiscences Of Busy Life by
a Retired Burglar for the Daily Com.
ct and other periodicals, of course. As
say, I have noticed your work and |
have been on the lookout for you
for some time"
"And--6nd who are you, pray?"
II? 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 l had made, and struggled
no longer. Ny long and busy, as well |