Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-01-15
low He Shot
himself
b. EVERETT P. CLARKE

A lawyer, having been sent for to
cali at the city Jail at 10 o'clock in the
morning to see a prisoner, found
young man in evening dress very much
cast down.
Here's a pretty how-de- do" ex.
claimed the prfsoner-''locked up on
charge OF burglary, insanity or both.
For heavens sake, get me out OF this
hrfure my 'iHucce hears o. it. ! "''!i'
not have it get into the papers tor
milIion"
whats the trouble?" asked the law
yer.
"Well, you see. I'm to be married
tomorrow, and last night l gave my
bachelor friends supper. We broke
up at 2 o'clock this morning. and
went home. Nobody got full and l
was sober as judge. live in a row
of ten store front houses, all alike US
peas in a pod. My house is the sixth
from one end OF the row and the fifth
from the other END.
1.-The light was turned low in the
hall. heard something moving in the
parlor. Remembering that the front
door hadn't been locked, it occurred to
ME that burglar might have come in.
What l heard sounded exactly like
some one trying to tread softly. My
tiancee lives on one side Of the city. and
! live on the other side. Being used to
walking home nights after visiting her.
! have become used to carrying a re-
volver in my hip pocket as protec-
ton against fOOtpads. On bearing the
sounds in the parlor drew the weap
on and cooked it. Then / went into
the room.
! Il couldn't see anything. but dis
tinctly heard somebody IN the adjoin
ing room in the rear. listened aud
heard him go into the kitchen. Step
ping out into the hall, went back to
the kitchen myself and listened at the
door. All was still for awhile; then
beard the fellow scurry across the
floor.
Next heard him In the dining
room again. He evidently stumbled
against something. for heard it drop
on the door. By this time / had made
up my mind that either l must get the
, burglar or be would get me.
! II didn't know exactly what to do
My mother is in poor health. and /
feared to give an alarm on her &C.
count Besides. the telephone booth
was upstairs, and II l went to it the
: burglar would probably get away with
!; the plumber. While was celebrating
! heard a tin pan tumble down in the
kitchen. 1t made q big racket and !
dreaded lest my mother should be
awakened, for IL she learned that there
! was burglar In the house she would
: 80 into Mysteries. ,;5 j: :z<..;:,,,. -s...:..
! II opened the kitchen door softly and
looked in. bnt 1t was SD dark that
couldn't see anything. beard =
scratching. however. that maoe ME
suspect the noises nigh, nav. been
. made BY some aEtma, I'm IN W.
didn't have any dog Or cat didh (
take much stock IN this theory
| mot hearing any further nuise. {
! went cautiously into the Kitchen
After standing in the middle OF the
door awhile listening for a new sound
1 made up my mind to light gas Jet
and take the consequences. whatever
they might be.
| Every house in the block is built
alike, and there is square opening in
! all between the kitchen and the dining
room through which to pass dishes 1
approached this opening With dread.
because if the burglar was in the din
ing room he could see me through it
and make short work OF me.
F.; "Gathering courage. | stood at tie
! aperture and looked into the dining
room. There be was, sure enough
Both of us raised our weapons. 1t
| was a matter OF life and death which
fired first 1 pulled the trigger, and
there was loud report
Il supposed / had killed the burglar.
for the range was very short. and
aimed straight ut him. There was
nothing for me to DO but await the in
evitable rousing Of the household.
heard footsteps above and voices: then
T..
'Great Scott! | had never seen him
before!
Il had got into the wrong house.
1.-THE man, seeing me standing with
a smoking revolver in my hand. ran
back upstairs. and heard him call for
the police.
What should ] doY
Il wanted to get out, but knew that
would be worse for me in the end than
standing my ground. heard nothing
from the burglar-not even a moan
While waiting for the police l deter
mined to 60 into the dining room.
light the gas and learn the worst.
"What learned was that there was
no living thing in the room except
cat crouching In corner. Directly
opposite the opening between the din.
ing room and kitchen stood sideboard
topped by a mirror. The mirror was
shattered. I had put bullet through
fPv1nN, ~ k&1D me, ~>~~v~> &rnn~~