The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-08-11
Burglar
Alarm
BY ALICE DUANE
g. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.
WNU Service

at slip of paper In his hand. Then
he rather stealthily made his way
from the front of the house to the
back door.
He asked the maid who answered his
rapping IL there was something to be
done about the place. Just any
thing" he said rather pathetlcally.
"Just anything you can give me to do"
Annie, the maid. gave one look into
his gray eyes and decided that, If she
had to pay him out OF her own pocket,
he would have work for the afternoon.
Sure" she said. "Just sit down
on the steps and I'll ask" She was
pretty girl. and the man smiled at
her thankfully. Her eyes filed with
tears as she turned away from him.
She hurried off to her mistress.
This lady, overplump, over-endowed
with this worlds goods, sat idly be-
fore the living room fire. II must say,
Elsie" she said irritably to young
girl who was playing solitaire, that
you're about as unpleasant guest as
can imagine. Why can't you suggest
something to do"
"Oh," said the girl contritely. I'm
awfully sorry. Aunt Bess, but l came
to visit you just to get away from
seeing people, especially men. / just
love to sit here safely"
Its safe enough" snorted Aunt
Bess-otherwise Mrs. Barkley Jones.
"But I'm bored" Then catching sight
of Annie at the door, "Well, now
what?' she added Grossly.
Annie told her story.
"a poor young feller,' she said "As
nice looking as you please. And he
doesn't look as II he'd eaten for q
week. Just anything he'll do, he says"
"Oh, well" Mrs. Jones considered.
"Why, of course. You couldn't turn
him away. Tell him he can clean the
cellar. And make him some coffee and
sandwiches, If you want You might
bring us trayful, too, Annie! -
II wish," Elsie thought, that / hadn't
been such fool. But it was his fault,
too. He was too brutal to leave me
without a chance of explanation. I
wish I'd sent him that letter. 1t would
be better to have him know I haven't
a speck of pride than not to have him
at all"
In the cellar the young man-"My
names Pete" he told Annie-was look
Ing In troubled perplexlty at the neat
tray the maid had just brought him.
A small pot Of coffee, cream and
sugar, pile of bread and butter,
sliced chicken and ham and swiss
cheese.
More food" he thought "What'll
do with 1t? l can't hurt the girls
feelings. Oh, well," he thought, II
might as well try It."
Then, fortified by his lunch, he be-
gan to clean up the cellar.
1t wasn't until he was almost
through that Annie was frightened.
Then she realized what he probably
was-a burglar.
Annie couldn't stand keeping her
suspicious to herself. Here" she said,
''you empty these trash baskets into
the barrel there" And she went up
stairs, carefully locking the door at
the top of the kitchen side, so that
the man couldn't follow her.
She burst in upon Mrs. Jones and
Elsie.
"Oh, Mrs. JONES'" she cried. Its
my fault, l suppose-but that young
feller down there-he's been asking
me questions, and I'm afraid I've told
family Such a nice young man he
seemed, too, at first But he's q bur-
glar" And Annie began to cry.
Aunt Bess subsided into a state OF
semi-hysteria. 1t was the last straw
she thought, as she watched Elsie try.
Ing to quiet the weeping Annie.
but he can't be burglar, Aunt
Bess," said Elsie reasonably. "He
was too obvious, pumping Annie like
that. III go and see." And she
started cellarward, the shaken and
still fearful Annie close behind her.
In the cellar, when Elsie got there
bending over the trash barrel with g
rapt and ecstatic expression, was the
young man.
why, Peter Wales' cried Elsie
How on earth did you get here?
"Motored over this morning. FounG
out at your house where you'd gone.
knew you wouldn't see me, so | trieG
this way Of getting In with some ole
clothes" He smiled at the bewil
dered Annie. Then he walked over
| to Elsie and took her firmly In his
arms. Now listen to me, Elsie" he
said. "Well have no more fooling. You'll
marry me-now. AS soon as we car
| get license. You and l both made
a mistake with our silly quarrel"
"Oh, Peter" said Elsie-'I can't
| But how did you know?"
'Here!' Peter held her with one
| arm. He spread the other hand IL
| front of her. She took from 1t 8
crumpled, torn scrap of paper. Il saw
! this In the rubbish---it must have come
| from your trash basket, a piece of 8
letter you'd written to me, and theI
torn up when you decided not to sent
| It,"
With shining eyes and flushed
cheeks Elsie read, In her own hand
writing: "a silly mistake. Oh, Pc
ter, I can't live without you"
Annie gazed In unnoticed fascina
tion as Peter pressed his lips t.
Elsie's. Aunt Bess waited, In chill ant
shuddering fear, for news Of the
| burglar.