Year: 1870

cltement? BreVity may be the soul of wit,
but 1t is not the soul of satisfaction when
| one is hungering for information.


Now, said |, planting myself on the
stairs in decided attitude, lust please to
remember that he is my burglar; if it hadn' t
been for me you would never have seen him.
and | insist upon hearing something about
him. Begin at the beginning, and tell me
what you did first, after you left me- -


Looked for policeman" replied Ben,
hopelessly.


"What next?"


Found one


Next ?''


''Told him had little job for him


What then? Ben, do you happen to
know that you are particularly disagreed
bic and tormenting animal Why can you
not give me spicy and graphic account of
your adventure, (which is one that you Ger
tainly do not have every night of your life, J
so as to present it clearly to my mind If l
had gone in your stead, you would have
heard all about it, from beginning to end,
as matter of course. don't see why men
need be SO stupid and unsatisfactory.


We'll, y rejoined Ben with fearful yawn,
L believe woman can start up as bright
a lark at any hour of the night, and talk
upon any subject in the universe but fel
low can't be spicy and graphic at two clock
in the morning. Wait until to morrow, and
l II tell you all about it.


As he made movement to ascend, | ex-
claimed tragically. IF you advance it will
be over my body - and finding that some
thing of an obstacle. he retrcated


Now" said |, triuntphanlly, what was
the man doing when you found him? Was
he rolling up the carpets, or what ?''


L had just been reading of deserted
house entered by thieves, who coolly rolled
up the carpets, and other desirable articles
neatly for transportation, carrying them a
way as it was convenient, and / thought
how pleasant it would have been for Mrs.
Beverley to return to home in tbs cou
dition


He was not doing anything in particu
lar, was the reply, I'VE found him com
fortably lodged in the back bedroom sound
asleep"


was filed with amazement to find that
my burglar had only wanted night lodg-
ing.


THAT does not follow at all, said Ben
authoritatively, . he was sure of his house
before he begun and being just then in
need of comfortable rest, he concluded to
take it, and other things, at his leisure


He seemed determined not to wake un-
Ill we had turned on the gass full blast ;
when he sprung up AMI ought me by the
hair


A sight of my pistols, however, soon qui
eted him. to say nothing of the policeman S
appliances He's too ce-looking fel-
low to be engaged in such work, and he
carried i, off with high air-protesting
against being disturbed, and assuring us
that he had a perfect right to lodge at Mrs.
Beverley's as he was relative 6f that
lady's.


"A rclafi.rc7 - / repeated with breath
less interest.


That's what he had said but the po,
liceman cody replied, with grin, You
see il amt exactly the ia shion for relatives
to visit folks in your off hand way-climb-
ing in at their windows when they are out
of town and as you seem TO be in want
ofa night 5 lodging, just put on your duds
and IL accommodate you at the station
house How dare you mention such a
,la.a tn ,,a p Stnrnad tho GRAND
burglar, L tell you | have just arrived in
the city tired out with my journey, and
came here, at the request of my sister, to
transact some business for her in this very
house.


His sister - exclaimed in great ex-
citement but Ben went on regardless:


"'Do | look like burglar 2 he asked,
striking an attitude. All the burglars |
ever see were much like other people, said
the policeman, some better, some worse,
and cause you happen to have straight
nose and be personable. looking amt no
reason why we should let you off. So, just
you come along quiet now, and it II be tie
better for you I'm obliged to you for
your invitation, replied the burglar, who
seemed more disposed TO laugh than he
had been yet, which appears too pressing
TO be declined f; but | can assure you that
[ am very comfortable here, and also that
[ have perfect right here. A differ
ence of opinion, mebbe, returned the guar
dian of the public peace; but when | see
folks-breaking into other folks houses, my
orders is to nab EN- But you didn't see
me doing any thing of the kind, retorted
the culprit You saw me peacefully Sleep
ing, and made an unwarrantable assault ltupon
me- Well, this gentIeman's sister saw
you aayhoo, said the policeman, deter
mined not to be bafiied. Then observed
the robber, with rather comical smile,
1t is to lady that | am indebted for these
polite attentions 2 So take care, little
sister, that he does not wreak his ven
geance on you. My experience of burglars
is not extensive, but this fellow doesn't look
at all like his business-just the kind of
man I'd like to smoke cigar and have a
good talk with


Now said l, severely, don't you