THE BURGULAR'S STORY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5923, 30 August 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BURGULAR'S STORY.

One day. some years ago, I had occasion to seek an interview with a criminal. Avlm was known to tno and other detectives as one of the cleverest scoundrels of ihe day. lie had only just come out, of prison, but I. knew whore to t'md him.

' Well 1).,' he said, when 1 entered the miserable looking attic, ' have you found out something else .■igainst me .' ■ Xof this lime,' 1 replied ■ • i have come for information.' 1 Is that all '. he asked : perhaps you may not get, what vmi want." -'I think 1 shall. I r plied. - If I don't you will be the 1 -■ r.' 'I don't know what y m are driving at." lie said, as he sat -term .. at m -. '1 will tell you. I, v .., ._.:•.■ in" the information I seek. I pr mis--' ; > give ymi a lift out of this miserable s'.atc of existence." 'If you do so. yoti v.-'!; b' ih. oilman that ever did giv" me a lift." tie replied. I got the informair v. and in reply to my question, how h - became such a villain, he told me his ,;.,ry. ' .Many years ago," ie- ~;.\-\. • I was a respectable, honest ymi-m gentleman, happy and contented a\ hii my lot. At that time I was re-peted by all. Though I was not very rich. I was far from being poor. Tie- money father left me when he di"d i : ;.>v--.st -!. and it brought no- a steady im-onm "f thro.' hundred a year. With:!:. 1 ' I was satisfied, and wished for limbim. m -re. 1 had plenty "f friends ( .' a but on'y ~m--relation—an aged s;-i'i'. v. !m i.ved with me. I Was single, and all agreed j that I ought to get married. My gentlemen friends call 1 nic s i|ii.eartcd. my lady friends said 1 ua~ goo,'; naiured. This was because [ never emild pas- a beggar, he he able bodied or crippled, without relieving him. If there was a genuine case of poverty In the village. ! was always the first to subscribe to any good cause. My b isom friend. Fred If —, though three tiums richer than 1 was, would j iieva-r give a b -ggar a Copper, and did! imt siili-cribo fn other good causes half I as milch as I did. Fred aud I were j great, friends, and nearly always to- j get'er. We travelled ali mi together, j and passe.l most of our innocent enjny- j uient. We were happy in each other's j friendship, and together avc went and | did as we wished at our own sweet will, j With hands clasped, we swore a friend- ; ship that nothing but death should break, One day he told me that he had met his fate.

' Sic is the most beautiful young lady in the world, and as good as she is beautiful!' lie exclaimed. * 1 sup]iose yoti love already,' I remarked. '1. do !' he cried, 'and I have loved her from the xrvv moment wo first mo.' ' How long ni.iv that be ?' I asked. ' A week ago.'" 'Does sin. know—have ymt told her '.'' - iNo : but sin- soon will know.' ' I congratulate you," I said, when 1 saw he was so determined. • and I hope 1 may sunn find such another friend as you. or meet, with ymir luck.' A short time after he proposed and was accepted. lie was a lucky fellow, for, iii my opinion, ;l more beautiful, g 1. and jiure young lady never walked on tbe face of the earth. After that 1 did not see him often, and mir happy trips .vere at an end.

One day. about a week before he was married, as 1. was just, entering a certain club I met him coining mil. • The very man I wanted !' he cried, as he took my arm and led me inside the building. ' 1 have been playing at billiards all afternoon," he explained, ' and I have ivmi every game. I am going fo p]a\ you a game and beat you. lam sure I can do it now, though I have never done it before. You. must not refuse, because it, may be the last game we shall have together, you know.' ■ 1 won't refuse vmi.' 1 replied. ' but I lliinl- you will lose. a_ usual. I. hope it will not be the last game together, for we can still be friends if you do get married." When Aye entered ihe billiard-room there was only one gentleman in, a friend of ours, who consented to mark I'm- us.

The game wa- to be for drinks and cigars. I mm. Another game followed with the same result. • I see how it is,' he cried, a- he dashed down his cue : • I can not play for triiles. I will play you for a livepound note.' i stood amazed. I had never known him to gamble iv any form for such a sum before. I refused io play. ' Come on, you soft-hearted fool, and play. lie a man !' he cried, getting excited. His taunting words made me angry, and 1 deteentitled to play and teach him a lesson.

We played for the. note, and I won. We played again for double the amount and I still Avon. We had game after game, he doubled the stakes every game, and I ayou every time. When the clock struck feu I was as rich as my friend.

' Reckon up the amount you have Avon from me,' he said, ' witJi your oavii riches, and tell me Avhat you are worth.' " I did so, and told him the amount altogether. • We are about equal.' he cried, -and I shall play you for till. This shall be our last game.' 1 hesitated, for I kncAV if the game Avas played one of us must become a poor man. ' Not a penny Avill 1 pay you.' he said, Avhen he saw me hesitating, 'if you don't play this game. At the same time I shall brand you as a coAvard.' I determined to play. The game commenced, and he improved so much, and played with such skill, that 1 had great difficulty in keeping near his score. Towards the end of the game he g"t excited : but I kept cool, and played as if my life depended upon the result of the game.

When the game was called .or the last time we avc re gamesters—loo each : lul up. It was his last turn fo play, and he had an easy shot on. I laid down my cue, and prepared for the Avorst. As 1 Avatelied him prepare to strike. I felt that my very life depended upon the result. Trembling with excitement, he framed himself for the final. At last, after a moment oi agony, the stroke Avas given. He hit his oAvn ball, but missed the other, and lost the game.

He sank upon a seat a ruined man. With his face buried iv his hands, he sat sobbing like a child.

As I sfood watching him I felt as if I Avas a murderer. The scone greatly all'ecto.l nie. and I determined to help him. But before I could act. upon my heart's impulse, tin unseen fiend seemed to Avhisper in my ear. Never mind him -, let him go to the dogs. It, is all his own fault, and you are not to blame. Keep Avhat you have, you have Avon if fairly. Don't give him anything, he would not have helped you.' I. resisted the Avicked tempter. ; and :i good angel came to my aid wifli I the words. • Be a man. a Christian, i and do your duty.' J I went over to him at once. I ' Fred," i said. • don't give ay..v like ; this : I will be your friend." j ' Te- h--e ; •'.,, hue,' he moaned : ' ail is gone, ami I am ruined for life. : 1 want no friend : I only want d"ath." • !, : -'en.' I .-aid. ■■■ • 1 took his hand ;in mi .- : -if you Ay.ii promise me one I thing, I v '" forego all tbat I have won i ~ ' Irmn you. lie '(like! up at me in dumb amaze- ; 1I|C1:1. • Ymi—ymi do not mean it !' he ■■ gasped. : • I mean whal I say.' [ replied. • What, mtisi I promise .' 'I f ymi i\i|] promise me never to gamble again iii any shape or form as luig as you live I will give you back all t i'al i have waui." ' I pro-n.s •.' he cried, never to garni Ie again." '! h'-ti a'l ;s yours again." f said. •. i .'■• Mess you.' he cried, trembling wiih em-it;, v : ' veil are indeed a true fi-i'-ild. : ou have saved nio from rmna-io!!. perhaps death. I. shall in", er forget this m,ble act of yours, .-.■ti ! i.-' over y.-u are in need of a friend, come to me ; ymi will nm come in vain.' A w--"!-. a tier he got married, and h : s c ife little knew what hor husband ha ! p>s,e,l through a week before. t They uem in live abroad, and for 1 years I lost sight of them. j Fm- a time all was sunshine yvith ; mo. but at last came the darkest day jof life. One night I retired to bed a l fairly rich man. but on the following I day 1 rose as poor as a beggar. The ! bank in widen tvas my all had failed ! I For days after 1 walked aimlessly j about in bewilderment. When the I worst Ay.-is over I began fo study my | position. I found it as bad as it possibly could be. [ had not a shilling in the world. 1 had never learned a trade, and did not know what to do. Friends seemed to have forgotten me. for they all passed me by without a look or a word. None offered to give me a lift, f was forced to seek shelter in a common lodging-house. In the midst of misery I thought of Fred H—'s words : 'If ever you are in need of a friend, come to me. you will not conic in vain,' were the words that flashed through my brain, and sent a thrill of joy through my frame. I at once Avrote the following lime :

• J-'re,] ll— .— Dear Friend—l am almost starving, and greatly in need of it friend.'

1 sent if to his last address in Lain don, with hopes that he might have returned from abroad. To my groat joy ! received a letter two days after. On opening it I found it came from him. It read a- follows :

* Dkau Sin : 1 beg to acknowledge your note, but am sorry to say that I can alford you no relief. FliKO ll.' I will not attempt to describe my feeling- when i had read the letter. Thinking there must lie some mistake, .1 sent, him another letter and gave him full particulars. I reminded him of the scene in the billiard room and his words to me. I.y return of post I received his answer :

• I have received your explanations, Inn mv lir-t, letter to you is mv* answer. Fiii';i. ll.'

From that moment i bad no faith in any man. If the man who owed everything lie possessed to me refused io help in., how could I ex]i,ict other people, who owed me nothing, to bofriend nie. That, act hardened me and made me look upon scenes of the greatest distress unmoved. From tbat day I entered upon a criminal's career, and perhaps you know as well as I do huw I have followed if lip to the pre-,ait lime. At any rale, you know imw why I am a criminal.

I kept my promise, and 1 am glad to say that be is no longer a lawbreaker, for he found a better friend than the mm mentioned in • A Burglar's Story.'— l.eed* Mercury.