An Easily-earned Reputation.

Otago Witness, Issue 2523, 23 July 1902, Page 77

An Easily-earned Reputation.

Ho is a httlo man, and when hie -*\ife woke him and excitedly whi-pered to him that there was a man in the kitchen he told her to lot him stay there. "But he'll got 11110 the dining room and steal all the silvor," si© said, in an undertone. "Are you a coward?" Well, now. perhaps he was a coward when it came to tackling a burglar in the dark, but no man is going to admit that to his wife, so he jumped out of bed and said, wjth the best show of courage possible: "I'll go and see if I can hoar him." He went aut and he heard him. Ho didn't expect to and he didn't want to, but he did. There was someone in the house beyond all question, and ho wasn't particularly anxious to meet him. He didn't think he had much of a chance with a good, burly burglar, and he was in a quandary until he remembered the speaking-tube. There was a mouthpiece in the passage and a whistle in the kitchen, and ho blew down it three shrill blasts that would have scared a garag of burglars. He went back into the bedroom and asked, sharply: "Where are my trousers?" "Perhaps you had better not go down, George," said his wife, as she handed him I the trousers. "Don't be a coward, Mary," he returned, as he hastily pulled them on. "I'll teach him." "Perhaps there's more than one," sho suggested, anxiously. "There are two or three, from what I can , hear," lie said, 111 a bu^ne^s-like way, as I he reached for his coat to throw over Ins shoulders: "but I'm good for them all, Mary. You no\er saw me when I got roused before.' I "But, George," she cried, throwing her J arms around him as he tried to"^et out. of

the room, "I V i 1j they have called for help from frirrc':; < utsidc. I heard threo screeching whist!-* 1:1 the kitchen just after you went out into the passage tho first time.''

"Quite likely," lie =~t 1 n^ he tore- himself away and hurried 01;' I'll tack'" the-m all ; I'm not afraid < mi. "

Ho returned a fe .uutes later, and, as he pulled off his uousers again, said, reproachfully :

"Mary, they got warning and went away with seme eo>l meat. If you hadn't made such a fuss I'd ha\e captured the whole gang."