A BURGLAR SCARE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 166, 18 March 1915, Page 7

A BURGLAR SCARE

POOLED BY A RAT. Mangaweka is enjoying a good joke at the expense of one or two of its residents, concerning a burglar scare. The story runs, that one individual, who evidently suffered from insomnia, was walking along the main business portion of the town some time after midnight. He was suddenly startled by hearing a strange, uncanny tapping, as though someone was attempting to commit a crime. He at once hurried to the police station and aroused the constable. With considerable promptness, the latter accompanied his informant to the supposed scene of the burglary. With bated breath and visions of "jimmies,” skeleton keys, etc., looming before them, they quickly reviewed the situation. The "tapipng” still proceeded and so worked up was the civilian that it was with difficulty he was deterred from rushing things by forcing an entrance and "going for” the unseen and unsuspecting burglar. The destruction of the front door was opposed by the police and it was arranged to send for the owner of the premises, who resided over a mile away. Upon the latter’s arrival the premises were unlocked and a thorough search was made. They were completely baffled. Ho burglar could be found. Again the "tapping” recommenced, and, guided by the sound, a "closer inspection revealed a rat *s nest in the making! The apparent

cause of the tapping was sheeted home to one of Cody’s empty “Tiki boor bottles, lying ah rig-side tho newly made nest, which tapped against the wall as the rat moved about. The result of the find was nothing as compared with the disgust felt at being fooied by “a rat.” —Mangaweka Pettier.-