MAN UNDER THE BED.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1922, Page 7

MAN UNDER THE BED.

WOMAN’S PRESENCE OF MIND. A STORY WITH A MORAL. A story remarkable for its human touch, and which for all the world reads like a romande from the pen of 0. Henry, has been brought under the notice of a Manawatu Standard representative, who can vouch for its authenticity. It involves the startling experience of the wife of a well-known citizen of a neighboring town, who, on returning to her home one afternoon last week was surprised to see a man’s foot obtruding from under the bed. With considerable presence of mind she called out to the intruder: “What are you doing there? Come out!” The man came from under the bed and proved to be a young fellow of about 22 years, fully six feet in height. Realising, probably, that flight would ultimately end in his arrest—’for the telephone was handy and the mistress of the house had had ample opportunity of visualising his dress and features —the stranger remained in the house at the lady’s command. She spoke to him kindly and he told her that he was very sorry for having entered her dwelling, adding that he had never committed any offence in his life, and that it was only through being destitute that he had broken into the house with the object of stealing anything he could find in the shape of money. He had, he averred, taken nothing, and he begged her not to notify the police. His fair captor ordered him to remain in a room, while she searched the house, and, finding nothing missing, she remarked: “Now, I am going to give you a cup of tea and a little talk.” Suiting her action to her words, -she gave the embryonic burglar a meal and, at the same time, pointed out to him the folly of his ways. The upshot was that the young man. in whom there was apparently much latent good, fervidly declared, as he left the house, that he would never again be tempted to enter upon a. career of crime, no matter what his circumstances might be.