A BURGLAR SCARE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5109, 22 August 1895, Page 2

A BURGLAR SCARE.

An amusing little incident took placo about midnight' 011 Wednesday, over the supposed ransacking of the up-to-date quarters of four wellktnwn bachelors whose domicile is situated in a rather quiet ami retired part of Masterlon, the establishment being presided ovet by an elderly housewife. The young fellows had, in the early pavt of the evening, informed the lady that they would be out late ufc a friend's house some little distance out of town. All went well at their home until the midnight hour, when the house-keeper—who had not long retired to her room, thought she hcard'ujystei'ious movements in the house, and listening very attentively heard cautious foulsteps pacing to and fio, Shu reasoned with herself that it could not be any of the young men of the house, as they would surely return home together, and anyhow those cautious steps were- not in keeping with her bachelors, whose interest she now determined to see to, and at once decided lo act. Courageously and as noislessly as possible, she rose from her bed, and putting on her slippers got out by a back entrance and speedily sought llie assistance of a neighbour somo seventy yards away, who hurriedly went in search of a policoman to entrap (his midnight' marauder, who in the meantime would bo left in peaceful possession of the house, to ransack it at his pleasure, if so inclined,

A policeman was soon found, and away ho sailed to the scene of the supposed burglary, whilst a wellknown athlete, a cabinet-maker, and a dispenser of cough-lozenges, followed in hot pursuit. Their printer guide soon brought them to a halt, when lo! it was noticed that the cause of the alarm was making his searches with the aid of a lighted candle, and the policeman going up to the door, found it to be securely bolted. He demanded an entrance, but the man inside at first did not seem disposed lo answer. Howcvor, 011 learning that a constable required him, lie did a most unusual thing for a burglar j actually came and unlocked the door.

Those outside then behold a tall bachelor standingiu his night-clothes looking rather surprised at the rude disturbance. When he had learned the origin of the alfair he laughingly explained that he had arrived a few minutes before, and no doubt was left in the minds of all, but that he was the alleged burglar who had so upset the housekeer's equilibrium by his cautious movements. In going from room to room to ascertain if his companions (whom he had left some time previous to go in another direction) had yet returned our young friend had misled his faithful stewardess, and caused a rude shock to her nerves.

The policeman retreated much disr appointed at not having embellished the wrists of some' amateur Bill Sykes with his handcuffs; the athleto could have taken a fall out of himself; the others were had, and nothing short of the lirobell will again rouse the printer from his slumbers. The whole ended in a plentiful distribution of chaff at the bachelors' breakfast table this morning, the housewife being tlio heroine of the day.