| Show old love and burglary A few weeks since the wife of a sacramento street merchant tp whose residence is is in stockton street a little north of pacific san francisco was suddenly awakened late in the night by footsteps in her bedroom and th the e next moment the light of a dark lantern flooded her face so near that she could almost 4 feel the heat beat and hear the suppressed breathing of the intruder she was entirely alone her husband had gone to sacramento t two wo days before and the ohly obly person in the house beside herself was a servant girl who siept slept in the story beneath she comprehended all the house had been entered by burglars who knew of the absence of the husband and the person who held the lantern was probably armed and prepared to silence the first attempt at alarm with the stroke of a knife or a billy 12 her presence of mind did not forsake her it doubtless requires resignation and fortitude in a woman to witness or listen to without scream or expostulation the ransacking of her repositories of laces and the appropriation of lier iler her jewelry and other valuables abes but the lady very rationally d deemed her life of more consideration than a all ail 11 the laces and diamonds in the world and without thinking of what abat the rascals would help heip themselves to or what leave as worthless she closed her eyes and awaited the res result lilt the I 1 light bt was withdrawn from her face and slie she heard the opening of drawers the rustling of silks the picking of locks and occasionally a low whisper of 0 surprise or disappointment then there was silence for it ft full minute it seemed an hour to her ar and A a soft footstep approached the bed and the fiare elare blare elare of the lantern ag alain again ain fell upon her face through the closed ilus lids liUs of her eyes she saw the light 0 but remained calm and motionless in its scrutinising scrutinizing rays fearful that the least movement might imperil her life what a moment of suspense the light was removed from her face and she felt that some one was leaning against the bed still she remained r motionless now more through a feeling of terror than the counsel of policy nor did she stir when the warm breath of the burglar touched her cheek not until his lips pres pressed sed her forehead did she spring up and half hait shriek who is in this thia room hush responded a voice in ia a hoarse whisper while a rough hand was laid on her shoulder speak nothing and fear nothing the next moment she heard the sound of retreating recreating footsteps and the creaking of a shutter and then all was still again satis satisfied fled fied that she was aone she sprang from the bed and touching a lighted match to the burrer bank sank into a chair completely prostrated with the danger through which she ehe had bad passed recovering Ke covering she closed and fastened the window through which the burglar had entered rind then looked around to ascertain of what she had bad been plundered the drawers were in confusion and almost everything with a lock to it bad had been ocene but ut strange to say little or nothing v as missing A casket ot of jewelry was open on the bureau but the diamonds and the gold were all there and her watch hung where she fhe had placed it oil on retiring beside the casket she discovered a little roll of paper she picked it up and found that it enveloped a hard sub stance that that hard substance was a rin ring Y and that that ring had been given to her many years jears before and had been in her possession ever since half bewildered at the singular proceeding she was about casting the scrap of 0 paper from her when her eye caught the marks of a pencil upon it she carefully opened it and read this ring which was once mine tells me in whose house I 1 am I 1 did not know you were in california you know I 1 am an outlaw the world knows it and I 1 do not care to deny it but fallen as I 1 am I 1 cannot rob you maria marla forgive me and god bless youl HENRY henby this explained all she read the scroll aud and dropping pin upon her knees prayed for him who bas has had bad written it and who was wab henry ten years ago he loved that same maria marla ae when they both lived in brooklin and h he would have made her his wife for she told hirn birn she would be his had he not taken to dr drink 1 ink ihk and gambling and finally forged the name of his employer for which he was given a home in sing sing when he was worthy of other her love he gave her that ring and she had bad kept it in lir remembrance remeta brance of what he had been this is the story of the ring on tile tire return of the husband from sacramento the wife related the adventure and showed him the note but he is not jealous nor has he attempted to arrest the burglar |
