Frances Hodgson Burnett

“ The burglar opened another drawer, and chuckled again, and this suggested to Editha’s mind another question.
“Is your business a good one?” she suddenly inquired of him.
“It’s curious that you should know just where to look for things,” said Editha.
43
“’Taint as good as it ought to be, by no manner o’ means,” said the burglar. “Every one haint as hobligin’ as you, my little dear.”
“Oh!” said Editha. “You know you obliged me by not making a noise.”
“Well,” said the burglar, “as a rule, we don’t make a practice o’ makin’ no more noise than we can help. ”

“ She left her chair and went to him, and he put his arms around her, and kissed her, and stroked her long brown hair.
“Don’t puzzle your little brain too much,” he said, “never mind about the burglars, Nixie.”
“Well,” said Editha, “I can’t help thinking about them a little, and it seems to me that there must be, perhaps, one good burglar among all the bad ones, and I can’t help being rather sorry, even for the bad ones. You see, they must have to be up all night, and out in the rain sometimes, and they can’t help not having had advantages.” ”

“ He grumbled a little when he looked into the drawing-room, saying something to himself about “folks never ’avin’ no consideration for a cove, an’ leavin’ nothin’ portable ’andy, a expectin’ of him to carry off seventy-five pound bronze clocks an’ marble stattoos;” but though Editha was sorry to see that he appeared annoyed, she did not understand him.
After that, he returned to the pantry and helped himself to some cold game pie, and seemed to enjoy it, and then poured out a tumbler of wine, which Editha thought a great deal to drink at once. ”

“ But that very night Editha met a burglar.
Just before dinner, her papa came up from the city in a great hurry. He dashed up to the front door in a cab, and, jumping out, ran upstairs to mamma, who was sitting in the drawing room, while Editha read aloud to her.
“Kitty, my dear,” he said, “I am obliged to go to Glasgow by the ‘five’ train. I must throw a few things into a portmanteau and go at once.”
24
“Oh, Francis!” said mamma. “And just after that burglary at the Norris’s! I don’t like to be left alone.”
“The servants are here,” said papa, “and Nixie will take care of you; wont you, Nixie? ”

“ Can you think o’ that?”
“Are you a lord?” exclaimed Editha. “Dear me, how strange!”
48
“It is sing’lar,” said the burglar, shaking his head. “I’ve hoften thought so myself. But not wishin’ to detain a lady no longer than can be ’elped, s’pose we take a turn in the lib’ery among yer respected par’s things.”
“Don’t make a noise,” said Editha, as she led the way.
But when they reached the library her loving little heart failed her. All the things her father valued most were there, and he would be sure to be so sorry if one thing was missing when he returned. ”

“ I beg pardon for interrupting you, but I’m afraid we shall not have any to use at breakfast.”
“Haint yer got no steel uns?” inquired the burglar.
“Mamma wouldn’t like to use steel ones, I’m sure,” Editha answered. “I’ll tell you what you can do: please leave out enough for mamma, and I can use steel. I don’t care about myself, much.” ”

“ I think mrs Burnet writs lovely storys I wrote her a letter and sent it away to paris and told her so and asked her if she wold hurry and write another story just as quick as she could I am looking for an anser everyday. ”