STOLE BUT A KISS.
QUEER SORT OF BURGLAR
CAUGHT BY HOLLY JARBOE.
TALE OF A FATHER'S LOVE.
LIPS DEWED WITH SWEET MOR-
SEL WHEN ARRESTED.
Was Jumping From an Upper Story
Window Clasping His Hands,
a Curl Cut From the
Locks of His Sleep-
ing Babe.
A kiss stolen from the lips of a little child reunited a family Saturday night and the reconciliation was completed and left intact by Holly Jarboe, desk sergeant at police headquarters, who saw a higher duty than that of a police officer and dared to do it although in conflict with his official duty. Jarboe did not say anything about the circumstance, hoping to keep it quiet.
"I did not think it wise for me to say anything, for I had caught the man in the act of housebreaking, and maybe burglary, too, and then turned him loose. That does not sound very well for a police officer, but I feel that I did right just the same," acknowledged Jarboe when questioned.
"I think I can clear myself by explaining the circumstances, but some of the details I am going to omit for the sake of other persons.
SAW MAN JUMP FROM WINDOW.
"As I was returning from lunch Saturday night, I saw a man jump out of a window of a house, scale down a porch post and run. At the same time a woman in the house screamed. I chased the man and caught him. He did not look like a thief, but I started to the station with him. Then the man began to weep.
" ' I have had trouble enough,' he said.
" 'But I am no thief. I doubt if you will believe the truth when I tell it. I do not know whether I can prove what I am going to tell you, or not. Maybe I will not need to prove it -- are you a married man?' he asked me. I told him I was not.
" 'Then you have never loved a little child, and you will not understand me,' he replied.
" 'I broke into that house just to steal this, and a kiss,' and he showed me a lock of yellow hair coiled around one of his fingers.
" 'I live in a little town out in Kansas. It does not make any difference where, nor what my name is. I have been a fool all right, in the eyes of most people, but they do not need to know.
" 'A few days ago -- well, wife and I, we had a misunderstanding. Both were to blame, or at least I was. She took our little boy 3 years old, and started for Kansas City, saying I would never see her again. I was proud -- tried to act like I did not care. I bore up all day, but when night came --. But you are not married. You have no wife nor baby. You do not know what a real home is. I did not know until night came and they were not there. I sat up all night waiting for the first train to Kansas City. I did not know what I was going to do when I got there, but I came. I found my wife in the home of a friend, just where I expected she would be. I did not expect she would make up with me. All that I hoped for was just another kiss from baby. I climbed the porch and cut the screen from the window. I leaned over my wife while she was asleep and kissed the baby. A curl was hinging over his forehead. I took my pocket knife and cut it loose. I guess I pulled some, for he waked with a scream and I ran, and you caught me.'
BACK TO BABY AND WIFE.
"I stopped him right there, 'Man we are going back to that woman and baby,' I said to the fellow, 'and if that woman does not take you back, I'll -- but she will take you back.'
" 'Do you think so,' he exclaimed. I never saw a more changed and happy expression came over a man.
"Back at the house all was excitement over the supposed burglar. I saw a woman there with a yellow-haired child in her arms. I took the man by the hand, in which he was still holding the stolen lock. 'Here is the burglar, and here is what he stole,' I said, placing his hand in hers.
"It took a few seconds for the woman to realize it all. Then she threw her arms around his neck and I was not needed there any more. I did not feel like I was letting a prisoner escape, either."
