ForumGarden

I thought perhaps I might share an article I was just reading.Lady Freake, the Mayoress of Dartmouth, related the other day a remarkable experience she had had with a burglar. Awakened from her sleep in the early hours of the morning, and finding a man in her bedroom, she sternly demanded from him the reason for his intrusion. It was a burglar, who had invaded the privacy of her bedroom, and "such a nice one," as he was afterwards described by one of the household. At all event, he was exceedingly polite. When peremptorily called upon to explain has presence, the early morning caller begged Lady Freake's pardon, said something about the mistake he had made, and then proceeded to relieve his pockets of the family jewels with which he had filled them. Three times did he dip his hands into his pockets and haul forth the proceeds of his goodly harvest. Then he made a polite bow to Lady Freake, bade her good morning, and vanished.

Papers Past - Colonist - 20 February 1913 - THE LADY AND THE BURGLAR.

I'm afraid to say that if that had happened 'now' it is likely that Lady F would be stabbed and left for dead (only after the thief had checked her fingers for rings !). He certainly wouldn't have apologised to his victim ! Yes it's a fact that courtesy, in many cases, has fallen into the gutter these days ! :rolleyes:

Her Ladyship was obviously his better in her heightened position by the grace of god, and the scoundrel recognised that.

How times have changed.

It reminds me of the time when Michael Fagan broke into the Queen's bedroom & spent quite a while chatting to her. None of this was for personal gain or with the intent to cause personal harm - quite the contrary. He simply wanted to raise awareness of how lax security was, and that if he had been a potential assassin how easy it might have been.

I was particularly impressed by the style of the report.

Journalists of the day were quite capable in the use of the English language.

Sadly, that art seems to have been abandoned.