The Anti-Burglars by E.V. Lucas

Name: The Anti-Burglars
Author: E.V. Lucas

Thirteen-year-old Mary Stavely receives a letter and a five-pound note from her Uncle Herbert, who explains that an almoner is someone who gives away money for another and asks her to distribute it in the village, deciding entirely for herself. Her mother tells her to make a list of everyone in the village who wants help and look into each case carefully. Her brother Harry, jealous, demands that his broken bicycle and need for camera films be counted as deserving causes. Mary draws up a detailed list of villagers and their needs, including Mrs. Meadows' teeth, Tommy Pringle's seaside stay, old Mrs. Wigram's bonnet, Mrs. Ryan's sewing machine, the little Barretts' ball, Mr. Eyles' spectacles, old Mr. and Mrs. Snelling's trip to London, Mrs. Callow's fruit net, a gramophone for the village room, Mrs. Carter's mangle, and Thomas Barnes' truck. The total comes to more than the five pounds allows, so she trims the list, cutting a week of Tommy Pringle's holiday and the gramophone, and resolves to make up the remaining tenpence herself. Mary consults her friend Mr. Verney, an artist at the forge cottage, who approves of her plan and helps her think it through. The hardest case is Thomas Barnes, an old, poor, lonely village porter who needs a new hand-truck but who will never accept anything traceable to the Stavely family, since he has not spoken to Mary's father since his son was dismissed as their gardener. Mr. Verney proposes they become "anti-burglars," breaking into Thomas Barnes' shed at night to leave the truck rather than steal anything, timed for when Barnes is sent away on an errand. Mary and Mr. Verney travel to Westerfield to spend the money: they cash the note at the bank, buy a secondhand truck from Mr. Flower the ironmonger (who agrees to keep the secret and deliver it hidden in his wagon), arrange netting for Mrs. Callow, visit the cheerful dentist Mr. Costall about Mrs. Meadows' teeth at a reduced price, choose a black bonnet for Mrs. Wigram, buy the Barretts' ball, and send postal orders to Mrs. Carter, Mr. Eyles, Mrs. Ryan, and Mrs. Pringle. At the station, Mr. Ward the station-master sells Mary tickets for Tommy Pringle and the Snellings and keeps the secret gladly. A telegram from Uncle Herbert arrives asking how the almoning is going and offering to cover extra expenses; Mary replies that expenses are small. Fraser, who lets out carriages, agrees to drive the Snellings to the station without payment, glad to help. Mr. Verney addresses envelopes with anonymous cards reading "From a friend" and routes them through his sister in Ireland so they arrive postmarked from Dublin, mystifying the recipients. On the appointed Thursday night, Mr. Verney sends Thomas Barnes to Westerfield late on an errand, and after dark he and Mary bring the truck, its tyres wrapped in felt for silence, to Barnes' cottage at the cross-roads. Mr. Verney has painted "THOMAS BARNES, PORTER, MERCOMBE" on its side so Barnes cannot refuse it. While Mr. Verney works the padlock off the shed with Mary holding the lantern, the local policeman, Dobbs, catches them in the act and initially takes them for housebreakers, threatening to bring them before the magistrates. When Mr. Verney strikes a match to reveal their faces, Dobbs recognizes Miss Stavely and Mr. Verney, hears the whole story, and instead helps them carry the new truck into the shed himself, restoring the padlock and promising secrecy ("Mum's the word"). They get home just before Thomas Barnes returns from his errand. Mary reports the completed accounts to Uncle Herbert, having spent £4 18s. 11d. of the five pounds. He writes back praising her as an almoner, tells her to put the leftover thirteen pence into a box labelled "The Almoner's Fund," sends a further pound to buy Mr. Verney cigarettes and give Harry six shillings, with the rest for Mary herself, and announces he is coming to visit by a particular train, asking that Thomas Barnes fetch his bag from the station. Whether Thomas Barnes ever learned where his truck came from is never confirmed, but at Christmas he is found among the carol-singers on the Stavelys' lawn.

By E.V. Lucas · Genre: Children's Literature, Coming-of-Age, Domestic Fiction · 4,098 words

First lines

The letter was addressed to Miss Mary Stavely. It ran:

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Genres

Children's Literature — The protagonist is a thirteen-year-old girl and the narrative is designed for young readers with wholesome themes, accessible prose, and an age-appropriate moral framework that emphasizes virtue and responsibility.
Coming-of-Age — Mary matures significantly through her role as almoner, learning about moral complexity, compassion, the difficulties of helping others discreetly, and the responsibilities of adulthood.
Domestic Fiction — The story centers on family relationships, home life, village community, and intimate interpersonal dynamics with focus on everyday domestic concerns and social connections.
Humorous Fiction — The premise of 'anti-burglars' who break into houses to leave gifts rather than steal creates whimsical humor, and the encounter with the sympathetic policeman provides comedic situations and a light-hearted tone throughout.

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The Anti-Burglars is listed on Textopian as a short story by E.V. Lucas, dated Date unknown.

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Work type: Short story
Author: E.V. Lucas
Date: Date unknown
Language: English
Genres: Children's Literature, Coming-of-Age, Domestic Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Adventure
Length: 4,098 words
Structure: 1 section, 109 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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