I can't understand things.
That burglar-alarm which Susy mentions led a gay and careless life, and had no principles.

It was generally out of order at one point or another; and there was plenty of opportunity, because all the windows and doors in the house, from the cellar up to the top floor, were connected with it.

However, in its seasons of being out of order it could trouble us for only a very little while: we quickly found out that it was fooling us, and that it was buzzing its blood-curdling alarm merely for its own amusement.

Then we would shut it off, and send to New York for the electrician--there not being one in all Hartford in those days.

When the repairs were finished we would set the alarm again and reestablish our confidence in it.