The Mississippi lynx. (Panola, Miss.) 1846-18??, 1846-08-01
VOL. 2.
THE NARROW ESCAPE.
A MATTER oF-FACT TALE.

NeliluS agents Tor q large mouse II
this city, whose route brought him in
10 the town of New Frankfort, Scot
county, Indiana, as was his usual Gus
tom, drought up'' at the best inn which
the town afforded. 1t so happened tina,
on the afternoon on which the agent
arrived at the inn, the landlords daugh.
ter, Nelly, blooming country lass OF
~, on the invitation of her neighbor,
Mrs. Dol5ear, living couple miles dis
liant, had gone to quilting, and on leav-
ing home she told her parents that if
she was not home by eleven that night,
she would stay all night with her friend,
Susy Dolbear, until the next morninp,
Accordingly, as that hour passed, Mel
ly's parents concluded that she would
stay all night with her friend Susy, as
she had promised. So, without anv
hesitation, the agent was put ia posses
sion OF Nelly's room, Cher bed incIu
ded,) which adjoined that occupied by
the old folks; and after looking in vain
Tor some instrument to fasten the door.
undressed himselG taking care, how
ever, to place all the money (about
$500 which he had, belonging to his
employers, in the pocket of his panta-
looms, and put them under his pillow
tor safety; and also as protection
against robbers, he put loaded revoI-
yer, ready capped for service, under
his pillow. After these arrangements
were completed, with the strongest as
surances Of safety. he retired, little
dreaming that he should be disturbed
that night.
The quilting party Of which Nelly
was a guest did not break up until con-
siderable past midnight, when some
what to her disappointment, she found
many young ladies who had come much
greater distance than she had, and ow-
ing to the lateness Of the hour, were
deslrous of staying at Mrs. DoIbear's
till morning. Nelly with true noble
ness oil heart forebore 10 press her
claims 10 her young friends hospitali-
ty for the night, lest some of those who
lived further off would have to go home.
So she arranged with Susy, who was
one of her most intimate friends, that
she should go home with her for COM
Pany, and that she should stay at Mel
US home, which they reached after
walk of about an hour, bringing the
lime up to aboul two O'Clock in the
Without making the least noise, they
effected their entrance by the back door
IF the house, and, Nelly leading the
way, betook themselves up the back
stairs in the dark, TO Nelly's room,
without having disturbed the old folks,
md without the least suspicion of find
ng an intruder. And as they had ar
ranged between themselves to keep from
he old folks the lateness Of the hour
which they reached home, their CONVEX
'atlon, while disrobing themselves to
'etire was carried on in a whisper. The
gents ear, from long habit and prac
ice, possessed nice properties Of hear
ng; and whispering and light tread
ng upon the floor awoke him from his
sleep, and supposing it to be occasioned
~ robbers, he listened to the CONVEX
alton, holding his breath lest he should
give them notice of his being awake.
The girls themselves were little
alarmed at the lateness of the hour, and
icing extremely anxious that it should
70 kept from Nelly's parents, their
was upon the best method
# concealing it from them, etc. The
gent caught a part Of it, and a part
90, excited as was his Imagination at
he time, not a little startling. Susy
aid to Nelly, sit is much later than
We should have been;'' TO which Nelly
eplied, eyes, it is; but then we got in
Without disturbing any body. So far,
IFS right; but we must be quick or we
hall be discovered, and then all will
e wrong with u.s." The agent was
ow convinced they were robbers; and
] the dark as he was, saw nothing be-
ore him but murder and robbery. He
rasped his pistol mechanically and ,
rmly, and consciously cooking it, he was
repaired for his assailanis. Directly
e felt a hand on the bed clothes, pass
lg in the direction of his pillow, I'M