American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper., 1846-02-02
from the N. York True Sun
A NARROW ESCAPE OF A YOUNG LADY
FROM REGNG SHOT,
J. FACT.

A NARROW ESCAPE OF YOUNG LADY
FROM BEING SHOT,
J. FACT.
A few months since, one of the travelling
agents fer large house i'll this city, whose
route brought mm into the small town of New
Frankfort, Scott county, Indiana, as was his
usual casLom "put up'' at the best Inn which
the town afforded. 1t so happened that on the
afternoon on which the agent arrived at the
inn, the landlords daughter, Nelly, blooming
country lass of seventeen, on the lnvltaton OF
one of the neighbors, Mrs. DolOeer living a
,conDle of miles distant, had gone to "qullt-
iag;" and on her leaving home shc told her
parents that if she was not home by ! | O'Clock
that night, she should stay with her friend Su-
ey polDear pntIl the next morning. Accord
ingly, as that hour was passed, Naly's parents
concluded that she would stay all night with
her friend Susy, as she had promised. So,
without any hesitation, the agent was put in
possession Of Nelly's room, Cher bed inciuded)
which adoined that occupied by the old folks;
and he, after looking in vain for some instru-
nent to iasten the door, undressgd himself, ta-
king care, however, TO place all the money
(about SSo0,) which he had, belonging to his
employer, in the pocket Of hs pantaloons and
put them under his pillow for safety; and
also, as protection against robbers, he put
loaded "revolver," ready capped for service,
under h,s pillow. After these arrangements
were completed, with the strongest assurances
of safety he retired, little dreaming that he
should be disturbed that night.
The quilting party, at which Nelly was
guest, did not break up until considerably past
midnight, when, somewhat to her disappOint
ment, she found many young ladies', who had
come a uuch greater distance than she had,
and who, owing to the latenoss OF the hour,
were desrous of staying at Mrs, DOibuar's Till
morning. Nelly, with true nobleness OF heart,
forbore TO press her claim to her young tiend's
hospitality for the night, lest some OF those who
lived farther of should have TO 60 home. So
she arranged with Susy, who was one Of her
most intimate friends, that she shouId go home
with her for company, and that she should stay
al Ne!y's all night. Under this arrangement
they started in the direction of NGlIy's home,
which they reached after a walk Of about an
hour, bringing the time up TO ab ut O'Clock
in tho morning. Without making the least
noise they effected their entrance by the back
door of the house, and Nelly leading the way,
betook themselves up the back stairs IN The
dark, to Nely's loom, without having disturb
ed the old folks, and without the least suspicion
Of finding an intruder. Aud, as they had ar
ranged between themselves, to keep from the
old folks tho latene of the hour at which they
arrived home, their conversation while dIsrob-
ing themselves TO retire, was carried on IN
whisper. The agents ear, iroH long habit ana
practice, possessed nice properties OF hearing;
the whispering and light tread upon the floor
awoke him from his sleep, and suppOsng II to
be occasoned by robbers, he listened to the con.
versation, holding his breath lest he should give
them notice Of his being awake, The grs
themselves were a little alarmed at the atGneSs
of the hour, and being extremely anxious that
it should be kept from Nely's parents, their
conversation was wholly upon the best method
of conceaiing it from them, etc; the agent
caught part of lt-aad a part too, excited az
was his imagination at the time, not a little
startling. Susy said to Nelly, lit is much later
than we should have been;" to which Nelly re-
piled, eyes it is, but we gocin without disturb
ing any body; so far, al's right; but we must bo
quick or we shall be discovered, and all will go
wrong with us' The agent was now con-
ynccd they were robbers;a and in tie dark as he
was, he saw nothing before him but murder and
robbery. He grasped his pistol mechanically
and firmly, and cautiously cooking it, he was
: prepared for his assailants; directly he felt
hand on the bed-ciothes passing along in the
direction Of his pillow, under winch his panta-
looms and moneywcre stowed he held his breath,
and put himself in position to reduce the La
bilty of inuring himself on discharging his
pistol, and to ensure its effect upon his assa-
ants, supposing that it was aimed at vital
part; the hand continued to pass around the
upper part of the bed but did not seem to hit
the particular pillow
This gave the agent time for reflection. -
"Shall H." thought lie, "shed blood in protect
ing this trfie OF my employers, or shall per-
NIT it to be stolen, and bear the brunt of his
unjust Gas they would beg suspicious against
myself" This was well--it was noble-for,
bad he fired, endless would have been his re-
morse, though the act would have been legal
ly justfiable. But, imagine his surprise, when
he heard soft sweet voice, which appeared to
be not more than two feet from HIM, say "Sue,
/ can't find my night-cap." The truth now
flashed upon him. He had been put in Nelly's
bed during her absence, and the nightcap for
which she was searching in the dark, had been
removed by her mother. The pistol dropped
from his hand as instinctively as it had been
grasped before, and it appeared that there
was a bit of fun for him, instead of robbery
and murder, after his hard days travel. So,
with as little noise as possible, he drew him
self toward that part of the bed usually demo
minated the "Jack side," where he lay quietly !
awaiting the result Susy was soon dlsrobed