Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-07-02
A Western Adventure.
THE ESCAPE.

few months since, one of the trav-
cling agents for large house in this city
whose route brought him into the small
town Of New Frankfort, Scott County, Indi-
ana, as was his usual custom 9put up at
the best inn the town afforded
II so happened that on the afternoon on
which the agent arrived at the inn, the land
lords daughter, Nelly, blooming country
lass Of seventeen, on the invitation of one
Of the neighbours, Mrs. Dolber, living a
couple of miles distant, had gone to built
ing, and on her leaving home she told her
parents that if she was not at home by Ii
o'clock that night, she would stay with her
friend Susy Dolber until the Aext morning.
Accordingly as that hour passed, Nelly's
parents concluded that she would stay all
night with her friend Susy, as she had FROM
Used. So, without any hesitation, the agent
was put in possession of Nelly's room cher
bed included) which adjoined that occupied
by the old folks {; and he, after looking in
vain for some instrument by which to fasten
the door, undressed himself, taking care
however, TO place all the money (about $780,
which he had belonging to his employer, in
the pocket of his pantaioons and to put
them nader his pillow for safety; and also
as protection against robbers, he put
loaded "revolver" ready capped for service,
under his pillow. After these arrangements
were completed, with the strongest assn
RANGES 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 considerably
past midnight, when somewhat to her disap-
pointment, she found many young ladies,
who had come a greater distance than she
had, and who, owing to the lateness of the
hour, desired to stay at MIS-. Dolbei's till
morning. Nelly, with true nobleness of
heart, forebofe to press her claim to her
young friends hospitality for the night, least
some of those who lived farther off should
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 company, and that she should stay at
Nelly's all night
Under this arrangement, they started in
the direction of Nelly's home, which they
reached after walk Of about an hour,
bringing the time up to about two O'Clock
in the morning. When 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
hack stairs in the dark, to Nclly's room,
without having disturbed the old folks, and
intruder And, as they had arranged be-
tween themselves 10 keep from the old folks
the latenesS of the hour at which they arri-
ed home, their conversation, while disrobing
themselves to retire, was carried on in a
whisper.
The agents ear, from long habit and
practice, possessed nice properties of hear
ing. The whispering and light tread upon
the floor awoke him from his sleep, and
suppOsing it to be occaSioned by robbers, he
listened to the conversation, holding his
breath lest he should give them notice of
being awake. The girls themselves were
little alarmed al the lateness of the hour,
and being, extremely anxious that it should
he kept from Nelly's parents, their CONVEX
sation was wholly upon the best method of
concealing it from them, &c The agent
caught part Of il, and part TOO, excited
as was his Imagination at the time, not
little startling. Susy said to Nelly:
alt is much later than we should have
been"
To which Nelly replied:
ayes, it is, bat we got in without distur-
bling anybody: so far, all is right; but we
must be quick or we shall be discovered, and
all will go wrong with u.s."
The agent was now convinced that they
were robbers; and in the dark as he was,
he saw nothing before him but murder and
robbery. He grasped his pistol mechanic
ally and firmly, and cautiously cooking it
he was prepared for his assailants. Direct
ly he felt md on the bed clothes pressing
along in the direction of his pillow, under
which pantaloons and money were slowed.
He held his breath, and put himself in
position TO reduce the liability of injuring
himself q discharging his pistol, and to
insure its effect upon his assailants, suppo-
sing that it was aimed at vital part
The hand continued 70 pass around the up.
per part of the bed, but it did not seem to
hit the particular pillow. This gave the
agent time for reflection.
"Shall l." thought he, "shed blood in
protecting this trhe Of my employer, Or
Shall permit it to be stolen, and bear the
brunt Of his unjust (as they would beg sus-
picions against myself"
This was well-it was noble-for, had he
fired, endless would have been his remorse,
though the act would have been legally
jnstihabie. But imagine his surprise, when
he heard soft, sweet voice, which appeared
IN he not more than two feet from him saw