Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-06-16
Dumorol1s sShettb.
From the New York Weekly Leader
GETTING IN AT NIGHT.

"The door was locked when got home,"
said Tom, "and how to get in without waking
the governor" was the difficulty. | knew
he'd give me particular fits, if he knew was
out after 10, and the clock had just struck
one. The back yard was an impossibility,
and but one chance remained. There was a
porch over the front door, the roof of which
was but few feet below two windows. One
Of them | knew was fastened down, and the
other opened from bedroom, which might
not be occupied. An old maiden sister Of
Tins wife had arrived on the same day, and
it was very probable that she was in that
room but | knew the bed was in the corner
iarthest from the window, and hoped should
awakening her, and then | had a comparatively
easy thing Of it. So getting short plank
from neighboring board pile. ! rested it a.
gainst the cave of the shed, pulled off my
shoes, put them in my pocket, and 'cooned
up" All right, so far, but | thought it ne
cessary, in order not to arouse any suspicious
in the morning, to remove the plank so
dragging it up, | threw off the end, and down
it went with an awful clatter on stray dog
that had followed me for two or three squares,
who Immediately set up the most awful howl
n whipped hound ever gave tongue to. That
started half dozen other dogs in the neigh
borhood barking; a mocking bird in the
window above commenced singing as il he
intended to split his throat at it. and an old
woman, in her night clothes, with candle in
her hand, appeared at a window across the
street. | knew | was safe as far as she was
concerned, but if any one came to our win
dows, the candle gave enough light to very
probably discover me. Nobody did come,
however, and the old lady, after peering up
and down the street for a minute or more,
popped her head in and retired. The mock
ing bird still kept up its eternal whistle, and
it was fully an hour before it and the log set
tied down and gave me a chance to move
Creeping slowly along the window, pqt my
hands on the sill, sprung in, and, with my
head and shoulders within, and my legs hang
ing out, stopped to listen. Yes, she was in
that room, for l could hear her breathing
After waiting for minute, cautiously drew
up one leg. then another, slewd them round,
and putting them down to the floor, was Just
conscious that had stepped on something
soft and yielding, and was about withdrawing
them, when another yell broke out at my
feet, the old maid jumped up from her bed
crying Murder murder !" and the dogs and
the mocking bird started again. / saw
through it all f; / had put my foot in it more
ways than one. A little darkey was lying on
her back under the window and | had stepped
on her face, and, Of course walked her up. |
decided in flash what to do. The house
would be aroused and l caught, to q certain
ty, unless | could get to my room before the
governor was up. But hadn't moment to
lose, for the little nlgger was yelling and the
woman screaming, SO / started for the door,
made three steps and struck chair; tumbled
over, of course, made the awfullest racket you
ever heard of in the dead hour Of night in a
peaceable house the niger and the maid
screamed louder than ever, the mocking bird
whistled like steam-whistle, and the dogs
fairly made chorus as loud as Julien's.
81 reached the door, however, swiftly and
quietly opened it, and just got ont in time to
see the old gentleman open his door, with q
candle in his hand, and come hurrying up
stairs. Not moment was to be lost. There
was wardrobe near where i stood, and l
sprang behind it. Up came the governor,
reached the door, opened it, went it, and in
the meantime there was all sorts of confusion
ana inquiry down stsirs as TO what was the
matter; Nobody else came up though, and
from where stood | heard every word of
inquiry and explanation in the room. OF
course they couldn't make much ont NJ ~
ne niue darkey was too frightened and Too
souno asleep at the time TO understand ~
l,uth, and the upshot of the bnsinass ~" .no
'hat. they concluded she had been d,aa,,,;,sa
ana the governor, after giving her n sa,,1s
spanking, aud explaining the matter 10 Ioso tSo