The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-05-17

er, slowed them round, and putting then
j down to the floor, was just conscious tha
| had stepped on something soft and yiel
ding, and was about Withdrawing them
when another yell broke out at my feet
the old maid jumped from her bed crying
murder! murderp and the dogs and mock
ing bird started again. saw through il
all I had put my foot in it in more ways
than one.' A little darkey was lying OIL
her blanket, under the window, and | had
stepped on her face, and of course, woke
her up. | decided in flash what to do
The house would be aroused, and caught
to certainty, unless I could get to my
room before the governor was up, [ hadn't
moment to lose, for the little niger was
yelling, and the woman screaming, so |
started for the door, made three steps and
struck a chair tumbled over it, of course,
made the awfullest racket you ever heard
of in the dead hour of night, in peacea-
ble house; the niger and the old maid
screamed louder than ever, the mocking
bird whistled like a steam whistle, and
the dogs fairly made chorus as loud as
Julien's. [ reached the door, however,
swiftly and quietly opened it, and just got
outside in time to see the old gentleman
open bis door, with candle in his hand
and come hurrying up the stairs. Not a
moment was to be lost There was a
wardrobe near where stood, and sprang
behind it. Up came the governor reach
ed the door, opened it, and in the mean
time there was all sorts of confusion and
! inquiry down stairs 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. Ofcourse they could mt make much
out of it. The little darkey was too much
frightened and two sound asleep atthe time
to understand the truth, and the upshot
of the business was that they concluded
she had been dreaming, and the COVER
nor after giving her sound spanking,
and explaining the matter to the aroused
neighbors, from the window; went down
to bis room again.
$50 far, SO good. I now had to 60
down stairs, reach the back door, unbar
it, get into the yard ard make for my
room. which was in the second story of a
back building that stood unconnected with
and about dozen yards from the main
one. After giving everybody another
| half hour to settle down again, started.
1 Boys, did you ever try to 60 up or down
pair of stairs, at midnight without ma
king noise? You may try all sorts of
ways, but every step is sure to crack, each
with peculiar noise of its own, and loud
! enough, you are certain to waken every
body. l had gotten nearly to the bottom,
when little fste dog came trotting up
the entry towards me, yelling furiously.
A suppressed Come here, sir, you Zip ST.
fenced him for he recognized me; but
/ the fste started the mocking bird, and the
dogs in the ueighborhood having learned
to take the cue, of course all joined the
chorus for the third time. | ran along
the passage, reached the door, and unlocked
it, Just as the governor aroused the Sec
ond time, opened his door and seeing a
man escaping from the house, by the back
way, of course cried Thieves Thieves J
and made a rush after me. | was too
quick for him though, opened the door,
sprang, out, broke for the door that open
ed into the room below mine, and had
Just reached it, when crash! within foot
of my head went a brick, and another
voice, that knew belonged to our next
door neighbor, Tomkins, joined the gov.
ernor' in the cry of Thieves Thieves
Murder Thieves /" l was safe though
Rushing up the stairs, 'shelled myself
quicker than | ever did before or since
and was in bed and sound asleep in less
than a half minute. Wasn't there q
row thought | never heard so many
dogs before, the mocking bird, Of course,
was outdoing all previous efforts, the chick.
ems even began to crow, Tompkins, next
door, was hallooing Thieves and calling
the governor" / could hear screams
and all sorts of talking and noises among
the neighboas, until at length the old gen.
tleman's voice was heard in the yard call
ing tom Tom!'
Tom was sound asleep-snoring
"'Tom!' cried the old man in voice
that would have reused man from al
epileptic fit"
"I judged it prudent to awake then
and jumping from my bed raised~the win
dow, and rubbing one eye, and looking
particularly frightened, (Which | was)
asked
"Why, father, what in the worlds th'
matter I"
"'There's thieves in the house 2 wa
the reply; get your gun and come dowr
and be quick"
"IIe's in that room below you, Tom!
halloed Tomkins, Pm certain of it.
saw him as he ran down, and threw a fir
! brick at him. I know be didn't pass tha
door, Mr.. Jones"
"I was directed to look out for myself;
the governor stood sentinel at the doc
below, armed with club, while Tomkin
had FIVE minutes to collect aid from th'
neighbors, and in less than half tue tim.
SO thoroughly was every house alarmed
there was a dozen or more men in the yar'