Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-05-11
CLEARFIELD, PA. WEDNESDAY MAY II 1853

my mind, TO keep my eyes omen whom i'm bis
vicinity. and depositino INV money i, ,,,,
wallet, dismissed the subject from nv
mind. and proceeded to NV hotol
81 little imagined that was 70 mss ca
cventIul night ms did. but ms il is NV
invarablc custom TO look ,yoU to nv
means of defence when liabIo TO an ottocls
| closely examined my pistols beforc Pc, -,
firing to rest. and placed them wifi ,,,.
knife. where Tcould Law my hand ON tLc,n
at moments warning then ! examined
my apartment thoroughlv. II wgs in
| the third story, facing tho east and r,,,,-
nished with a single bcdstcod-stond toll.
ct table, two chairs. and a Garnet m on tbe
floor. The foot Of the bed wos towords
the windows. and the toilet table and ~
| large mirror between them. tbo cntrorc.
to the room from a pag,acc cast
Satisfied there was no Gin tho roo,,,
and no way for any one TO ret in eavo
through the doors or Windows. securely
fastened them. laid NV wallet uudor tbc
pillow. and dspositcd myself Lotyeon tho
clean white sheets.
"Being scmcwbat fatiouod wos soon
in sound slumber, dreaming-for sound
sleepcrs 10 drcam-or home. and wife and
children.
81 do not know what awakened me. but
thought il was thesound Of fsomofhinr f,l-
ling. awokc suddenly. with ali NV sen.
ses as composcdas tbey oro now-for when
away from home the least noieo ororses
me. and a man don't sIeep any sounder
with money under his pillow, : can fell
YOU. especially when he's amongst folks
he knows nothing about
Gas oreoed NV ewes I was startled IN
find nv room rs Iiobf rs dov b,t imn,edi-
atcly rccollccted the fact of lis facjno the
east. and looking forth I saw tho lorgo fIII
moon beaming in splendor in the sforIess
sky,
"Casting a glance around. I saw that ono
of my pistols was in q reversed position
from what had left it. and on probing if
with ramrod. discovered that the chorcc
had been drawn. and the can was also re-
moved from the nipple. This startled mo
not little. The other one had not boon
touched but to have ones woonons tam
pered with in this wav. I tboupht oroucd
ANYTHING but GOOD 70 their nossoseor and
with the loaded pistol in one hand and
knife in the other. | searched +bo room
for my nocturnal visitor. at the same time
cursing my impIudence in thus leaving nv
weapons exposed.
But not thing could find which was
not as | had left it. tried the door II
was locked, and the kew in the lock,
"Ah! thought !, the rascsls have turn
ed the KEY with pliers from the outside.
81 drew the key back to cxamineie and
saw through the fey-hole a Iirht, but in
an instant it was gone.
"Some fellow lodger retiring for the
night. | thought: and as nv kew did NOT
look suspicious, | did not wish to exnose
nv fears to anv thirsty sucker. make NV
self ridiculous, and Law myself liable to
drinks all round the next morning.
$50 | said nothing, trying to assure
myself that nv pistols were. after all inst
as left them, but could not satisfy INV
mind with any coniectures, and detcrmin-
ed to sleep lightly the remainder of the
night. | now recollected the fellow who
saw me take the money. and concluded
at once that if Imadcany muss that night,
he would be the fellow | should make il
WITH especially as had seen him since,
in the barroom below.
II placed lead pencil in the door to
make shure thing of it, took NV pistols
INTO bed after loading the one which cous-
ed me so much anxiety. and laid down n.
gain. though with no intention ofsleening
81 listened patiently for n lone limo
and hearing nothing. was lust on 9 noint
of dropping into a state Of forcetfuIness
when a low ticking, heard very distictlv
called back my wandering thoughts.
81 opened my ewes. and the first tbinc
thev took in was the loolling-glass ot the
foot of the bed.
"The sight saw reflected there strunc
my nerves at onoe to the seyerest tension,
and so viyidlv did il imprint itself mon
nv memory that | believe the sen Of timo
will never besable to wash ont.
81 could not see the door-mv bocl,
was turned towards it-onlv Inv iooking
in the glass, and then | saw reflected i33
the full light of the moon, not oniv tho
door but a man entering if
"Mv powers of thouo6t waro o,icl,o,od
tenfoid, did not iumn nor start non
move n muscle. that Lam aware Of tbongb
INV first impulse was 10 lean ont Of LoJ
immediately and blow the fellow ont Uo