Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-08-14

lie was gazing In my lace. Again ne tur.icl
aside, and felt and fumbled in his pocket a
if in search of something.
had hoped all along that by feigning asleel
l might escape, for knew, should struggle
ensue, could not escape, since they were
powerful men, and quite unarmcd. While
he was feeling in his pocket, l could not hell
stealing my hand up to my throat thinking
at the same time, how little chance there wal
that it be used as vehicle for Christmas
cheer. Guess my horror, if you can, wher
the elder scoundrel, in an impatient tone
babe his son "make haste if he meant to dc
it, and not keep him waiting there all the
night"
The young man tumbled over the article;
that had been displaced in their search for
plumber, and not finding what he sought in
quired with an oath, what his father had done
with the knife. At first the latter seemed
puzzled, and then informed his son, with all
equally elegant eXpletive, that he had left it
on the pantry shelf down below.
The younger, bitterly cursing him fcr a
greedy fool, who must begin to eat before the
work was done, bade him fetch it.
Well, Bill" replied his parent, "that han,
was stunning, and you know you coldn't
do for him ?"-holding up one Of my ps-
tolls.
%" Yes, pretty thing fire, kick upa row,
and be scrag2cd for it-that would pay nice
ly. Fetch the knife, and have no more jaw
or we shall wake the chap, instead of send
ing him up quietly to spend his Christmas in
Heaven without an invitation" He scbuck,ed,
ard the o.d fellow seemed equally delighted
at his sons wit then, taking up the candle,
went off to fetch the knife.
All their motions had been so noiselessly
performed, and the conversation carried on
in q tone SO wonderfully clear, though low
that was astonished at the perfection they
had attained in their horrid craft. During
the fathers absence, the son was not idle
He actually loosed the collar of my shirt, and
then stood quietly awaiting the others re-
turn.
You could never imagine, unless placed in
similar circumstances, what a multitude OF
thoughts passed through my mind in few
minutes. [ verify believe that every Christ
mas with its accompaniments of fun and feas-
ting at which had assisted since I was the
height of the table, was reviewed in tuDn.-
Then [ thought Of the morrow, and the fair
girls had left, and how, an hour before, |
was full of hope that, ere another Christmas
came round, should call one my own. Still
found time for earnest prayer, and to think
of all sorts of expcdients to escape my inn
pending fate. Once fancied, now there was
only one to contend with, l mi ght do some
thing, but just then the touch of the muscu-
lar hand on my throat reminded me that q
movement would cause my instant destruc-
ton. Indeed, | have often wondered that
the fellow aid not strangle me in his impa-
tience. How bitterly did rcproach myself
for not raising an alarm when the footsteps
first became audible.
At length the fellow fairly gnashed his
teeth with rage, and uttering smothered
exclamation of "Hang the tippling beast, he's
at that wine again!" he also left the apartment
to recall his truant parent, and fetch the imple-
ment of murder.
Now was the time. and you may believe
lost none. The instant he left the room I
was on my feet; noiselessly L approached the
door, doshed it to, turned the key, shut the
bolt, lighted the gas, and once more l stool
my heart ready to jump into my throat with
joy and thankfulness, with my trusty pistols
in my hand.
There was no chance of their re e-entering, for
their skeleton keys lay on the bench, and
every article Of plunder was there also for,
intending to return, they had not conveyed
it from the room.
l made noise enough from the window; my
hostess and her damsel, now reused, joined
the chorus, and soon at the head of a
host of alarmed neighbOrs and a couple of
policemen, we searched the house from top
to bottom One of the men knew had left
the premises, as l heard him dash over the
area railings, and down the street; but the
elder rnflian we discovered, stupidity drunk,
in the cellar the danger of his position not
having sufficcd to prevent his indulging in his
favOrite propensity, when the temptation was
so strong.
We found they had gained admittanc by
cutting away the zinc from the pantry win
dow, their skeletonkeys having made the rest
easy.
Bill, the younger rufiian,was too we'll known
to escape detection. He was captured in a
few hours, and DO h he and his father event
ually obtained free passage, to distant
land in vessel provided for that purpose
by Her Most Gracious Majesty.
The affair made prodigious sensation and
[ became the lion of all Christmas parties
that year and the extraordinary sympathy
manifested by certain fair individual at the
recital Of my story, brought about most
satisfactory explanation. My next Christ
mas dinner was eaten in my own home, with
her as its mistress.
| have often blessed my stars that good
Mrs. Wingate was a member of the Total
Abstinence Society for had it not been for
the LIBERAL rerlenishing her cellar underwent
a few days before Christmas, in readiness for
sons and daughters who were to gather round
her, and celebrate in her house that true
home festival, my throat would have been IN
no condition to perform its functions when
the time arrived.
Thus have told the only adventure of any
consequence in which ever played part,
and let me add, that whereas rich and poor
alike welcome Christmas as season of Joy
and thankfulness, doubt whether any feel
more keen emotions of the kind than do,
since it recalls TO mind an additional mercy
vouchsafed at that period.
Useful Receipts.
COMMON BEER.-Two gallons of water to
a large handful of hons is the rule A little