Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-16
,,uohod .bout the odd figure I cut on

LAUGHED about the odd figure / cut OF
the occasion Of my old adventure
| She also informed me that the two
men who had played the street part
had been since detected whilst attempt.
ing to commit burglary, and impris'
oncd for twelve months, but were nov
at liberty. The good lady manifested
no small uneasiness on my account
and cautioned me to be very careful
not to give them any opportunity OF
executing their threats Of vengeance
against me.
Her evident anxiety only excited my
mirth, but l was, nevertheless, careful
to examine the fastenings Of my door,
and always both lock and bolt it.
! When I reached my lodgings on
Christmas eve, l was, as | said, little
elevated, and, contrary to my usual Gus
tom on getting into bed, l could not
sleep.
! l began to think over the amuse-
ments Of the evening, criticising the
fair faces had been so close to, wish
ing I had such cheerful home spec
ulating as to my chance of success in
the event of my asking one OF the fan
damsels to part with her name in favor
of mine, and thanking my stars that
at any rate, | should be a guest at the
same place on to- morrow. The clock
struck two, and found my thoughts still
busy; but sudden check was given tc
the current of my ideas. | heard q
sort Of grating sound, and then felt GER
tain some one was moving stealthily up
the kitchen stairs. At first | was a
little alarmed, imagining thieves were
in the house, and then--pshaw
thought I, Mrs. Wingate has been sit
4 ting up later than usual, to finish her
Christmas pudding. 1t is rather sin
gular that my former adventure did not
then occur to my mind; though it had
occurred in that very spot. | listened
again. The footsteps were certainly
audible, close to my room door-a
hand was on the lock-it turncd-they
were stealing along the floor to my
apartment--I became sensible to the
presence of two persons, and now felt
all the horrors of my situation. Eve
ry iota of what had formerly happened
there, the menaces of the two fellows
who had then, doubtless, been disap-
pointed Of their pre-, and the thought
! of my'own powerlessness, nearly drove
me mad.
Fool, idiot that / was Ihad, in my
tipsy folly, rushed upon my fate.
/ l had refused the cordial invitation
which would have secured me from all
danger, and had even neglected the
precaution of securing my room, al
most for the first time within my recol-
lection. I became aware of a dim
light; and partially opening my eyes,
| perceived two rascals fumbling about
with lantern. 1 am not ashamed to
own | was perfectly paralyzea with ter
ror, and utterly incapable Of doing any
thing--indeed, what could l do? /
saw them remove the candle from the
lantern, and convert my ink-stand into
a candlestick. One proposed lighting
the gas, but the other objected, that if
disturbed he might be Hurried, and
turned into the wrong way, They then,
with singular quickness and dexterity,
ransacked my desk and case, which
they opened by means of skeleton keys.
This done, and the plumber tied in a
handkerchief, the younger Of the two
suggested, with an oath, that they
should finish him.
j He approached my bed, drew aside
the curtains, and, though burst not
look, felt he was gazing in my face.
Again he turned aside, and felt in his
pocket as if in search Of something.
had hoped all along that by feign-
ing sleep | might escape, for | knew,
should struggle ensue, could not
escape, since they were powerful men
and quite unframed. While he was
feeling in his pocket, could not help
stealing my hand up to my throat,
thinking at the same time, how little
chance there was that it be used as a
vehicle for Christmas cheer. Guess
my horror, if you can, when the elder
scoundrel, in an impatient tone, babe
his son make haste if he meant to do
it, and not keep him waiting there all
night.
The young man tumbled over the ar
ticles that had been displaced in their
search for plumber, and, not finding
what he sought, inquired with, an oath
what his father had done with the knife.
AT first the latter seemed puzzled, and
then Informed his son, with an equally
elegant explctivc, that he had left it on
the pantry shelf down below.
The younger, bitterly cursing him
for greedy fool, who must begin to
.eat before the work was done, babe
him fetch it.
"Well, Bill" replied his parent, that
ham was stunning, and you know you
couldn't stand those 'ere cheesecake !;
but won't this do for him Handing
up one Of my pistols.
eyes, a pretty thing; fire, kick up
| a row, and be scragged for it-that
would pay nicely. Fetch the knife, and
have no more jaw; or we shall wake the
chap, instead Of sending him up quiet
ly to spend his Christmas in Heaven,
without an invitation" He chuckled,
and the old fellow seemed equally de-
lighted at his sons wit; then taking up
the candle, went off to fetch the knife.
All their motions had been so nois-
/ .