The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-03-04
"a Fith an equally elegant
%gegtlast hghad left it Oh The panlry

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 the parent, "bat
ham was stunnin', and you know you
couldn't stand those ere cheese cakes;
but won't this do for him?"-handing up
one of my pistols.
'Yes, pretty thing, fire, kick up
row, and get scragged for it-that would
pay nicely. Fetch the knife and have no
more jaw; or we shall awake the chap, in
stead of sending him up quietly to spend
the Christmas in Heaven, without an invi
tation.' He chuckled, and the old fellow
seemed equally delighted with lis sons
wit, then taking up the candle, went off
to fetch the knife.
All their movements had beeh 50 noise
lessly performed, and the conversation
carried on in tone so wonderfully clear,
though low, that l was astonished at the
perfection they had attained in their hor-
rid craft. During the fathers absence,
the son was not idle. He actually loosed
the collar of my shirt and then stood qui.
etly awaiting the others return.
You could never imagine, unless placed
in similar circumstances, what a multi
tude OF thoughts passed through my mind
in a few brief minutes. verify believe
that every Christmas, with its accompani-
ments of fun and feastiDg, at which l
had assisted since was the height of the
table, was reviewed in turn. Then l
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 expedients to es-
cape my impending fate. Once | fancied,
now there was only one to contend with,
| might do something but just then, the
touch of the muscular hand on my throat
reminded me that a movement would
cause my instant destruction. Indeed, !
have often wondered that the fellow did
not strangle me in his impatience. How
bitterly did I reproach myself for not
raising an alarm, when the footsteps first
became audible.
At length the fellow fairly gnashed hiS'
teeth with rage, and uttering smolhered
exclamation of 'hang the tippling beast,
he's at that wine again p he also left the
apartment, to recall his truant parent,
and fetch the implement of murder.
Now was my time, and you may be
sure | lost none. The instant he left the
room l was on my feel; noiselessly | ap
preached the door, dashed it to, turned |
the key, shot the bolt, lighted the gas,
and once more l stood, my heart ready |
to leap into my throat with joy and thank
fulnesS, with my trusty pistols i'll my
hand.
There was no chance of their re-enter-
ing, for their skeleton keys lay on my
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 aroused
Joined in the chorus, and soon, at the
head of host of alarmed neighbors, and
a couple of policemen, we searched the
house from top 10 bottom. One of the
men had left the premises, as heard him
dash over the area railirgs, ard down
the street; but the elder ruiian was dis
covered stupidity drunk, in the cellar, the
langer of his position not having suficed
70 prevent his indulging his favorite pro-
oensity, when temptation was so strong
We found they had gained admittance
by cutting away the zinc from the pantry
window, their skeleton keys having made
he rest easy.
Bill, the younger ruffian was too vel
Known to escape detection. He was cap
ured in few hours, and both he and his
ather eventually obtained free passage
o distant land in vessel provided for
hat purpose by Her Most Gracious Ma
esty. I'd:
This affair made a mosf prodigious SEN
ation, and l became the lion of all the
Christmas parties that year; and the ex-
raordnary sympathy manifested by
certain fair individual at the recital of my
tory, brought about a most satisfactory
explanation. Ny next Christmas dinner
vas eaten in my own home, with her as
Is mistress.
have often blessed my stars that good
Irs. Wingate was not member of the ,
Total Abstinence Society; for had it not
,een for the liberal replenishing her cellar
few days before Christmas, I
n readiness for the sons and daughters c
Who were to gather around her, and cele- a
rate in her house that true home festi-
al, my throat would have been in no t
to peform It's functions when t
hat time arrived. 4
Thus have told the only adventure of
my consequence in which ever played a
art, and let me add, that whereas rich :,
md poor alike welcome Christmas as a
eason for Joy apd thsnkfulness, | doubt
felt more keen emotions of !,
he u than Fd6,' since it recalls.to mind I
N additional mercy vouchsafed at that
Iefioa. 4
G1rMr. Brown is very hard of hear
no, andsa few days since, while no was
with several gentlemen in S