The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-08-25

my former landlany aS-InaG one Dlgl
e Eexeepted-I had been particularly con
d PORTABLE under her roof Finding m
c IBID apartments vacant, l gladly too
e possession of them q second time.
: During my former stay, / made man
: -Eagreeable acquaintances, and now-it bt
n ing near Christmas received man
Invitations to supper parties, &c whic
= | fancy were not the less numerous be
3 cause 1 was still bachelor.
,jS-SQn Christmas eve / accepted one, t
dik-Mith friend at his house, wher
! there was very large and cbarmfu
e family of sons and daughters. The fath
Ell was fine jovial old fellow, aud th
mother just the cheerful, but even-tem
pered, gentle soul, who alone could bripj
l np such girls as hers. We had a glo
'rious evening.
} All sorts of joyous Christmas fun wa
carried Oh, and kissed pretty girls un
, der the mistletoe until, either with tha
} pleasant exercise, or with quenching tn
thirst it excited, became slightly ele
kTated. was to dine there next day
and my friends would fain have persua
ded me to stay all night; but was de
'ermined to return to my lodgings, as
knew Mrs. Wingate would sit up for me
1t was midnight when l bid my kind en-
tertainers good night, aud with hasty
but not too steady step, set out on m,
| homeward journey.
Il | was soon at home and in bed Mrs
! Wingate had more than once laughed
/ about the odd figure I cut on the occa
| sion of my old adventure. She also in
Horned me that the two men who had
i played the street part, had been since
detected whilst attempting to commit a
burglary, and imprisoned for twelve
.montbs, but were now at liberty. The
good lady manifested no small uneasi
| ness 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 timidity and anxiety on
ly excited my mirth, but l was neverthe-
less careful to examine the fastening OF
my door, and always both lock and belt
iJ.
When rearhedrmy,lodg gings on. Chris
mas eve. was, as I said, a lfttle elecs1
ted, and contrary to my usual custom,
on getting into bed, could not sleep.
"f the evening, criticisiHg the fair faces
| had been SO close to, wishing had
such cheerful home; speculating as to
my chance of success in the event of my
asking Que of the said fair damseIs TO
part With her name in favor of mine, and
thanking my stars, that, any rate, /
#sheuta be o guest at. the same place on
the morrow. The clock struck two, and
found my thoughts still busy but q
sudden check was given to the current
of my idea. [ heard a sort of grating
sound, and then felt certain some one
was moving stsalthily up the kitchen
stairs. A first l was a little. alarmed,
imagining thieves we're in the house, and
then-pshaw thought l, Mrs. Wingate
had been setting up later than usual, to-
finish her Christmas pudding. 1t is
rather singular that my former adven-
ture did not then enter my mind; though
it had occurred in that very spot. L
listened again. The footsteps. certainly
audible wer close to myroom door; ahand
was on the lock-it turned-they were
stealing along the floor to my apartment
Il became sensible OF the presence of
two persons--and now [ felt all the hor.
rors o: my situation. Every iota of
what had formerly happened there, the
mepaces ct the two fellows. who had
then, doubtless. been disappointed of
their prey, and the thought of my own
powerlessness nearly drove me mad.
Fool, idiot, that was-I had in my
tipsy folly rushed upon my fate.
had refused tie cordial invitation
l. IL, III IL
Danger, aud had even neglected the pre-
caution of securing my room, almost for
the first time within my recollection.
| became aware of a dim light; and
partially opening my eyes, L perceived
two rascals fumbliDg about lantern
am not ashamed to own was perfect
Iy paralyzcd with terror and utterly iu-
cable of doing anythiug-indeed, what
could do ? [ saw them remove the
eandle from the lantern, and convert my
iukstand into candlestick. One pro
posed lighting the gas, but the other OBJ
iected, that If disturbed ne might be
hurried, and turned iuto the wrong way
They then, with siDguler qulckness aud
dexterity, rausacked my desk and case,
which they opened by means of skeleton
ia a haadker chief, the younger of the
two suggested, with an oath, that they
should ffniSh ham.
He approached my bed, drew aside
the curtains, and, though 1 burst not
look, / felt he was gazing in my face
Again be turned aside aud felt and fun
bied in his pocket as if in search of
something
L had hoped all along that by feign-
ing sleep L might escape, 70: l knew,
should struggle ensue, could not
escape, since they were powerful men
aud [ quite uuarmed. While he was
feeling IN his pocket, could not help
stealing my baud UP to my throat think
ing 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
au impatient tone, bade 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 pluuder. aud, not finding what
he sought, inquired with an oath. what
b father had done with the knife. At
first the latter seemed puzzled, and then
informed his son, with an equally ele-
giant exple,ive. 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, bade him
fetch it.
{ "Well, Bill, ,"replied his parent, that
ham was stunning, and you know you
couldn't stand these ERE cheesecakes;