The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-11-04

were certainty not OF avery enviable char
acter' he became satisfied, apparently, of the
utility Of tie attempt, and gave it up.
After the dull sound Of the retresting foot
steps had died awsy, a profound silence
reigned through the place. What YVES 10
come next The murderous wretch assur
edly would not fOrego his horrid purpose be.
cause OF such trifing object as a wooden
bolt. Whist, then, was he preparing to do!
There are few situations more trying,
even to the strongest nerves, than one like
this; terrible danger hanging over your
head, while all efforts to avert it's fall are
denied you. The compulsory insc,ion in
such cases, is harder to bear than anything
else.
AT last, the noiseless, rhotionless suspense
became so intolerable, that / resolved to
waken my companion at all hpzards. had
already one leg out of the bed, when sud.
den interruption Of the oppressive silence
attracted my attention. 1t was a noise out.
side, but of what nature could not for some
time determine.
While sat with my eyes and ears both
intent upon catching something from
the Quarter whence the sound appeared to
proceed, saw light shining from without
upon the window opposite my bed. and pres.
emily human hand, with that terrible knife
in it, was protruded from behind curtain
which hung before the window.
knew there was broken pane of glass
behind the curtain. The curtain itself was
fastened at each Of the four cornets, by bits
OF tape, to nails driven in the wall. There
was something almost unearthly in the look
Of that bony hand, brandishng the long, gilt.
terng knife, and no visible body connected
with it.
With just light enough thrown upon it to
direct its motions, the armless hand piled the
knife until The two lower tapes were cut; it
then proceeded to turn the button, and care
fully and noiselessly to open the sash, which
was fixed upon hinges. Now the whole
arm made its appearance, then the right
shoulder, then the head, and finally the en-.
tire raw boned, long. .lmbed body.
i Though tall ind spare, the intruder was
very muscular and perhaps my superior in
strength. My only hope was in my weup.
ons, or rather in my pistols. He carried a
small dark lantern, and suffered just light
enough to escape to direct him to his object.
His FIRST ace, after he had fairly entered. was
TO turn the light first upon my face, and then
upon that Of my companion. This was done
with the greatest care and caution, and as
one of US was sleeping soundly and the 9th.
er pretending to DO SC, his scrutinys no doubt
terminated in perfectly satisfactory r1sn.
ner.
| With the stealtly step Of prowling tiger
the fellow approached my bedside, with the
lantern in one hand and the fearful knife in
the other. His gaze was now fastened upon
me, and my eyelids were open just enough
to enable me to see what he was doing,
without his being aware.
He paused. Slowly and carefully I dis.
engaged from the bedclothes the muzzle OF
my right hand pistol, and leveled it at his
heart. His next step resolved should be
his last. His right foot moved forward
I pressed my fore finger upon the trigger.
and gradually increased the pressure, SO a:
to make the discharge of the weapon stimuli.
taneous with the next forward movement
He moved-but il was 10 turn upon bis heel
and walk away towards the bed of my com.
panion.
The "little one" then was to be the victim
after all. Astonishment for an instant al
most paralysed me; but then came the
thought, can lie quietly here, while tina
poor fellow is murdered within few feet o
me! Humanity forbid should feel like
an accomplice in the crime.
, Still grasping the pistol, I raised mysel
with my other arm, and beheld the younl
peasant very quietly removing from littl'
, pen between the two beds, q rabbit!
There were two Of them, "big one" AM
"little one," and it was the former, o
course, that the "midnight assassin" was al
ter, with the fixed resolution to cut hi
throat that night, and have him ready for ou
!, early breakfast in the morning, at all haz
: ards.
Yes, my dear reader, there was nobody i
: danger Of midnight assassination but tn
e rabbit. The worthy old couple and their si
sons constituted q very respectable family
That unmitigated old scamp Paron quote
i that still unmitigatedsr old scamp Rabelai
!. as saying: "Call me scoundrel, thief, lia
i robber, and assassin, II you will, but call m
l not respectable" But in spite OF the Whites
a Of FrenchmeU, we must assert that OF
Young peasant was too respectable to be th
;, assassin Of anything more bipsdal than
]. rabbit or chicken.
8 Poor though they were, they were resol'
J. ed to do the best they could for "the straI
k ger within their gates," who, they argu,
,r was "rich, or at least, we'll Of" "a mistaA
. by the way,) and therefore accustomed
= good living. The more frugal mother, al
one o, her sons, contendsd that the lit
| one would 70, but the majority voted for 4
big one, and honest Jean Louis Whetted b
il knife, put off his sGsSots. and declareS that
: hlo.l al. n;~kk Y