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

but won't this do forshim?-handing VI
one of my pistols.
| "Yes, pretty thing; fire, kick up
row, and be scragged for it-that would
pay nicely. Fetchythe knife, and hav.
no more jaw; or we shall wake the chap
instead of sending him up quietly to
spend his Christmas in Heaven, without
an invitation" He chuckled, and the
/ old fellow seemed equally delighted at
his sons wit; then, taking up the can
die, went off to fetch the knife.
All their motions bad been so noise
lessly performed, and the conversation
though low, that 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
quietly awaiting the others return.
| You could never Imagine, unless
placed in similar circumstances, what a
multitude of thoughts passed through
my mind in few minutes. verify be
lIeve that every Christmas with accom-
panlments of fun and feasting at which
lshad assisted since was the height of
the table, was reviewed ia turn. Then
thought of the morrow, aud the fair
girls had left, and how an hoar 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 expe
,dIents to escape my impending fate
Once | fancied, now there was only one
to contend with, I might do something:
but just then the touch of the muscular
hand on my throat reminded me that
movement would cause my instant de.
structioD. Indeed, I have oftens won.
dered that the fellow did not strapple
me Ia his impatience. How bitterly did
reproach myself for raising an alarm
when the footsteps first became audible.
AT length the fellow fairly sgnasbed
his teeth with rage, and utteripg a
smotheFed exclamation of "Hang the
tippling beast, he's at that wine againl'
he also left the apartment to recall his
tEuant parent, and fetch the implement
of murder.
Now was the time, and you may be
lieve L lost none. The instant be left
the room, 1 was on my feet; noiselessly
L approached the door, dashed it to,
turned the key, shut the bolt, lighted
the gas, and once more l stood. nv
heart ready to jump into my throat with
joy and thanktulness, with my trusty
pistols in my hand.
There was no chance of their re en-
tering, for their skeleton keys lay or the
bench, and every article of plunder was
there also; for, intending to return, they !
had not conveyed it from the room.
j made noise enough from. the win
dow; my hostess and her damsel, now
reused, Joined the cho. US and soon, at
the head of host Of alarmed neighbor
aud a couple of policemen, we searched |
the house from top to bottom. One of
The men l knew had left the premises,
as heard him dash over the area rail
ings, and down the street; but the elder
rufian we discovered, stupidly drunk,
in the cellar, the danger of his position
not having suficed to prevent his iudul
ging his favorite propensity, when the
was so strong.
We found they had gained admittance
by cutting away the zinc from the pan
try window, their skeleton keys having
made the rest easy.
Bill, the younger rufian, was too we'll
known to escape detection. He was
captured in few hours, and both he
and his father eventually obtained free
passage to distant land in a vessel
provided for that purpose by Her Most
Gracious Majesty.
The affair made prodigious sensation
and,I became the lion of all Chris. mas
parties that year; and the extraordina-
ry sympathy manifested by a certain fair |
individual at the recital of my story,
brought about most satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION. My next Christmas dinner
was eaten in my own home with her as
its mist ress.
1 have often blessed my stars that
good Mrs. Wingate was not member
Of the Total Abstinence Society; for
had it not been for the liberal replen-
ishing her cellar underwent few days
before Christmas, in readiness for sons
aud daughters who were to gather round
her, aud 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, aud let me add, that
whereas rich and poor alike welcome
Christmas as a season of JOY and thank
falaes, doubt whether any feel more
Keen emotions of the kind than 1 do,
since it recalls to my mind an additional
mercy vouchsafed at that period.