Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-10-11

vas received, poker and all, by that as
sembly, my only surprise is that they did
not signify. their arrivals by double knocks
at the front door.
81 On one memorable night. and on one
only, have found it nescessary to use that
formidable. weapon which habit has rem
dcred as familiar to my hand as its flower
to that Of the Queen of Clubs.
The gray Of morning had just begun to
steal into our bed.chamber, when Mrs. d.
calculated with unusual vigor: Henry,
Henry. they're in the front drawing room;
and they've Just knocked down the parrot
screen
My love- was about to observe. 'your
imaginative powers have now arrived at
the pitch of clairvoyance, when noise
from. the room beneath us, as if all the fire.
irons lad gone off together with = bang,
compelled me to acknowledge to myself at
least that there was something in Mrs. RS
alarms at last Itrod down stairs as noise
lessly as Ieonld. and in almost utter dark
ness. The drawing-room door was ajar.
and through the crevicc could distinguish
despite the gloom, as many as three muf-
fed figures. They were all Of them in
black clothing, and each wore over his face
q mask of Grape. fitting quite closely to his
features. had never been confronted by
anything so dreadful bcfore-Mrs. Il. had
cried Wolff so often that ! had almost
ceased to believe in wolves Of this descrip.
ton at all. Unnscd TO personal combat.
ami embarrassed by the novel circumstan-
ccs under which l found myself. / was
standing undecided on the landing when |
canght the well known whisper of Henry.
Henry, from the upper story. The burg
lars caught it also, and desisted from their
occupation of examining the articles of
rertu upon the chimney piece. while their
fiendish countenances relaxed into a hide
Gus grin. One of them stole cautiously
toward the door where was standing. Il
heard his burglarious feet, / heard the
Henry. Henry still going on from above
stairs; heard my own heart pit-a-pat pit
a-pat within me. 1t was one of those mo-
ments in which one lives lie. The head
of the craped marauder was projected eau
tiously round the door. as if to listen. l
poised my weapon and brought it down
with unerring aim upon his skull. He fell
like bullock beneath the axe; and sped
mp to my bedchamber with all the noise
lcssness and celerity of bird. 1t was
who locked the door this time. ard piled
the wash-sfand, two band boxes, and a
chair against it with the speed Of light
ming. ~
Was Mrs. B. ont of her mind with ter
ror that at such an hour as that she should
indulge in paroxysm of mirth?
Good heavensl' cried, be calm, my
love; there ale burB;ars in the house ct
last
iw My dear Henry. she answered. laugh
ing. so that the tears stood in her eyes, /
am very sorry; l tried to call you back
But when / sent you down stairs qnite
forgot that this was the morning upon
wlichI ordered the swccps!' 'iss'if 2
One ofthose gentleman was at that mo-
ment lying underneath with his skull frac-
tured. and it cost me fifteen pounds to get
it mended. besides the expense Of new
drawing carpet.
1t is but fair to state the primary causu
to which Mrs. BIS alarms, and by conse-
quence my own little personal inconvenien-
ces, are mainly owing. Mrs. B.'s mamma
was one of the last admirers of the Old
Manor House and Mysteries Of the Castle
school Of literature. and her daughters were
brought up in her own faith-that Mrs.
Radcliffe was painter Of nature. as it ap-
pears on earth. So nervous, indeed. did
my respected mother-in-law contrive to
make herself during her lifetime, by the Pc
rusal of these her favorite books. that it
was rumored she married each of her four
husbands at least as mnch from disincli-
nation to be without protection during the
long watches ofthe night as from any 9th
er cause. Mrs. b. herself was haunted in
her earlier years by the very unpleasant
notion that she was what believe the Ger
mans call a dopple -.ganger: that there was
a duplicate OF her going about the world
at the same time. and that some day or
other=-or night-they would have dis
tressing meeting. And. moreover, at last
they did so. and in the following manner.
Her mamma was residing for a few days
at Kcswick, supping full Of horrors in the
German division Of the late Mr.. Southey's 8
library every evening, and enjoying herself,
doubtless, after her peculiar fashion. when
she suddenly fell III. or thought she was
falling. and sent a post-cha express to
fetch her daughter (Mrs. b. J. who hap
pencd to be staying at the time with
some friends at Penrith. The long noun
tain road was then by no means good
one, and it may be imagined that nothing
but filial duty would have induced my
dopplc ganger to start upon such journey
a. dusk--alshough it was sure to be fine
moonlight night-and alone Mrs. B. how
ever, being warm and comfortable. went
off to sleep very soon. like any boulder,
nor did she wake until the chaise had skirt
ed Ullswafcr, and was within few miles
of home. She bad looked carefully under
both seats, and even into the side pockets
of the, carriage, before starting to make
sure that there was no other passenger:
and yet there was form sitting on the
opposite cushions--s female form, muffied
up in much clothing. but with face pale
in the moonlight, with eyes half shut, yet
with look Of haggard meaning in them.
steadily fixed on her own. 1t was herself!
It. was Mas. BIS dorble! The dreadful
hour was come. The poor girl closed her
Ieyelids TO keep. off the horrid sight. and
tried to reason Nth herself upon the i'm
possibility Of the thing being really there.