The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-01-21

space. had, Az usual, taken the nrecaution
before put the candle out, Of looking every
wneIe Ia the room where II was quite impossi
pie any person could be hid ;.but in he little
a'cose INTO which the bed was pushed I had
never SO much As thought of looking, although
mat was acapital hiding place for any body
had been like the ostrich Of whom we read
yesterday, Dickey, who puts his head in the
sand, and then imagines himself in perfect sc.
curity. had piqued myselfupon precaufion
airy measures that, after all, might just as well
have been omitted. The only thing, as / De.
| Iieye, which saved my reason from departing
| altogether, when l first heard that terrible
| sound, was that my mind chung to the hope
| that il might BE- after all, only the sneeze of a
| cat. Fifty cats together could not have made
| half such disturbance, it is true, for it was
| the sneeze Of a man who sneezes in spite OF
| himself and almost shook the house: but the
| idea sustained me over the first shock The
| next instant, the wretch had sneezed again
| and pushing aside the bed, which rolled on
| casters, felt was standing beside my pillow
| looking At me- /. he had only given one sneeze
quite STILL breathing as regularly as l could,
and pretending 10 be aiseep; but he reasoned,
very justly, that, unless / was deaf or dead, l
must have been awakened by the second.
you're awake, marln," said he, in a gruff
voice, land it's no use shamming! If you
don't want tap with this Hfe-preseryer,
just look alive
II opened my eyes exceedingly wide at this,
and beheld man with Grape over his face,
standing by the bed he held a sort of club
with two knobs upon it in his right hand, and
with his lett he pointed to the iron safe. as
the money there l said he.
THE plate is said l, in a trembling voice
''pray, take it, sir; am sure you are very well
come for he might have had everything of
value out of the house with all my heart, SO
long as he left me my lie.
"Ihe money-the gold-the notes. are they
there - cried he again, in terrible sort OF
whisper.
nothing about it: "all except fifteen and-six-
pence in my purse, on the dressing table yon-
der. Theresa silver mustard pot besides in
the pantry, and compile of candlesticks in the
study, only they are plated, for l would not
deceive you, sir. upon any account
~ nu had better not" observed the burglar
grim!y. "or it will be- al the worse for YOU
He produced a key like that my husband used.
al. d approached the iron safe but as he did SO,
his guilty ear caught a footstep upon the stair
case. ''Who's that - cried he
"My husband, sir,'' returned I "but, pray,
don't hurt him pray"
ruiiian, with an oath of disappointment.
"He is going at twelve O'clock replied l
'he il indeed
''If you tell him., said the burglar, hoarsely;
"if you breathe but one word of my presence
here. it Will he the dea tn doom OF yen both:'
he had slipped in to the aicove, and dra wn back
the bed again to its place, in an instant. My
husband entered Immediately afterwards and
even while he was III the room. l heard the
awful threat repeated once again through the
thick curtain behind nae. "1f you do but wbis-
per it, woman, will kill you where yen lie.
Will you swear not to tell him ~
81 will said l solemnly'I promise not TO
open my lips about the matter
'Your Uncle Frank leaned over the pillow
to kiss me. and observed how terrified |
looked.
You have been frightening yourself about
robbers again, suppose, you silly child,
mot L, Frank" returned l, as cheerfu!ly as
1 could ~ have only a little headache; > but
sad with my fingers so that he could plainly
read il in the freight: "Eoy obs sake, hush
eat there tsa man 5ehiad the 5sdheGd.'''
y our Uncle Frank was bold As a lion,
and had nerves like iron, although he was so
der-hearted and kind. He only answered:
"W here is your saIvolatie dearest y and went
To the mantle-piece to get it. j thought he
never could have understood me. he spoke
with such GOODNESS and unconcprn, until I
saw bis fingers reply as me took up the bottle:
IN right; d0a't Be ajraid ~ And then l Was
not afraid, Dick, or at least not much for l
knew that should not be left one instant in
mat room alone and l felt that nay Frank
was match for any two men in such a cause
Only he had no weapon. "He has q life pre-
Sereer,'' said L with nay fingers.
~ our fire is getting rather low, Georgey"
observed he as he took up The poker. (Ah. he
had weapon then . II must leave you IA good
blaze TO comfort you before l co. lie poked
the fire, and left the poker in but withouteyer
taking his eye of me and the bedhead Il will
got the portu.aneau ready. Mary" continued
he to the maid that ans wered the bell. "senu |
Thomas up Then, when she had gone upun |
that errand: Shy Jove! l never gave him that !
Key; where is ii, Georgey l have not e mill !
Ii tie 10 lose II IL is in your dressng-case with |
the rest there, shall be AN age in looking for |
IL. Might l ask you to get cut OF bed for |
an Instant, and shew me which it is p He
said with his fingers, 'Jnmpr' and l jumped |
you may besure, Diekey, quickly enough, and
was inside the dressng-room, and with the
IGOR locked, in half a second.
'Come in, Thomas said your uncle; "come
n; for Thomas was modestly hesitating at
he chamber door; there's some blackboard |
got into the house and behind my bed there:
ne makes the least resistance, III kill him
With this hot poker"
"At these words the bed was pushed SLOWLY
and the burglar. without his Grape
mask and with a face as pale as ashes emerged |
rom his hiding place Your Uncle Frank
new him at once as having heen y hank ]
Messenger, who had been turned out of his
ituation, since the fire, npon suspicion of dis
honesty.
80. sir, have pity upon me-" cried he; 'I'm
n unlucky deg. 1t it had not been for a
neeze, should have had ten thousand pounds
n nay pocket by this time.''
"O0. you came after faG., did you - said nv | ,
us band coolly. Well please to give M thar
lie ,,reserver which you have in your nocket
elore we have any more conversations
And did your lady tell you that too ?, cried :
ne william, IN accents of establishment as he
eiiFefed up the weapon to the man-seryant: 4
ana yet l stood by her yonder, and never S
card her utter syllabIe.''
II never spoke word; cried l. through the | |
ressing- room keyhole, for did not wish the
ian to think that had broken my oath nor. |
say the truth, was lanxiOus to make adeadly {
ieIily OF him. i'll case he should be ever at |
rye again. S
Then it's Judgment ON me-" exclaimed
e miserable wretch land it's good for | 7
g 10 fight against it's
Its not the least good, :" replied your Uncle :
ank decisively "and we will go to the po-
'eoftice at once.'' s
so Off the burglar went in their custody,
wing poor Aunt Georgey safe and Sc aud | \
ter all. And now, don't you think there =
~ be some use in learning everything, even |
small a thing as the deaf and dumb alpha
b. Dickey l''
replied the small boy, eau.
usly, and not wishing to commit himself to B
e general question. e;
1t actually saved my life, you see," con- t:
lued the old lady land didn't break NV u
omise, either, did 1, Dickey said would
t speak a word, and didn't; for what did
IS VIVA, call speech without words"
on replied the small boy, cunninply
hats what you call it, is it! Now, should
u like to know what call it p
Yes, you funny child, l should, replied a.
aunt, admiringly ~
wen, Aunt Georgey," said the youthful
'ralist, as he slipped off Minerva.s lap with
wicked laugh. 81 should call it acting a fib 81
inout telling one; and a precious big fib, ~,