The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-12
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sdtNIAX MI ~1G~A4ss... A3&n ~ WV
BkOrliER OWENS sTU1Y
or .sa.tss. :.
THE SIEGR or THE BLACK COTTAGE.
NY wyLKrR COLLINS.

N0...a.MARGH II leeo.

THE SIEGE OF The BLACK COTTAGE
NY wyLKrR COLLINS.
fcoxrrxrEp.l
The wind had luiled with the sunset. bat
The mist was rising, and heavy rain WAS be-
ginning 70 fall Never did the ionely pros.
nee, of the m DOR look 80 dreary as u looked to
INV sxes thai evening. Never did regret any
slight thing more sincerely than then re-
uref;ed the leaving Of Mr.. Kniftons pocket
book in nay charge. ! sannos say mat sui.
10 certain that neither Shifty Dick nor Jerry
had got n chance Of setting eyes on so small a
thing as the pocket-book while they were in
she kitchen; bat there was \ kind Of vague
.gistrust troubling me-A suspicion Of the
nisht-a dislike Of being left by myself which
never remember having experienced before.
This feeling SO increased after had closed the
door and gone back 10 the kitchen, that, when
heard the voices of the quarrymen As they
passed our cottage on their way home TO the
village in the valley below Moor Farm, 4
stepped out into the passage with Inomen-
,sry notion Of telling them how was situated,
and ;fsking them for advice and protection.
hasi hardly formed this idea. however, be-
fore L dismissed it None OF the quarryheh
were intimate friends OF mine. nao hoo
tiur acdusintan with them, and believed
them 10 be honest men, AS times went. Dut
my own comm on sense told me that what lit
tie know !edgr Of their characters mad was
hy no means sufficient to warrant me IN ad-
uniting them in 10 my confidence in the mat
Ter of me pocket book. had seen enough OF
poverty aud poor men TO know what terrible
iruntation n large sum of money is to those
whose whole lives are passed in scraping up
sixpences By weary hard work. 1t is one
thing to write fine sentiments in books about
mcorruptihle honesty. and another thing TO
nut those sentiments in practice when one
days work is all that a man has 70 set up in
the way of an obstacle between starvation and
his own fireside.
The only resource that remained was to carry
the y. cket- book with me to Moor Farm, and
ask permission to pass the night there. But
could not persuade my self that there was any
real necessity for taking such course rs
this and If the truth must be told, my pride
revultpc ut the idea OF presenting myself in
the character of a coward before the people at
the farm. Timidity is thought rather a grace
tut attraction among ladies, but among poor
woruesl it is something to be laughed at.
woman with less spirit other own than had,
and always shall have, wou have cons idered
twice ia my situation before she made up her
mud to encounter the jokes of plowmen and
the ieers OF Inlkmaids. AS for me, had
hardly considered about going TO the farm be-
;ore despised myself for entertaining any
such notion. "No no. thought l, Il am not
the Wuman To walk a mile and half through
the rain. and mist, and darkness, TO tell
whole kitchen full Of people that am afraid.
C5mc what may, here l stop till father gets
iack.'
Having arrived at that valiant resolu ton,
the first thing did was to lock and bolt the
b ok and front doors. and see TO the security
ii every shutter in the house
Ina. duty performed, l made blazing fire,
lighted my candle, and sat down TO tea, as snug
AMI comfor table as possible. i could hardly
believe now, with the light in the room, and
the sense of security inspired by the closed
doors and shutters that had ever felt even
The slightest apprehension earlier in the day.
/ saug as l washed up the tpa-things and
even the Cat seemed &c catch the infection OF
my good spirits. l never knew the pretty
creature 50 playful AS she was that evening.
The tea-things put by, took up my knitting
iy.,I lA,n tI,nSI hxv,
last 10 get .droWsy. The fire was bright
and comforting that could not muster reso-
lttiou enough to leave it and go to bed. l sat
staring liziIy into the blaze, with my knitting
ON my iap-sat till the spashing of the rain
outside. and the fitful, sullen sobbng of the
wind grew fainter and fainter on my ear. The
last sounds heard before fairly dozed off to
sleep were the cheerful cracking of the fire
and the steady purring of the cat, as she basked
luxuriously in the warm ight on the hearth
1hose We're The last sounds before l fell asleep.
The sound that woke me was one loud bang at
the front door.
Istarted up, with my heart (as the saying
~ IN nay mouth, with a frighttul momentary
shudGering at the roots OF my har-I started
nj, tr.tthie-s, cold, and motioness, Waitingin
HE silence l hardly knew for what, doubtful
At FIRST whether had dreamed about the bang
AT The door, or whether the blow hHd really
been struck on IL.
In a minute or less there came a second
Lang louder than the first. ran out into the
passage.
Who's there -
Let as in,'' answered n voice. which re-
,oeni2nd Immediately AS the voice Of Shifty
Dick.
..Wait a bit, my dear, and let me explain"
SAID "A second voice, in the low, oily, jeering
tones Of DICKS companiOn-the wickedly clev-
er lille man whom he called Jerry. "You
are alone IN the house, my pretty little dear.
You may crack your sweet voice with screech-
ing, and there's nobody near TO hear you. Lis
tel TO reason. my love, let in. We don't
want cider this tme-we only want e very
nel, looking poeket-book which you happen
10 have, and your late excellent mothers tour
silver iras poems, which you keep SO nice ana
clean on The chimney-pI piece. Ii you let us in
won't hurt a hair of your head. my cherub.
and promise 10 go away the moment We
have got what we want, unless you particu-
larry wish us to stop to tea. If you keep
out, we shall be obliged TO break into the
house, aud then
Aid theu,' burst in Shlfty DICK, well
7n,Sa your
Yes said Jerry, ''we'll mash you, my
beauty. Bait you won't drive us to doing that,
VIII you! You will let US in e
effect which the fret bang At the door had pro-
ducei on my nerves. The threats of the two
villains would have terrified some women out
OF their senses. but the only result they pro-
duced on nc was violent indignation. had,
ihank q ID, a strong spirit of my own, ande the
cooi eonteInptuous iusolence of the man Jer-
ry...fitctualiy reused it,
You cowardiy villains!' l screamed at
them through the door "You think you can
Brighten me because am only poor girl left
alone in the house. You IagamulIin thieves,
| defy You both! Our bolts are strong our
shutters are thick. l am here 10 keep my
fathers house safe, and keep il will against
army OF you"'
You may imagine what a passion l was in
when l vapored and blus tered in that way
/ heard Jerry laugh, and Shifty Dick swear a
whole mouihfni of oaths. Then there was
dead silence Tor Il mirute or TWO, and then the
TWO 4 uiil,ns att 'cked the door.
1 ned IN he m fho
poker, and then heaped wood on the fire, and
lighted all the candes l could find, for felt
as though could keep up my courage better
II bad plenty flight. Strange and impro-
babl- AS ~ may appear, the next thing that at
crouched up, panic-s ken, i'll Il corner. l
was so fond of the little creature that took
her up in my arms and carried her iato my
bedroom, and pat her inside my bed. A conf
cal Thing To 90 IN situation of deadly peril,
was IL nots But 1t seemed quite natural and
proper at the time.
All shis while the blows were falling faster
aud faster on the door. They were dealt, as /
coulecinred. with heavy stones picked up
from the ground outside. Jerry sang at his
wicked work, aud Shifty Dick swore. As
left the bedroom, after putting the cat under
gan tr crack.
/ rtu into the kitchen and huddled our four
silver spoons into my pocket; then took the
unineky book with The bank notes and put it
IN th" bosom OF my dress. / was determined
70 .rlrnd The property confided to my care
ct book, heard the door splintering and
rushed INTO the passage again with nv heavy
kitchen poker lifted ia both hands
was In time to see the bald head of Jerry
WAN tae ugly looking knobs on it. pushed IN
" tue istssig- through great rent in one Of