The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-25


brain required relaxation and rest.
AS he felt the greatest possible solici-
tude concerning his own constitution,
as well MS that OF the United States,
(this was during the war, it was not
difficult to convince him that a trip
to Lake Superior would produce the
happiest results. 1t was not so easy
to convince his wife, but after some
polemical discussion, wherein her con-
sent was obtained, and, leaving with
her considerable sum of money for
safc keeping, casting dull care to the
winds, he started. Opportunely for
the lady, considering the defcnceless
condition of the household, ut this
juncturc there arrived female friend,
who was easily persuaded to remain
during the absence of the deacon
Occupying the same room at night,
with ''tirel natures sweet restorer"
clasping the two in his ardent en-
brace, it was but Il short time after
the Geacon's departure that they
''awoke one night from deep dream
Of peace" to behold in their room not
can angel, but q most villainous and
blood-thirsty looking ruf1ian in horrid
disguise-in fact, q veritablc burglar,
on diabolical design intent, at that
moment reaching- forth his hand to
grasp gold watch belonging to the
lady visitor, which lay on the mantle
piece. With howl like o female
wild cat that misses its Youngest cub,
or hyena from whose jaws has been
snatched o toothsome human skull,
or, in short, like any other enraged
animal, the lady sprans from the bed
| and boldly confronted the robber,
who could stand ''any shape but
that, and incontinently fled Fran
tically he rushed down tho stairs, out
of the front door and into the street,
closely pursued by the courageous
lady, shouting for an imaginary
"John'' to bring his gun-an instru-
| lnent which tho deacon would have in
the house quite Us soon as mother
| in-law OF the cholera-whcn, having
no offensive weapon moro potent than
4 hair-pin, or she would certainly
have killed him, she returned to the
house to find the inmates, all of the
gentler sex, in state of demoraliza-
tion most agonizing to behold.
This event was an epoch in the
history of that family. If the hair
of each member thereof did not
''turn white in that ''single night"
1T was not because they did not sup
full of horrors, and for q long time
thereafter every noise heard at night
was the villainous scratching of the
tools of some ruf1ianly housed breaker,
or the stealthy prowling of some
awful and blood thirsty villain, who
with pistol and bludgeon, was, like
Caligula or Herod, ready to kill and
he might meet.
On the return of the deacon, these
events were of course related to him,
with the usual variations and embel-
llshments, until he became thorough
ly demoralized and innoculatcd with
the pervadinG alarm, until he, too,
saw n dagger in every moonbeam,
and burglar in every bed-post.
1t was before the minds of the
worthy couple had become perfectly
composed or had been restored to the
condition Si0tH I'to ante del,au, that
the thrilling scene occurred that is
here recorded
The deacon and his wife at night
occupied the room on the second
floor opening from the ''hall'' at the
top Of the stairs. Balmy sleep had
settled down upon them, and night
had thro MI its dark mantle over half
the earth. The hand Of the dial
pointed out the small hours as the
courageous lady was one night ava
kened by most suspicious noise ut
the front door.
Giving her spouse q vigorous kick,
Us he was, by reason of clear con-
science, sound sleeper, she awokc
him with the appalling exclamation
that somebody was breaking into
the house," The deacon was consti-
tutionally opposed to being aroused
before he had enjoyed his legitimate
amount of sleep, and was, therefore,
perhaps, justified in responding in an
emphatic and somewhat severe man
ncr that she 'had better go to
sleep;' and, turning his back, he
again composed himself to sleep.
The noise, however, being repeated,
he at last became thoroughly aroused,
and, scrcwing up his courage "to
the sticlling-placc," he silently step
ped out of bed and crept cautiously
across the room with Tarquin's
ravishing stride, towards his design,
moved like IL ghost" intending to
reach the stairs to listen, and be pre-
pared for any overt act ON the mart ,,f