Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-09-14

with burglar. However, he put on his
pants in leisurely manner, greatly to Mrs
Houghton's disturbance. i-N .uf..H
"Oh, do be quick" she said. .. e..
u suppose you want him to shoot me,
he muttered. "Why don't you go down
yourself 2" rprr 4, .ra' f .. 1H
"That's pretty question for a man to ask
bis wife. There isn't any danger. He's in
the dark, and you can open the door at the
foot of the stairs and fire." sl,D at
"But perhaps he's got lantern" oil
30, do go down, Mr.. Houghton, or I shall
"Go, if you wish to-" sra
" believe you're a coward" .,sf
u am going as quick as I can," said
Houghton, who did not relish this imputa-
tion, more especially as he had decided
conviction that it was near the truth.
"Here's your pistol" .y t5
Mr.. Houghton took the pistol with no
great alacrity, and opening the door, began
to descend the stairs. He heard sounds, as
OF some one cropping about, and that gave
him courage. It seemed to indicate that
the burglar had no light.
II hope he won't catch hold of me, "
thought he, and his blood ran cold at the
thought. HE is probably some desperate
ruf1ian."
He slipped quietly to the foot of the stairs,
and pulling the trigger fred. 1900
There was piercing scream, such as il
was hard to think could proceed from any
human lungs. ... a. .... ..'...
Mr.. Houghton, his soul stricken with fear,
bounded up the stairs, four stairs at bound
Jones heard the report, and he too was
astonished. ..
"Who has got into the house 2" he
thought. Somebody has fired pistol at
Inc. Who screamed, 1 wonder 2"
Just then he stumbled across box of
matches, and struck one against the WALL
The light revealed to him the startling in
formation that he was in the wrong house.
Good gracious !" he exclaimed, the light
flashing upon him, "Tve been fired at as q
burglar. Unjust get out of this"
He lost no time in making his way to the
front door, and hurried down the steps,
fearing lest an alarm might be raised. He
soon reached his own house, and entered,
saying nothing of his adventure.
The Houghtons did not sleep much. Mr..
Houghton was convinced that he had shot
a burglar, and that he was probably stretched
out in the dining room. But he didn't like
to 60 down and look at him.
"Better wait till morning, he said. ale
may still be alive, aud might shoot me-"
He bolted the chambcr-door, but it is
needless to say that neither he nor his wife
slept much that night.
With the first gimmering of dawn, every
thing below being quiet, his courage re-
turned and supported by Mrs. Houghton, he
descended to the dining.room.
He opened the door nervously, but instead
of seeing the dead burglar, only saw an
| overturned table, demolished crockery, and
on chair, cold in death, the body of Mrs.
Houghton's favorite cat, who had received
the bullet intended for the midnight ma
| rauder.
"Could it be possible that Tom upset the
table 2" calculated Mrs. Houghton.
81 think it must be-" said her husband
bewildered.
"And you shot him z"
"Y0u told me to-"
81 don't understand it; distinctly heard
somebody swear"
Probably it was the cat" said Mr.
| Houghton, sarcastically.
Mrs. Houghton was not sure. 1t seemed
as if puss were the only burglar, yet she
had never heard that cats were in the habit
of swearing. To this day that nights ad
venture is mystery to the bewildered pair
OF course Mr. Jones never revealed his com
plicity, and the cat still bears the blame o.
the nocturnal uproar, and the destruction
of crockery. ......