Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-09-10


as possible. Hannah stepped into the bed-cham.
Der for the candle she had left burning there and
as she again issued into the passage, she saw the
door of the little closet slowly closing
The rat was in the trap The intruder had be-
taken himself to this hiding place to escape obser
yation. Old Hannah was determined to make sure
of him frst, and then decide on herrevenge. Be.
fore her intention could have been anticipated, she
banged the door to with her foot, turned the key
ii thelock, and he was her prisoner, without know
g'he had been discovered. - ',, -
After having reported the circumstance to Col.
onel Danvers, aud received his instructions which
were given half in jest and half in earnest, Han.
nah again descended the staircase little terrified
at the duty she was to perform, yet resolved to
have her revenge on the peddler for the imposi.
ton be had practiced upon her. Arming herself
with the poEer-a weapon not to be despised in
the hands Of one able and wiling to use it-she
placed the candle on table against the WALL just
opposite the closet, on the farther side OF the pas
sage; and seating herself On q chair close by the
door, sat with her head inclined, listening to every
noise within, whileshe kept the poker lying across
her lap ready for Immediate use. 80
Some two or three minutes wore away in silence,
when, to relieve the tedium of her watch, she filled
q acommoa clay pipe with tobacco ready cut, which
she fshed up from capacious pocket in her gown,
and noiselessy stealing across the passage, lighted
It from the candle, and as noselessly resumed hel
seat at the closet door, sending out huge volumes
of smoke with so noiseless puff as not to reach
the ears of her prisoner ~
. One who casually looked upon her, might have,
at the first glance, discovered nothing in her con,
duct specially to attract his attention. He might
have ancied that she was simply enjoying her rest
and solacug herself with her pipe, after the close
of her daily routine Of duties But such an i'm.
preston would have been but transitory. The OBJ.
server would soon have remarked her watchful and
attentive air, as turning her face partly towards
the door of the closet she sat with every sense di-
rected to what was passing within it. There was
a cat-like watchfulness in her demeanor and ex-
preston of her face, that told she was not simply
enjoying the dole. far miente," Of sleep-com-
posing pipe The poker, lying in her lap, also
aided in giving character and expression to the
tableau. She was evidently wide awake and on
the alert, and there was saucy expression of trl-
umph on her projecting lips and leering eyes,
glancing silently and mysterously around, that
showed how keenly she enjoyed the situation.
After the lapse of several minutes, her prisoner
hearing no sound and seeing no prospect of relief,
making as little noise as was compatible with the
effort applied his whole weight to the door, with
the vain hope of forcing it open. The keen ears
of old Hannah detected the movement, and she ex'
pressed her disdain and contempt for the inefectu
al effort by an oblque toss Of the head and drol
smile that beggars description. Only q Hogarth
could have fully depicted the expression. After
one or two more Intellectual efforts to force the door
the prisoner could be heard muttering uniptelfgi
bly, to himself In turning to catch his words, old
Hannah let the poker roll from her lap and it fell
to the floor with clatteE There was silence in
the closet for brief space, when faint and un
certain voice from within opened the colloquy BY
demanding to know who was there.
The old housekeeper only replied by putting hel
pipe the more vigorously.
"Let me out" said voice from within, evi
dently full of anxiety and uneasiness.
Old Hannah still made no reply, and it was sew
eral seconds before any sound was again heard.
'sHallo, there who's that2'' cried the voice
from the closet-this time in tone Of Vexation
Can't you open the door and let fellow out?'
''You must get out as you got in, }" retorted ole
Hannah, no longer able to maintain the silence she
had resolved to impose on herself "What busi
ness you got in dere at all, I'd like to know
1T warn't my doings- somebody turned the key
on me :" reioined the voice, evidently re:assured
to some extent by finding that the party on the
outside was negro, and woman with whom 6
compromise might be hoped for. "You may be
sure my good mauma, didn't want to get intt
your closet; so open the door and let me out in
hurry" ,,, ., :,
umphant toss Of the head. ''In course you want
to get out. Ebery rat when he gifts into de tral
runs crazy to git out again. but there you gwine fo
stay till you gifts blessed sight tireder than you
now"
Snow, look here" rejoined the voice-don'
let's have any cussed tom-follery about it Yol
know wouldn't have been in here now, it some
blunderin' fool hadn't locked the door. Let INT
out like good dear old mauma."
Good, dear old mauma repeated old Han
nah, scornfuly. fit amt tom-foolery to call m
50, don't know what tom-fooley is. I've beer
cheated too much by you and the likes of you, Il
be cheated agin-talk as you may. Sugar ant
butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, to let you tel
it, but knows you and all your cheatin' ways to'
we'll" '
"Why look here, my good woman, there's som,
mistake here" said the voice Indignantly; III
be cussed if ever saw you before, in all my borl
days. ,.o.on Won don't see m,
now" retorted old Hannah tartly-onless you cal
see through an inch board, and reckon twill taxi
gimlet eyes to do that. 90.
A smothered execration was heard from within
delivered soto uooe, so as not to reach the ears
his sable iantor. He evidently felt, with Touch
stone, that it was we'll to be "poEtlc with min
enemy"
ssLet's quit this nonsense, at once, mauma'
continued the voice aloud. just turn that ke.
and III give you bran new pipe and a plug o
tobacco"
"I thanks you, Mr.. Robinson, l smokes my owl
pipe and tobacco" said his jailor, with becoming
dignity. "Your' might turn out like your TIN pan
and shoes.
'sRobinson2'' said the voice, in amazement-