Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-04-24

alone at nighttime.
If a little SCOT fell down the chimney,
| it was thought, a great black crow at
least, which would soon be flying about !
the room, and sitting on my pillow; if a
mouse squeaked in the wainscot it was
the creaking of some dreadful persons
shoes coming up stairs to kill me with a
carving knife; and if the wind blew the |
easement, it was some person trying 10
get in the window, although iswas two
stories high.
You may imagine, then, my horror,
when / heard tremendous sneeze with
in an inch of me. just behind the head
BOARD of the bed, and between that and
the wall where there was considerable
space. | had, as usual, taken the pre-
caution, before put the candle out, Of
looking everywhere in the room where it
was quite possible any person could be
hid /; but the little alcove into which the
bed was pushed had never so much as
thought Of locking into, although it was
a capital hiding place for anybody. Ever
since slept in that room, in short, | had
been like the ostrich, who put his head
in the sand, and then imagines himself
in security. | had piqued myself upon
precautionary measures that, after all,
might just as well have been omitted.
The only thing, believe, which saved
my reason frcm departing altogether
when | heard that terrible sound, was
that my mind clung to the hope that it
might be after all the sneeze of cat
Fifty cats together could not make half
such disturbance, it is true, for it was
the sneezc Of man who sneezed in spite
of himself, and almost shook the house /;
but the idea sustained me over the first
shock.
r The next instant the wretch had sneezed
again, and pushing aside the bed, which
i rolled on castors, | felt that he was stand
ing beside my pillow looking at me. If
he had given only one sneeze, he might,
! perhaps have believed me asleep, as lay
!, quite still, breathing as regularly as
!: could, and pretending to be but he rea-
I soned very justly, that unless ! was deaf
! or dead | must have been awakened by
? the sound.
. " You're awake, marn, said he, in q
gruf' voice, ''and its no use of shamming
IF you don't want tap with this life
preserver, just look alive /"
] opened my eyes exceedingly wide al
this, and heheld man with Grape over
his face, standing at the bedside; he had
a club with two knots upon il, in his right
: hand, and with his left he pointed to the
safe.
0 is the money there Z" said he
n "The plate is" said I, in tremulou.
d voice; pray take it, sir; | am sure yot
are very welcome J" for he might hav,
q every thing ef value in the room, will
: all my heart SO long as he saved my
life"
l. "The money-the gold-the notes
r they there 2" cried he again in a terrible
k sort of whisper.
e, "It is all there cried |, although
rs knew nothing about ii; "all except fl
d teen and sixpence in my purse, on tn
dressing-table yonder. There'ssilver mus
( tard pots in the pantry, and couple 0
,e eandlesticks in the study only they ar
st plated, for / would not deceive you, sn
Id on any account"
ID "You had better not" observed th
IS. burglar grimly, cor it will be all tn
Iy worse for you.
ID He produced key like that my hus
h band used and approached the iron safe
at but as he did so, his guilty ear caught til
sound of footstep upon the sairs.
ot "Who is that?" cried he.
IS. My husband, SIR" returned | bu
~. pray don't hurt him."
81 :" Is he not gone to town, then ~ erie
ha the ruffian with an oath of disappoint
ment.
: "He is going at twelve o'clock" r'
: piled I f; che is indeed
- "If you tell him, woman, said the bu
= glar hoarsely if you breathe but on
"a "a word of my presence here, it will be I'll
- ~ death doom of you both" He then slippe
. into the alcove, and drew back the be
- to its place again in an instant.
- - My husband entered Immediately a
terward and even while he was in Il
room heard the awful threat repeate
y once again through the thick curtain b
hind me.
ny .If you do whisper it, woman, l wi
In kill you where you lie. VIII you prom
p'' ise not to tell him 1? !"
'of "I will, said |, solemnly, IN pror
ise not to open my lips about the matter
Ut Frank leaned over the pillow TO ki
10 me, and observed how terrified locke
me "You have been frightening yourse
rus about robbers again, suppose, you sil
nix child"
Try mot l, Frank, returned |, as chez