The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-08-26
MY GRANDMOTHER'S STORY.
BY GEORGE II. COOMER.

| BY GEORGE II. COoMEE.
"Sister Julia, said my grandmother, "was
always very courageous. In our youth the
country was wilder than now, but it might
truly be said of her that she was not brought
up in the woods to be scared by an owl. She
would traverse the most unlreplentcd paths,
wondering at my timidity. 1t was she who
discovered that the dreadful negro in the
juniper thiclSet was only a portion of 4 dead
tree; she who demonstrated TO her compan
ions that his arm could not q second time be
made to appear like an arm, that his rolling
eyes would vanish in the light of inycstiga
ton, and that his fur cap was Il squirrels nest.
She too it was who, when mad dog was re-
ported one evening to be in our door yard,
| first announced that he was only the chop
ping block; vet the rest of us had seen him
crouch for a spring, and the hair on his back
had appeared to us to stand up in a brndled,
bristling row. There was nothing masculine,
however, in Julia's appearance; She was
simply sweet, joyous child. with an absence
of fear in her character and Il consequent
clearncss Of perception in all eases OF suppos-
ed or real danger.
When was sixteen and Julia eighteen, my
father hired laborer named Hans Schmidt,
| q IicsSian. who had been in the British ser
vice, and who at the close of the Revolution
airy war had deserted from his regiment. He
was 4 powerful man, with Il heavy, imbrutcd
countenance, and both Julia and myself were
struck at the very first with an intuitivc dread
of him. The feeling in Julia hardly took the
character of fear, but was one rather of loath-
ing; vet if she could have feared anything,
| think it would have been that man, for she
had an intuitive perception that he was de-
monlikc, even beyond what his looks demon
slrated. One evening she read of 4 horrible
murder that thrilled our blood and upon turn
ing her eyes from the paper they encountered
those of Hans Schmidt. There was some
thing terrible in his glance and from that
moment, she resolved tharthc villain should
be turned away, and rs her wishes and opin
ions were always Of much weight with
my father, the latter, taking advantage Of
some favorable circumstance, made it an eN
cuse for giving the Hessian his discharge.
Soon after this Julia and We're left alone
in the house, both our father and mother be
inc absent upon Il distant GRAND, which would
dctstin them until the following day. We had
been remarkably busy since early morning
making various household arrangement with
which we intended to surprise and please the
old people upon their return, and being I'M
usually weary, proceeded to the chamber at an
early hour of the evening. We had partially
disrobed ourselves, when Julia turned hastily
to the window
4 declare, she said 'the evening is so pleas
ant that it is a pity to remain indoors. |
don't feel bit sleepy; lets sit in the door
awhile.
, We descended the stairs. How little | i'm
; agned what was in Julia's heart! Harry
Irving came up Just as we reached the door.
{ He was only casually passing the house.
} Julia engaged him in conversation, and he
took seat withus. My sister was more than
usually lively and engaging.
Il J'zl,,,
asked.
J Oh replied Harry, they are over to the
. red-storc; they will be along when Brown
shuts up
J ''The store was Il mile of, and the nearest
dwelling house was about that distance. The
three youngmen soon appeared uponthc road,
, and TO my surprise Julia arose at their APP
5 proach and proceeded to meet them. Then
she returned to Harry and me and called Us
| aside from the door.
Now Mary, you need not be nervous she
e said Keep entirely quiet, and do not speak
f above your breath. There is man under
our bed and the young men are going to Sc
G cure him'
t BY this time the newcomers had provided
| themselves with heavy sticks; Harry Irving
did the same and then guided by Julia they
1 all ventured within doors. My sister was
: calmer than any of her companions, for, al
g though the Young men might have met their
e foe untlnchngly in the road or the open field,
: there was something so startling in the idea
n Of q man under my bed, that their nerves were
shaken. The stairway was their Bunker Hill,
: and what might they not meet ut the sum
nit
:, AS to myself could not follow them, but
. remained trembling and moaning upon the
doorstep. Never did experience II greater
sense of relief than when the assaulting party
o descended, looking partly ashamed and partly
. amused, having found nothing to justify their
- sudden armament Julia was in an agony of
y modification, and wept piteousy, for, al
. though but half convinced that her apprehen-
! sion had been groundless the idea that she
:. who had never till now feared anything, had
placed herself in a light so ludicrOus to those
= young men, was insupportabe The man she
= said must have taken the alarm and fled out of
a the back-door, for she could not have been so
! deceived. Our young friends more in pity
" for her modification than from any belief in
y the reality of the night intruder offered to re-
y main in the vicinity till morning; but she
l. would not listen to the proposal and they thus
! took their departure.
i l was very sorry to see them go, and watch
!, ed their forms till they were out of sight, for
u the affair of the evening had almost fright
- ened me into Mysteries. Julia, however, at
!; once rushed to the chamber and flinging her
- self on the bed continued bitterly weeping
= = She had exhibited herself in character which
u she despised, and her man under the bed
~ would be the talk Of the neighborhood.
- followed her, but neither of us could sleep.
~ The o'clock struck eleven, and then tick, tick
= tick it went on for thenext drcary hour Julia
" at length ceased weeping, and lay in thought,
only an occasional sigh betraying her wake
a fitness Again the the clock struck, ting, ting,
l. ting but it had not reached the final stroke
e. when Julia, leaping lightly from the bed
T. flung herself upon an immense chest at the
other end of the room.
!, % Mary she cried, hurry, hurry, hurry
F." he is here he is here | cannot hold the lid
~ he will get out! hurry. hurry, hurry! come