American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-08-21
Aflisttllantoas,
GETTING IN AT NIGHT.

The door was locked when | got
home said Tom, and how to get in
without waking the governor was the
difficulty. l knew he would give me
particular fits if he knew | was out
after ten, and the clock had Just
struck one. The back yard was an
impossibility, and but one chance re-
manned. There was a porch over the
front door, the roof of which was a
few feet below two windows. One of
them | knew to be fastened down,
and the other opened from bed
room, which might or might not be
occupied. An old maiden sister of
the governors wife arrived on the
same day, and it was very probable
that she was in the corner room but
! [ knew the bed was in the other cor
ner furthermost from the window and
l hoped to be able to get IN and,
! through the room without awaken
ing her, and then had comparative
ly an easy time of il. So, getting a
plank from the neighboring board
pile, l rested it against the caves of
the shed, pulled off my shoes, put
them in my pocket and "cooned."
All right So far, but | thought it ne
cessary, in order not to rouse supi-
cion in the morning, to remove the
plank so dragging it up l threw it
off the end, and down it went with
an awful clatter on stray dog that
had followed metwO or three squares,
and who Immediately set up the most
awful whine a hound ever gave
tongue to. That started half a do
zen dogs in the neighborhood bark
ing; a mocking bird in the window
above commenced as if he intended
to split his throat at it, and a woman
in her night clothes appeared at tht
: window across the street. / knew
; was safe so far as she was concern
ed, but if any one came to our win
dow the candle gave light enough t,
have discovered me. Nobody came
however, and the lady after peepin;
up and down the street for minut
or two popped in her head and reti1
! ed. The mocking bird still kept u
his eternal whistle, and it was ful
half an hour before he and the do
settled down and gave me chanc
,e to move. Creeping slowly along th
r. wall till | reached the window, | pu
of my hands on the sill, sprang in, an
De with my legs dangling out, stoppe
to listen. Yes, she was in the room
for Twas sure could hear her breatl
ing. After waiting for minute
cautiously drew up one leg. and the
the other, drew them around, an
then down on the floor, was jul
conscious thatI had stepped on som
thing left and yielding, and W;
, Withdrawing them when another We
i broke forth at my feet ; the old ma
, jumped from her bed crying Gnu
der " and the mOcking bird startt
+ again. A little darkey was lying
: her back under the window, and
. had stepped on her face, and
i course, woke her up. They would
aroused, and would be caught to
certainty unless | could get in II
room before the governor was u
but | hadn't a moment to lose, t
the little negro was screaming; sc
started for the door in three steI
, struck a chair, stumbled over it,
course, making the awfulest rack
I'd YOU ever heard in the hours of MIC
i'll a peaceful house. The nigger a
e. the old maid screamed lounder tn
as ever, the mocking bird whistl
lTGo louder than a steam whistle, a
n, they fairly made chorus as 10
,er nq as Julian'S.
he he / reached the door, however, a
ng quietly and swiftly opened it, a
sm ,n9 just got into the hall in time to
nd the old gentleman open the do
I've with candle i'll his hand, and co
in hurrying up the stairs. There v
a wardrobe near where | stood. q
| sprang behind it. Up came
governor, reached the door, opel
\ it, and went in, and in the meant
= there were all sorts of confusion {
= inquiry down stairs as to what ,
ain the matter. Nobody else came
Al though from where | stood | he
every word of inquiry and eXpIa
=, tion in the room. OF course t
couldn't make much of it. The Ii
IA darkey was too much frightened
,gl too sound asleep at the time to
truth, and the upshot of the bush
was that they concluded that she
70 been dreaming, and the COVER
Cas-. after giving her sound shaking
explaining the matter to the arot