The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-05-26

anu dooit SIX ieeG long, WITH strong
side doors. The appearance of ths
room did not dispense the gloomy feel
ings of distrust that experienced wien
first saw the building. However, ]
determined TO make the best of it, now
! was there.
noticed, before coming to the room,
that thick masses of clouds were grad
ually gathering over the city, and the
dsstantrumbling of thunder, with sharp,
Quick flashes of tightening that CULVER
ed across the western horizon, denoted
an approaching storm.
Being very tired, immediately dis
ROBBED and jumped into bed, and was
fast falling into q dreamless slumber,
when low, scratching sound attracted
my attention. 1t seemed to come from
some place in the room, but could
not tell exactly where. My nervous
ness increased as the sound continued,
till determined to ferret out the cause
/ of the disturbance. jumped from the
bed, and looked cautiously around the
room for some time, but could discover
nothing. The sound had entirely sub
sided, and nothing could be heard save
the wind, which whistled mournfully
by the windows.
At last l concluded it must be win
dow blind, or some such object driven
by the force of the wind against the
house. Arriving at this conclusion. l
again jumped into bed, and laid for a
long time, vainly enleavpring to sleep;
but finding it impossible, 1 busted my.
self watching the expiring flames of the
taper, till stray gust of wind whis-
tied through the broken window and
extinguished the object of my atten-
ton.
The storm which had been threaten
ing, now burst forth in all its wild
grandeur. The rolling thunder grew
louder at each successive report; vivid
flashes of lightning darted across the
heavens, illuminating the room with
the lurid fame, SO that every object
was plainly visible; the next moment
pitch darkness followed, so impene-
trable that the most prominent objects
We're perfectly hidden to the eye.
While lying there, looking out from
under the bed-clotlies, trembling with
fear, the scratching sound commenced
with renewed vigor, making the room
sound witt, the peculiar noise which
had long before annoyed me.
Large drops of Precipitation stood
upon my brow, and rising to sitting
posture. tremblingly gazed ont into
the darkness, trying to discern the OBJ
jects as the tightening flashes penetra-
ted the room.
At that moment a livid sheet of RAJ
dance passed before me and in An in
slant ! beheld mans arm protruding
from the cupboard, while the hand
grasped, as it for support, the strong
oallen door.
/ realized my situation Immediately,
and springing from the bed, / grasped
heavy boot which was lying near,
and brandishing it over my head,
breathlessly awaited for the lightning
again to appear. It was but a moment
ere a vivid flame quivered through the
air, revealing the head and shoulders
of as villanous looking man as ever
before beheld. The left hand supper
ted a creeping form, while the other
clutched tightly large revolver. The
hand was uplifted, and our eyes met.
As quick rs thought bounded straight
for the rascal, yelling!
"You internal william ~
The only answer I received was the
sharp crack of pistol, the ball lodg-
ing in the wall near me. The next
moment The heavy boot came down
with a terrible crash on the rascaps
face, making him yell something that
was unable to understand. for a loud
peal Of thunder drowned the sentence.
He struggled fiercely to free himself
from the cupboard, but by my repeating
the blow, he was obliged to push back
into his hiding place.
With movement certainly common
dable, closed the heavy doors and
grasped the oaken structure by the top
and pulled it over on it's face, and
sprung upon it, while the cursing which
came from within could scarcely be
heard above the raging storm, which
kept up an incessant roar.
Undressed, and trembling with fear
for one long hour l sat yelling at the
top ofmy voice for assistance, but was
unheard on account Of the raging ele-
ments without.
AT last the storm gradually abated.
and my cries were heard by the Irisi,
chambermaid, who came running into
the room, but on seeing me in such an
unenviable position, she frantically
ran down stairs, s1murdern with all the
vel,emcnce her vigorous lungs would