Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-05-13

l;ttisof from thr busy thoronghfare =
Ft was large building. and hsa v>ry
oh and dinCy appearance. and, ir fact,
did not look verv inviting to the traveller,
but as expected to remain onty short
time. concluded to accept the scc,mmo-
dstinns. As they were much cheaper than
could be foun elsewhere
entered the bar-room. and sftAr reg
istering nv name and esting little sup
per. asked to be shown 20 nv room. and
was conducted up fight of rictAty old
s.airs to \ small. square room. where nv
guide left me. Procee ling to examine
the apartment. fond that it contained
one small window, which looked out on q
dark back alley. The furniture consisted
Of a bed. couple Of chairs, a stand, and
= heavy oaken cupboard. some three feet
high and about six feet long, with strong
side doors. The appearance Of the room
did not dispcrse the gloomy feelings Of
distrust that | experienced when | first
saw the building However. determined
to make the best of it. now l was there.
noticed, before coming to the room,
that thick masses Of clouds we're gradual
~ gathering over the city, and the dis
tant runbling Of thunder, with sharp
quick flashes of lightning that quivered
across the western hors,n, denoted an
l.spproaehing storm.
Being very tired, Immediately disro-
bed and jumped into bel, and was fast
| falling into a dreamless sumber, when a
low, scratching sound attracted my atteu-
ton 1t seemed to come from some place
in the room, but could not tell exactly
where Ny nervousness increased as the
sound continued, till I determined to fer
ret out the cause of the distur banca.
jumped from the bed, aud looked cautious
ly around the room for some time. but
could discover nothing. The sound hal
entirely subsiied, and nothing coui be
heard save the wind, which whistled
mournfuily By the windows.
At last concluded it must bc the win
dow blind. or some such object driven by
the force of the wind against the house
Arriving at this conclusion, ! again jump
ed into bed, and laid for long time, vain
" endeayoring to sleep; but finding it
impossible, busted myself watching the
expiring flames of the taper, till 4 stray
gust of wind whistled through the brok
en- window end extnguished the object of
my attention.
! The storm. which had long been threat
cning. now burst forth in all its wild grand
eur. The rolling thunder grew louder
at each successive report i; vivid flashes
of lightaing darted across the heavens
illuminating the room with the lurid
fame, 50 that every object was plainly
visible; the next moment pitch darkness
| followed so impenetrable that the mast
prominent objects were perfectly hidden
to the eye. While lying there, looking
out from under the bed-clothes, trembling
with fear, the scratching sound cou:rnen-
ced with renewed vigor. making the room
sound with the peculiar noise which had
long before annoyed me.
| large drops of per.piration stood upon
my brow. and rising to sitting posture
| trcmblngly gazad out into the darkness
trying to discern the objects as the light
ming fishes penetrated the room.
At that mcmont livid sheet Of radi-
ance passed before me, and in Al instant
| beheld a mans arm protruding from
the cupboard. while the hand gra,ped, a.
! if for support, tho strong oaken door
l realised my situation Immediately,
and springing from tho bed, l graspcd a
heavy boot which lay near. and brandish-
ing it over my head, breathlessly awaited
for the lightning again 20 appear. It
wa, but q nom mt ere vivid fame qui7-
cred through the air, revealing the head
and shoulders of as v!llainous looking
man as l ever before beheld The left
hand supported creeping form, while
the other clrtched tightly larg. revol-
YER The hand vas upiifted and our eye,
met AS quick as thought | bounded
straight for the rascal, yelling
You Internal villain :"
The only snsuer l received wa. the
sharp crack of i pistol, the ball whistling
/ by aud lodging in tie wall near me. Tue
next moment the heavy boot came down
with terrible crash on the rascals face,
making him yell something that | WAS
unable to md ,rstand, for loud peal OF
/ thunder drowned the sentence.
He hercely struggled to free himself
from the cupboard. but BY my repeating
the blow. he was obliged to push back
into his hiding place.
With movemeas certainly commenda-
BILE, closed the heavy doors, aad grasp
ed the oaken structure Dy the top and
pulled it over on its face, and sprung
upon it, while tho cur-ing which came
from within could scarcely be heard above
the raging storm, which kept up al in-
ccssani roar.
! Uudresssd, and trembling with fear,
FOR cue long hour sat yelling at the top
Of nv voice for assistance, but was IN
heard on account of the raging elements
without.
At last the storm gradually ,ba:ed, sud
nv cries were heard b the Irish cham
bcrmaid, wlo came running into the
room, but on seeing NE in such al unen-
viable position. she irapticaHy ran down
stairs, yelling murder" with all vehe-
mence her vigorous lungs would permit
This brought to nv room crowd OF ex-
cited individuals. all eager to fni on. the
cause OF the disturbance.
Iexplained the case as wc,las my shat;ar-
ed faculties would permit. but vas frequent
ly interrupted by the blasphenous ha-
rangue which the robber r2s holding
.os;h witiiu the o1pb,sri.