The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-17
THAT sUaaLAR.

ny daushssr, $syss thou del"
= : TaAT s1saIAn. 'o.
By EARAH n. CROSSE, aPlNsTER.,
'.Do tell rs hoaO, and sohe,e you found
yow worse hsH, Helen"- chorused
group of mad-caps, gathering around
their hostess, bride Of six months.
Mrs, Raymond glanced toward the bay
window, whore her husband sat reading,
and seeing that he was apparently deeply
engaged in the contents Of his newspa-
per, begun as follows:
About, o year ago, accepted an invi-
tation from friend to spend the sum-
mer with her, at their country residence,
situated away out somewhere in the wilds
OF Hoosierdom, determining, as she ex-
pressed It, TO vegetate in the suburbs of
the Tar West, and have prodigious lot
OF fun. l half fancied that should be-
hold numerous tribes of the genuine
Aborigines, and perhaps, be taken cap.
tive by the horrid Indians, and endure
all the tniseries and romance of life among
the red men.
"Bub Ell. assured me, that there was
nothing to fear, and the very worst thing
would see, would probably be an over
grown, bare-footed Hoosier boy, who, it
was more than likely. would be as much
astonished as myself, and would retreat
as quickly rs possible. AhI girls, such
glorious time 40 we had, I don't believe
there was o fence or tree upon the whole
plantations but what We climbed, and
two such ropps would have been hard to
find as Ell. and I proved to be, for the
week succeeding onr arrival at the farm.
''Mrs. Raymond, Ell. q mother, greatly
regretted the absence of Tom, her only
son, who had gone somewhere on bust
ness, and was not expected to return for
several weeks.
"But I was highly delighted. because
mited license to do as we best pleased.
Things went on satisfactorily until
one afternoon great rain storm came
up. and carriage load of ladies and
gentlemen stopped, and asked pcrmis-
sion to remain over night.
''Of course, Mrs. Raymond consented,
and the consequence was, that Ell. and I
we're obliged to give up our room to the
strangers, and occupy for the once, the
room belonging to her brother Tom.
1.-THE house was large, roomy old
concern, only story and half in height,
but covering o wonderful amount of
ground. The sleeping apartments we're
all upon the ground floor, with doors
leading outside. Now, then, the room
we occupied that night was at the ex-
treme end of the wing; it had porch in
front, and over this the wild roses clam
bered, and hung in luxuriant profusion
against the walls.
"'Tom never has a lock upon his
door, said ELL, as she essayed to fasten
it upon our retiring to bed.
AREN'T you afraid of robbers, and
thIQvaQ VII nf Ill L., Ioo r
asked. little anxiously, it must be con-
fessed, for the door refused to be fasten-
ed, aud stood slightly ajar.
"'Nol Never knew villain, nor heard
OF one either, since we've lived here,'
said she, with shrug of the shoulders,
come to bed, and let the! door co. CON
tinued she, pushing chair against it.
'Some time in the night, soy about 12
o'clock, by that peculiar magnetic seasa-
ton feel, which betrays the presence of
another. party, awoke.
Presently, it seemed as il I could
hear light football upon the thick car
pet. Touching ELL, I found that she too
was awake.
"She had heard the noise, slight as it
was. and overcome with terror, lay shi-
vering under the bed-clothes.
Let us keep very quiet said T, in
an almost inaudible whisper, and per-
haps it won't find olt that we're here.
'The silence Of the room seemed to
inspire the intruder with courage, for
the steps were more distinct, and the
chairs were showed here and there, as
though being pushed ont of the PERSONS
way. We listened intently, our teeth
chattering in terror.
"What would we do2 Echo answered
'What?'
"From the slight sounds, it seemed to
me that the creature was trying to hang
something upon the wall; and succeed
ing in the attempt, sat down upon the
edge of the bed, and commenced pulling
off his boots.
Horrors upon horrors!
'It was now evident that stop must