Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-07-13
A Rnhher Under the Bed.

from the ''Presence OF Mind, IN Chambers
Journal
ssYou know, nv dear, I was living in the
country at the time, nay little granddaugh-
ter being my only companion. We had
two female servants and a man servant,
but he did not sleep in the house, but in a
loft over the stable. One night, late in the
autumn, went to bed at the usual hour
nine o'clock. [ was early, you see, for
Fanny was only seven years old, and | did
not care to sit up alone after she was IN
bed BESIDES, by the time I had read my
chapter, and said my prayers, and I'M
dressed myself, it was fully ten o'clock.
Well, on this particular night went up
as usual. I first undressed the child
and put her into bed; then [ made myself
comfortable, and got my Bible, and SAT
by the fret was very cold for the season,
and kept fire in my room and after
I had finished my chapter, [ knelt to my
pravers; my position as knelt was with
nv back to the fire, and my face toward
the bed. [ had scarcely got on my knees
when / caught sight Of something unusual
under the bed; on looking more attentlvely
| I could see that it was mans foot. My
| first impulse was to scream, but fortunate
| " [ restrained myself, and the first shock
over, was able-to think. / had no doubt
that it was a robber, and that if he found
he was discovered he might not stop short
of murder. l dared not go hack to bed and
pretend [ did not know he was there; and
vet how to get myself and child out of the
room without exciting suspicion. l could
not imagine. These thoughts passed
through my brain in half the time [ have
taken to tell you; and [ was about
to rise from my knees, when sud-
denly I recollected that my doing
so at once might in itself excite suspicion;
for aught / know it might be some one
who knew my habits, perhaps even my
own man servant, though had no reason
to suspect him. At all events | determined
to remain some time longer as if engaged
in my deve ions. / need not tell you that
I could not give much heed to my prayers,
but / did ask for protection and guidance.
You know, dear, that am slow, method
zeal old woman, and that [ seldom get
through my prayers in less than quarter
of an hour, so | now determined not to stir
for at least ten minutes. What an age
those ten minutes seemed ] never took
my eyes off the foot until just before
arose, when it was slowly Withdrawn out OF
my sight. When l saw it move, l felt
faint with fright, for l feared lest the
man had suspected, and was going
to come ont; however, he remained quiet,
and then / got up from my knees. The
next thing to be done was to get the child
out of bed without causing any alarm.
Speaking as calmly as was able, [ asked
her if she were awake; she answered in
rather sleepy tone, but aroused herself
as continued speaking. ''Fanny, dear,
I said, 81 have left my keys below stairs
7 felt little uneasy at the falsehood, but
I Vyrnn(-ff1nI | cannot
undress without them; don't like going
down by myself; would you mind getting
up and coming with me?" She jumped
out of bed in moment. and having
wrapped shawl round her, [ pushed her
before me; then, when opening the door, I
managed to take out the key and put it in
the other side. I then shut the door and
locked it; and then, my dear, could no
longer control myself shrleked several
times at the top of my voice, and tainted.
After all poor Joseph, the coachman, was
faithful; for one of the maids called him
in, and, armed with a pitchfork, he Sc
cured the robber, who was trying to get
out of the window"
Here was an instance ofretention of pres
enee of mind in the face of apparent dan
ger, and the loss of self-cont1ol when the
danger had passed. Habit has much to do
| in the preservation of the cerebral equili,
| brium, as we see, for instance in the sailor
who goes aloft without feeling any inclina,
ton to come down ''by the run, and in the
matador in the bull ring, whose fate depends
on his GOODNESS. Education, also, no doubt
assists IN keeping the brain III order. Yet
here, again, we have numerous instances OF
presence of mind in the humber and less
educated ranks in life.