The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-02
a Very Tnweicome Visitor.

in INV room, ana lTcicTTcu W TIN tHal
little and leave my window open, although
OF easy access, rather than undergo partial
sul}0cation. If an unlimited guest made
hi. aunearance, and | did not awake, he
would not disturb Inc If | did awake,
could fei.n sleep and let him take what
ever he might find.
"This class of VISITORS" reasoned with
myself, "do not generally commit personal
violence, Il they can accomplish thoit and
lake good their escape without It"
These we're my reflections every night as
undrcs,ed and threw myself on the bed,
leaving my castle open TO the enemy. !
had slept one night about an hour, when
was awakened by the falling Of 4 small
China ornament starting SLIGHTLY and OPEN
ing NV ewes, / saw the gas burning and Il
tall, broad-shoudcrcd man, with his back
toward lie, his face looking over his Shout
der to see whether the noise had awakened
me. Our ewes met, so that the plan OF i'isn-
ing sleep would have been useless. What
followed illustrates the value Of presence Of
mind.
Opposite the side of my bed, aud about
cirit feet from Il. was the door of my room,
t~o OF three feet from which were stairs
leadn. to the lower hall. The burglar
must have used u ladder in ascending the
roof from which he entered the window,
1t was some thirty feet from the ground,
and isolated. My plan was not only TO
escape harm myself, but to capture him. |
knew the policcman's beat, ana he would
pass it in short time.
Sitting bolt upright, then, as | opened
nv eyes and saw the burglar locking very
unplcaSantly at me-, l said, rubbing my
eve, Growsly-llthough to tell the truth,
was frightened nearly out Of my lite :
"IIlloa, John, what are you locking for?
Can't YOU come into my room without
making such Il COMPOUNDED noi5e?"
The fellow, taken somewhat aback at be-
mcnac.ng voi:e. and pointing Il revolver at
mc:
"Shut up! What DO YOU take me for: d"
Il took YOU for Johu !" / replied, with
a Weli-sS. umrd nonchalanCc.
"But CidT't suppoSc hc was after any
hing valuable in my rGum except one
lhiD", aud--by the way if YOU are lot the
luckiest fellow in he world"
"Uow's tnat;" growied my visitor.
"Wtlt. have very good watch but
If you want to get 1t YOU must pay visit
To the Watcumakcr's alter you leave here,
tor had what | considered the bad, but
VIII It seems the good, fortune To break the
| handspring Yesterday, and lett ii tor re-
}uir>."
You are q precious cool one :" said
he, evidently aStuni3hed at my indifference.
"Whal's lie Use Of getting excited or
attempting to resist you? You are armed,
and YOU sec am not. And II you had no
woIpon, your fighting weight must be at
least thirteen stone, while mlnu is not more
tnun nine and half. | have no idea Of i'll
tcricring with you. 1.-THE room were filled
with diamonds would not lit my finger
to save item. Lake all you can find. | I'm
yoirg to sleep, 50 don't make any more
noise
"Hold on" said the fellow, "wherc are
your kcys!"
IL suppose YOU want to make az much
of a haul as you can" said, " so I3ok in
my pants, hanging over the bed post there,
and you'll find my pocket book with few
stamps in it,
Ii was nearly time for the policeman to
pass, and | paused to listen. l must in Il
| lew moments put mv plan into execution.
\ glance quick rs lightning showed me
that the key Of the door wes on the outside.
Ny listening expression did not escape
the practiced eye Of my grim VISITOR. 1t
was Il curioIs scene, no doubt. ], sitting in
my bed in my night clothes, unarmca, and
this staiwart rutlian, pistol in hand, glIring
nalfsusplci0uslr, haIt-ierociou>ly at me,
and almost in the crouching attitude OF II
tiger about to spring upon his prey. But
there sa', very coolty conversing with him,
the necessity OF the moment keeping my
wits too wide awake TO allow my Tears TO
get the upper hand for an instant.
"Whlt are you listening tor asked the
burglar.
II thought heard cry Of fire."
In that instant, and in the dead stiffness
| of the niobt. ! heard the tramp OF the p0-
| llceman. 1t was some distance of.
| You will find" said, some clothes
Of mine in the press they will, however,
be too small for you. Good night the keys
| are in the middle drawer"
| he turned to the drawer indicated, and
a he did so, with one tremendous bound l
| cleared the space between my bed and the
door, slammed the door, and locked it upon
| him. CbliYious OF my diShdbille, l spraug
| to the steps. l had two flights To- descend and
the door to open before | could reach the
yard, but it WAS hardly possib bic for him 10
descend the ladder more quickly. Bound.
ing rather than running down stairs, /
flung back the bolt and dashed into the
yard. He WAS hall way down the ladder
Shouting "policc - Justify, | seized the
ladder at the bottom, and Using all my
power, brought 1t aad the burglar 10 the
bottom with Il crash. The pistol he held in
1 = q
dash Tor II, and he siringing TO his feet like
y cat, made Il rush Ut me, and rs stopped
seized me by the nape of the neck.
turned the pistol upward aud pulled the
trigger. Ii merely snapped there were
no more cb3rges in it. With terrible
oath, the batllcd villain wrcnched the pis.
tol from my grasp and raised il alutt TO deaI
| iue what might have proved fatal blow
when there was rush behind him, and he
was telled TO the ground. The policeman
had heard my shout aud was just in time
10 rescue me.
The burglar was soon secured, and in
my excitement | was about to relate the
story l have here told, when the police,
man, with smile, suggested that ! might
''ketch cold III them Clothes"
| Then remembered, for the first time since
| had sprung from bed, that | was shoeleSS
and stockingeSs, and had nothing on but
my night shirt, and beat iasty retreat
| With Tong drawn breath ItoUk mv tine
| COLA repeater, which had such II narrow
| escape, and was not ut the matchmaker ;:
at al, from under my pillow, looked At the
hour. turned in, and after little while fell
asleep.
L. Is almost needless TO add that the above
| story, narrated afterwards to q jury when
| | was in better trim for story telling than
was when the policeman interrupted me,
hid the effect Of giving M visitor lodgings
III a puo!c institution, and secured me
against a repetition OF his call for at least
ten years.
The latest style of wedding cards have
81 NJ ha ntr ma IT