Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-12-07
A Thrilling Sketeh-A Very UnSel-
o come Visitor. -N

Doiu III their operations IN our clty, Du
as the thermometer had marked above th
= nineties foT-seyeral days, l. had little @
value in my room, and / preferred to risl
that little and leave my window open, al
: though Of easy access, rather than under
! go partial suffocation 3iIf an uninvitet
guest made, his appearance, and did no
awake, he would not disturb me if die
awake, L could feign sleep and let hin
take whatever he might find
This class Of visitors" reasoned
with myself. '-do not generally commi
personal violence. if they can accomplish
theft and make good their escape without
ii ''I--4
These we're my reflections every night
as [ undressef and threw myself on the
bed, leaving mycastle open to the ecenry
L had slept one night about an hour, when
| was awakened by the falling, of a small
China ornament; starting slightly and
opening my eyes, saw the gass burning,
and a ia ii road-shouldered man with bis
back toward me. his face looking over hi.
shoulder to see whether the noise had a.
wakened me. Our eyes met, so that the
plan of feigning sleep would have been
useless. What followed illustrates the
value of presence of mind. -
Opposite the side of my bed, and about
eight feet from it, was the door of my
room, two or three feet from which were
stairsleading to the lower hall. The bur
glar must have used ladder in ascending
the roof, from which he entered the win
dow. 1t was some thirty feet from the
ground, and isolated. My plan was, not
only to escape harm myself, but tocapture
| him. knew the policeman's beat, and
he would PASS it in a short time.
Sitting bolt upright, then, then as I
opened my eyes and saw the burglar look
ing very unpleasantly at me, | said, rub
bing my eyes drowsily-a although, to-tell
the truth, was frightened nearly out of
my life: Hello. John. what are you
looking for? Can't you come into my
room withou making such confounded
noise ~
The fellow, taken somewhat aback at
being addressed in this way, said in low
but menacing voice, and pointing revol-
yer at me: p.
Shut up! What do you take me
for %
Il took you for John :" I replied with
well assured nonchalance.
But didn't suppose he was after any
thing valuable in my room. except one
thing. andy the way. if you are not
the unluck;est fellow in the world"
''How's that p growled my visitor.
well, | have u very good watch; but
if you want to get it, you must pay visit
II, Il L..
for had what | considered the bad, but
what seems to be good fortune, to break
the handspring yesterday. and left it for
repairs" t..ts @
You are precious cool one - said
he, evidently astonlshed at my ind fer
cnce. ..t. ..--r
What's the use of getting excited ar
attempting to resist you? You are arm
ed. aud you see am rot. And If you
had no weapon, your fighting weight must
lie at least thirteen stone, while mine is
not more than nine and half. | have
no idea of interfering with you. If the
room were filed with diamonds. would
not lift my finger to save them Take all
you can find, | am going to sleep, SO don't
make any more noise" - ers.r
Hold on said the fellow "where are
your keysP ssle.aE r..-
Il suppose you want to make as much
of hail as you can | said; $50 look in
my pants. hanging over the bed post there
and you'll ind my pocket-book, with a
few stamps in it,
1t was nearly time for the policemen
to pass. and paused to listen. [ must,
in few moments, put my plan into exc
cution.
A glance quick as lightning showed me
that the key OF the door was on the out
side.
My listening expression did not escape
the practiced eye ofmy grin, visitor. 1t
was a curious scene, no doubt. sitting
in my bed, in my night clothes, unarmed.
and this stalwart ruflian, pistol in hand,
glaring half fsuspiciously, half ferociously
at me, and almost in the crouching atti-
tude of tiger, about to spring upon his
pray. But there / sat, very cody conver-
sing with him, the necessity Of the mo-
ment keeping my wits too wide awake to
allow my fears to get the upper hand for
an instant.
~ s.What are you listening top asked
the burglar.
81 thought IL heard cry of fire.
:. In that instant. and in the dead stiffness
of the might, / heard the tramp:of the po-
liceman. ~ 1t was some distance off. uH.
s;You will find, / said, .'some clothes 1
of mine in the press /; they will. however, 1
too small for you.' Good night; the keys7
are in the middle drawer" rjisl53 b55'o
L 81, lro. Il. Il =
as he did so, with one tremendous bound !
cleared the space between my bed aAd |
the door. slammed the door and locked it |
upon him. Obliyious of my dishabille. I
spraug to the steps. Z / had two flights TO
decepd and the door open before | could
reach the yard. but it was hardly possible |
for him to descend the ladder more quick |
ly. Bounding rather than running down I
stairs, / flung back the bolt and dashed |
into the yard. He. was half way down |
the ladder Shouting '.pollee = Justify, |
seized, the ladder at the bottom. aud !
using all my power, brought it and the /
pistol be beld in his hand dropped from
his grasp. \ I made a. dash for it. and he /
springing to his feet like cat naaGe "a
rush at me. and, as l stopped, seized me /
by the nape of the neck. l turned the
pistol upward and pulled the trigger, 1t
merely napped-there were no more /
charges in it. With terrible oath, the
Baffled william wrenched the pistol from
my grasp and raised it aloft to deal me
what m ;ght have proved a fatal blow. when
there was a rush behind him, and he was
felled to the ground. The policeman had
M ard nv shout and was lust in time to