The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-01-28

weight must be- at least thirteen-stone,
while mine is not more than nine and q
half. I have no idea of interfering with
you. II the room were filed with dia-
monds, I would not lift my finger to
save them. Take all you can find. I
am going to sleep, SO don't make any
more noise" 48 ,a
"Hold on" said. the fellow, "whcro
are your keys"
81 suppose you want to make as much
of haul as you can" said, $50 look
in my pants, hanging over the bed post
with few stamps in it.
It was nearly time for the policeman
to pass, and I paused to listen. must
in a 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 praotioed eye of my grim
visitor. 1t was O curious scene, no
doubt I, sitting in my bed in my night
clothes, unarmed, and this stalwart ruff
fan, pistol in hand. glaring half-suspi-
cioqsly, half-ferooiously at me. and
almost in the crouohing attitude of
tiger. about to spring upon his prey
But there I sat, very ooolly conversing
with him. the necessity of the moment
keeping my wits too wide awake to allow
my fears to get the upper hand for ON
instant.
"What are you listening to9" asked the
burglar.
II thought heard cry of fire."
In that instant. and in the dead still-
ness Of the night, T heard the tramp
of the policeman. It was some distance
off.
"You will find." I said, "somo 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, as he did SO, with one tremendous
bound cleared tho space between my
bed and the door, slammed the door and
looked it upon him. Oblivious of my
disho6iNs, sprang to the steps. I had
two flights to descend and the door to
open before could reach the yard, but
it was hardly possible for him to descend
the ladder more quickly. Bounding
rather than running down stairs. L flung
back the bolt and dashed into the yard.
he was halfway down the ladder.
Shouting '.'policel" Justify, I seized tho
ladder at the bottom, and using all my
power, brought it md the burglar to the
bottom with crash. The pistol he held
in his hand dropped from his grasp. I
made dash for it, and he, springing to
his feet like cat, made rush at me. and
as l stopped seized me by the nape of the
neck. turned the pistol upward and
pulled the trigger. It merely snapped;
thaFQ mr. al,
o terrible oath, the baffled villain
wrenched the pistol from my grasp and
raised it aloft to deal me what might
have proved fatal blow, when there was
a rush behind him, md he was felled to
the ground. The policeman had heard
my shout and was just in time to rescue
me.
The burglar was soon secured, and in
my excitement, 1 was about to relate the
story have here told, when the police
man, with smile, suggested that I
might "ketch cold in them clothes"
then remembered, for the first timo
since had sprung from bed. that was
shoelcss and stocEingless, and had no.
thing on but my night shirt, and beat
a hasty retreat. With long drawn
breath, took my fine gold repeater.
which had such narrow escape, and
was not ut the watch makers at all, from
under my pillow, looked ut the hour,
and after little while fell asleep.
1t is almost needless to add, that the
above story, narrated afterwards to O |
Jury when 1 was in better trim for |
storytelling than was when tho police
man interrupted me, had the effect of |
giving my visitor lodgings in public
and secured mc against a |
repetition OF his call for ut least ten
years.
s ! 4ML0N0 -5