The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1872-12-25

fore I had time TO move from my
place the door swung back anc
there he stood, the very, the very
object that I had been dreading
Mr.. Burglar himself.
"Good evening, ma'am," he said
in such polite way, that l foune
myself in the motion Of bowing
back, and saying good evening
too.
He was a middic.aged man, with
moustache and whiskers, and be
had the brightest eyes that | ever
saw in a persons head. The hail
on his temples was quite gray
All in all, he looked like respect
able Christian gentleman, not a
midnight thief.
"Quite a windy evening, ma'am,
he went on, as he stepped into tho
room. "You must be lonely by
yourself"
/ Somehow, this touched my tenn
per. l forgot who was speaking,
and answered back as tart as could
| be.
Il prefer to choose my compa-
ny, sir!'
lie laughed, and shrugged up
his shoulders.
"You do, indeed So do /. In
this case I have my preference
not you"
Then he sat down leisureiy in
my rocking-chair, and stretched
out his feet rs though he intended
to stop awhile.
"Will you be so kind, sir, as to
60 about your business What
do you think Of yourself; sir: to be
intruding upon the privacy OF my
room at this hour Of the night,
sir ?"
He leaned his head back upon
my bright worsted tidy, and laugh
eG fit to kill himself.
"No harm is intended you, my
charming woman" he said. II
swear it-no harm is intended
you!"
And saying this, he laughed
louder and longer than ever.
"Do you como to my house to
make game Of me before my very
eyes?" | asked; my temper very
much stirred up. "If you were a
gentleman, sir -"
/" This was too much for him.
"a gentleman? Oh, aw-that's
too good! II l professed to be q
gentleman, you'd stand good
chance Of getting your throat cut
witboutso much as by yourleave,'
ma'am, to begin with! A gentle
man? With all my faults, thank
heaven, that is not among them !"
"You needn't have gone on that
way to prove it, | said tartly.
"Well, you are q sharp old dam
sci, arn't you?" turning his big
eyes upon me, and twisting up his
mouth in q comical way, which l
shall never forget. u swear you'd
he pretty good-looklng: II you
didn't wear such q wide ruffie on
your nightcap. jolly isn't it a
lunker-big enough for a grave
yard fence"
'Sir!' I said, looking very say
age.
"Ma'am" he answered, imita-
ting my voice and tone to pertec-
tion.
"Ob, if I were only out Of this
bed, sir!" | began.
"And pray, madame, what is
there to hinder you from getting
out, Id like to know ?"
do you intend to insult me,
you good-for-nothing creature ?
Oh, it the wind only would blow
you away"
"If one goes, the other is sure to
90 too,'' be said stolidly.
IF brother Joe would only wa.
KEN" said.
He cooked his eye knowingly.
"You want to make me believe
that he is in the house somewhere,
eh? Ny dear madame, you are
as transparent as air. Had he
been under this roof, you would
have screamed blue murder long
before this time"
"Oh, You varmint!" | groaned,
in pure agony Of spirit. "What
do you want?"
"Well, ma'am, since that is
fair, honest question, I will at
tempt to answer it. TO begin
with, my financial affairs are in
complicated condition, Money I
have but little of-crcdit, none;
so | am forced to levy u trifiing
tax upon my friends in this and
other neighborhoods, to ex.ricate
me from my disastrous condition.
AS soon as | collect a certain
amount l intend leaving for France
or Italy, never, perhaps, to return.
Do not shed tears at this, dear
maGafnn for whereInr my foot