Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-08-14
MIFFLiNTOWN, JUNlATA COUNTY. PENNA. AUGUST IA, 1879

tient whistle, and w, all s,arted for the
gate She was soon settled amio her
bundles, and called ont to me as q part.
ing injunction. BE sure ana remember
the silver. Nellie take the basket in
your room every night."
The hackman turned and gave me a
quick look as be gathered up the reins,
and noticed that his face was anything
bnt pleasant one. 1t made me little
nervous at first. and did not join very
heartily in Bessie's ffolic, as she danced
into the house. and turned everything
upside down. l kept my thoughts to
myself. however, as l did not care to be
laughed at.
1t would take many pages to describe
even the first day that followed aunt
Hep.ic's departure. don't believe old
Hannah had heard as much laughing in
Eve years as she heard then We ex-
plorcd all the unused rooms in the house !;
pulled oyer all the curiousthings; dress
ed up in my sncettor' 's|vardpbes; climb
ed the highsst tspaos ] rn, and as
touished joseph y yke horses
bare back all over the 81 hen night
came. we were too tired = fscl timid
and slept like tops. finding ia the morn
ing the basket of silver under sax bed
just as we put il After that ffsit per.
fcctly sac, and entered into all the fun
with as much zest as Bessie. At the end
of three days we received letter from
aunt Hepzie, giving us plenty of good
advice. aud saying she would be home
just two weeks from the time she start
ed
IL. don't seem to me-" said I, after
reading the letter. That we have half
| ipo eaopsh; can't We think Of something
new
Bess thought a moment. and then
i1sff:
.Let's have 4 little picnic all by our
yselves out in the woods"
"Say we do. this very afternoon
Hannah baked some danties for us.
and we found a lovely place, where it
was cool and pleasant.
Here's richness said l reclining on
a messy bank, and eating one of Han
nah's delicious tarts Bessie sat under
a tree opposite. and was about to make
some reply when loud report, dense
SMOKE, followed by scream from her,
frightened me nearly to DEATH l sprang
TO my feet, and found, after the smoke
cleared away that she was unhnrt, but
that we were not alshe. Two handsome
young gentlemen in hunting suits came
hurriedly forward to inquire if we were
injured. and opoIogized for causing as
such fright. Such meeting was bet
ter than an Introduction. and in two
minutes we weee chatting ike old friends
with them. who we found were Harold
Grey. Of whom aunt had warned us. and
his friend, Allan Spencer We toGnd
that they were perfect gentlemen, and
when they called the next day. received
them. After that. we had no more trou,
BILE in amusing ourselves. Wespeut the
time very pleasantly playing croquet,
walking and riding with our new ac-
quaintanccs.
One night. after we had spent very
pleasant evening over the piano, and
retired about eleven O'Clock. felt very
uneasy and wakeful. 1t was a dark
night, aud l thought Of all the murders
| had ever heard about, until | was as
nervous as a witch. At last, about one
O'Clock. 1 heard a step on the front
porch, and some one tried the door. l
touched Bessie. who whispered
"Yes. heard. Some one is trying to
get in"
Then we listened, and there were foot
steps on the brick walk under our win
dow. and the side door and the windows
were tried. They were firmly locked,
and there was no sound for moment /;
listening closely. however. we heard
whispering, and then footsteps around to
the back. of the house.
There are two Of them." said l.
bounding out Of bed. Il am going to
dress
Bessie followed suit, and in a few
minutes we had slipped on our clothea
and fastened the door more firmly. To
escape from the house was too dangerous
a thing to attempt at present; we had
rather trust to our bolt on the door.
After while we heard the sound of glass
breaking. and knew that they had ac-
complished their purpose.
Joseph slept in room out of the dir
ing room. and. wakened by the sound,
called out sharply. Who is there ?"
A moment more and the terrible sound
Of blows came to our ears together with
the cry of murder Then heavy
fall. cannot describe our feelings. l
think at first we were almost paralyze zed
with fright. When heard footsteps in
the hall. reused myself aud opened the
blinds of the window nearest our bed,
and looked down. 1t would be terri