St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-05-31
A Very Unwelcome Visitor.
\ THRILLING SKETCH.

above the nineties for several davs.
had little of value in my room. pre-
ferred to risk that little and leave my
window open, although of easy access
| rather than undergo partial SutfOcatinm
If an invited guest made his appear
mce. and | did not awake. he worIlt
not disturb me if did awake. ] coulc
fcign sleep and let him take whatever
he might find.
This class of visitors" | reasoned
with myself. do not generally commit
personal violence. if they can accom-
pliSh theft and make good their cScap,
without it.
These were my reflections eVeIN
night aS | UnclrcS%ed and threw mVSpl1
on the bed: leaving my castle open to
the enemy. ! had slept one night about
AN hour. when | was awakened 10y the
falling of Il small china ornament start
ing Slightly and opening my eyes.
>aW the gas burning. and Il tail. broad
shouldcrcd man. with his back toward
me. his face lookim" over his shoulder
to see whether the noise had awakened
me. Our eyes met. so that III" plan ut
fcigniug sleep would have been useless.
What followed illustrates the Value uf
presence of mind.
Opposite the side of my bed. and
about eight feet from me. waS the douI
of my room. two or three feet from
which were stairs leading To the lower
hall. The burglar must have used Il lad
der i'll aSccudiugthc roof. from which hc
entered the window. Ii WAS some thir-
ty feet from the ground. and isolated.
My plan was, not only To escape harm
my self. but to capture him. knew
the policcmam'S beat, and he would pass
il in II short time.
Sitting bolt upright. then. as | opch-
eel my eyes and SAW the burglar looking
very unpleasantly NJ me, | said rub
hing my eyes droWSily although tu tell
the truth | was frightened nearly out of
my life: "IIcllo. John what are you
looking for! Can't Nuu come into my
room without making such II rnmf"mnd
ed noise -
The fellow taken sumrW hat ahack at
being addressed III this way. said in Il
low but menacimg voice. and pointing u
reVolN cr at me-
''Shut up, What do y"u take me
for p
Il took l"n for john" replied with
Il well assumed nomchalencc.
But didn't suppose he was after
ANYTHING valuable in my room. except
one thing. and 10y the way, if YOU are
not the unluckieSt fellow in the world.
''lIow'> that ," growlcd my visitor
Veil, have Il very good watch
but If You want To get il. Nou must pay
Il visit to the watchmaker'S after Nou
leave here. for had what considered
the bad. but what seems the good for
tune. to break the handspring NeSter-
day. and left it for repairs.
" on are Il precious cool one said
he. evidently astoniShcd ut my indittcr
CHCc.
Nv hats the use of getting excited oI
attempting to resist you You are
armed. and Nou see ! am not. And il
you had no weapon your fighting weight
must bc at least thirteen stone. while
mine iS not more than nine and Il half.
| have no idea of interfering with you.
If the room were filled with diamonds.
| would not lift my finger to save them.
Take all you can find. | am going tu
sleep. 81 don't make any more noise"
Hold on" said the fellow: "wherc
are your keys -
Il suppose Nou want tn make a>
much of haul aS Nou can, | said: ">o
look in my pants hanging over the bed
post there and You'll tiud my pocket
book. with few stamps i'll it,.
1t WAS nearly time for the policeman
Ia pass. and paused To listen. must
in a few moments. put my plan int" cN-
ecution.
Il
me that the key of the door wa> ON tn,
outside
My listening expression did not c>-
cape the pr;lcticcd eye ut my grim Wis
itur. 1t WAS Il curious scene NO doubt
/ sitting i'll my bed. in my night rl"tkr-
umaImcd. and this StIIWHri riltian
pistol in hand. glaliu" half SII>piri"IlS-
ly. half trrnciuuSlN at me. aud almost
in the crouchug attitude oi Il tigci
about to spring upon his prey. Rut
there. sat. very co"lly conNcr>img viii
him. the necessity of the moment keep
ing my wits too wide awake t" allow
my fears t" get the upper hand for ~
instant.
What are you listening t" ;" a>kt,
the burglar.
Il Thought | hcatd a cry of iile.
In that instant and in the dead still
ness of the night. | heard the tramp oi
the policeman. II WAS some 'i>tInc,
oft
You will find" said. clotlr.
OF mine in the press they will, h"wev
cr he too small for Nou. Good night
/ the keys are in the middle drawer
| He turned to the drawer indicated
and us he did so. with one trcmendou.
bound cleared the space hetwern my
| bed and the door. slammed the doc
and locked it upon him. Oblivious o
my dishdbHIe, Sprang I" the steps.
had two flights to descend and the doc
to open before could reach the yard
but it was hardly possible for him It
descend the ladder more quickly
Bounding rather than running dow
stairs. flung back the bolt and dash
ed into the yard. He WAS half wa,
down the ladder. Shouting police :,
Justify, seized the ladder at the bot
tom, and. using all my power. hrough
it and the burglar to the ground with
crash. The pistol he held in his han,
dropped from his grasp. made
dash for it. and he Springing to his fee
like IL cat, made Il rush ut me, and aS
stopped seized me bv the nape of tn
neck. | turned the pistol upward am
pulled the trigger 1t merely snappe,
there were no more charges in il
With IL terrible oath. the batflcd villai
wrenched the pistol from my grasp an
raised it alOft to deal me what Nigh
have proved fatal blow. when ther
was rush behind him, and he was fel
led to the ground. The policeman ha
heard my shout, and was Just in tim
, to rescue me.
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