Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-04-12
Pa handed me a small piece of paper.

| your daughter, DuG On no accOunI let {
hint of the affair drop before your sister
A friend warns you."5 4eas ers 9g
I nearly dropped On the floor with
fright, but quite agreed with pa that
auntie oughtn't to be told; and then we
held a council Of war about things.
Pa brought down his grandfather's
rifle, that he had used during the Revo
luton, but none of the triggers Oh
things would work; and if they had,
we had no bullets to put in i, and SO
we propped it up against the hatrack
in the hall, to look prepared. After
that there was nothing left TO defend
the house with but the draEing room
poker, because Bridget had the table
knives locked up, and we dared not ask
for them, for she had only been with us
a week, and she might be one Of the
gang. -- F..4r r..t... ID gsata 35t G.
, Oh, how did wish for dear Vincent
as I stole up stairs, for pa and had
agreed that we had better pretend to
haye gone to bed, and let things take
their own course. a&.a ~' "~ ..-
Well, I locked nv own door, and sat
shivering on the bedside in such fright !
I heard pa preten ding to snore loudly,
in order to deceive Bridget, who slept
just above him, if she happened to be
one of the wretches; but knew he was
heating the poker over his lamp all the
time.
Everything was awfully quiet until
about one O. clock, when / heard curl
Gus sound down stairs, like some one
softly opening the French window in
the drawing-room; and presently 1
heard poor pa stealing past my door, so
as not to let me know what was happen
ing. I waited until he got got past, and
selling little dagger Vincent had given
me for a paper-cutter, | stole softly after
him. -~ae-
Auntie's room-door was ajar, and I
gently closed and locked it as / passed.
Pa did not hear me, but glided softly
on in; front, with the poker in his hand.
> I felt quite like heroine, and not a
bit afraid, though 1 knew I'd faint as
soon as l. saw~the dreadful wretehes; :;
but [ couldn't dream of letting pa be
murdered, without trying to help him.
Pa stopped at the hall door, and OPEN
ing it very quietly, stole out on the
verandah, and I followed him. He
went to the French-window, through
which faint light shone, and Istoleup
beside him. He fairly jumped when he
saw me, but Iput my finger on his lips;
and,. bending forward, we both looked
through an open-work rose in the lace
curtains. s IN
The gas was turned up to a tiny jet,
and we could see stout little man sit
ting in chair with his back toward us.
and wine glass in his. hand, and oh !!
I nearly screamed I For there was
Aunt Judith, all dressed in her new
promenade suit, sitting close beside the
wretch, with her hand upon his shoul-
deri
"Doral' said pa, supporting himself
on the poker, Gam dreaming?" r.
"No, DEAR" I answered, " "that's
auntie" --rf- ..-rrr9 s-t
I" She's in state of somna mbulism, {"
said pa, solemnIy. "Don't scream, Dora;
the most fatal effects have resulted from
suddenly rousing person in her state.",
He thought I'd have screamed out,
when auntie actually kissed the burglar,
and then laid her crimped wig on his
shoulder. .... .. -.*
"This is dreadful p said pa, yViping
his forehead with the tail of his dressing
gown. "How are we to rescue your
aunt from her fearful position ?"
HushW returned; "letus listen to
what they are saying"
The window was partially open, and
we could hear every word distinctly.
"My angelic Judith" said voice
that made us both start, 81 this trusting
devotion is beautiful; but [ cannot re-
pay it by treachery. No, notat all !"
: "Don't mention it, dearest genera" "
Aunt Judith, in a very wide
awake voice indeed. "You are my
guiding-star, and I'll follow you to tae
end of the worldr' r.: as
"Thank you, ma'am!" said the gene
raj. "But, 'hem,l would it distress you
excessively, if I were to tell you that
Imnot general, at all ??
"My dear trifer!" calculated auntie,
jerking her head from his shoulder, on
which the general rose to his feet.
8 It's true bill,'' he continued; for
[ never was in the army, except in the
Pumpkinville Invincibles." ' ....
sss s,What is rank to the true HEARTH
said auntie, in dulcet voice. "Have l
not your love?'
"Away with this unworthy disguise /"
roared the general, putting off his wig,
and trampling his green spectacles un-
der foot. " | love, [ adore you; but J
cannot continue to impose on such
trusting innocence. | am married
man, with three small children and a
devoted wife; but saw and loved you.
I assumed this disguise IN order to win
you, and bear you to foreign shore.
My name is Samuel Popkins, and you
are deceived angelW ~
The deceived angel stood for an in
stant perfectly motionless, and then,
shrieking Historically, tore off her
crimped coiffure, and flung it in Sam
Popkins' face.
q You wretchr' she screamed. ~
always knew that you were low repro
bate, and that that vile Vincent and
YOU have concoeted this shameful plot
to get rid of me, because I kept my eye
on that mink Of my poor brether,s = T. ?
i !" Hold your tongue, judith r. shout
ed my dear pa, rushing IN through the
window. "You shameless old woman,
meeting strange men at the dead of
night, ana calling my little girl mink
Come here, Dora, and take your old fool
of an aunt up stairs p ..---.f +.
"Iwon't go p 1noaned auntie. " Keep
your distance, minxI Dh-h-h Pa
!. ! Pa was red with rage. He turned to
Sam Popkins. yesaa #efsasA
"Get out of this house, you graceless
scamp l11 he said, shaking the poker at
him. " A nice return from your fathers
son. that I trust and treated like a
friend. AS for Vincent-there, Dora,
don't cry, my pet-I won't say a word
against the graceless fellow! Here,