Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-17
A Night of Peril.
AN ACTOR COMPASSION AND RESCUE.

Hollow. IL may nave Deen lunerdi Or
some religious meeting, for they both
drove off dressed in their best, in the gig,
with old Ajax harnessed to it; and after
had tucked in grandma's iron-grey silk
skirt and ran back to the house for grand
pas spectacles and had seen the gig van
ish in the distance, | felt lonely. Burns
Hollow was lonesome place at all
! times: and the handsome rambling man
sion, which might have sheltered regi-
ment, had a ghostly air about it when
one walked through the upper rooms
alone.
| There were but two servants in the
kitchen, Hannah Oakes and lad named
| Anthony / heard them laughing mer-
rily together, for, though Hannah was
an old woman, she was full of fun, and
! in five minutes the door opened, and Han
nah came in with the tray.
"Please, Miss, said she, as she sat
! in down, "may / run over to Maple
ton tonight? My sisters daughter had
boy last night, they say, and naturally |
want to see-It's the first | ever had of
! grand niece or nephew
q Who brought the news | asked.
+" Anthony, Miss, said Hannah. 8 He
met George-that's my niece's husband
when he was out after the cow, stray
ing, as she always is, and told him to
tell Hannah she's grand-aunt.
''You may CO." ! said, but don't
stay late Grandpa and grandma may
be away all night, and l feel nervous.
To be sure, there is Anthony, but never
rely on him. Be certain not to stay
late.
| repeated this injunction with sort
of fright stealing over me-a PRESENT.
I Q6
me TO add, " Be back by nine. Why,
l eau not say, but felt as if at nine /
should be in some peculiar danger.
Hannah promised, and after doing all
that | required, went away, and L heard
her heavy shoes on the garden walk out
side.
Early as it was, | had dropped the
curtains and lighted the wax candles on
the mantel; and | sat long over my tea,
finding certain companiOnship in it, as
women of all ages will.
sat thus long time, and was startled
from a revery by a rap at the door-A
timid sort of rap, so that | knew at
once that it was neither member of the
household nor an intimate friend.
waited, expecting Anthony to answer
the door, but finding he did not, went to
it myself
1t had grown quite dark, and the
moon rose late that night. At first
could only make out a croucbing figure
at the bottom of the porch. But when
J | spoke it advanced, and by the light OF
, the hall lamp | saw black man. had
always had fear of a negro, and in
stinctively shrank away but as did SC
, he spoke in husky whisper: " This Is
MaSsa Norton's isn't it? ,"
Yes" 1 replied; 9 but, grandfather
is out" / retreated; he advanced.
, Please, Miss" he said, Judge D.
!, , sent me here He said Massa 'ud helE
me on. Let me stay here night, Miss
2 rs trabbled five DAYS since l left him
$ hidin' like. Use awful hungry pear
! like I'd drop, and old massa's arter me
For the lub of heaben, Miss, let ms
hide somewheres, and glib me jes' crust
Massa Judge promise Massa Morton .ut
, help me, an it's kept me up. Missis will
r | know"
s knew that grandfather had giver
! succor to some of these poor wretches be
fore, but felt that | might be doing
wrong by admitting stranger in his ab
i sence.
Caution and pity struggled within me
! At last said, I" You have nCte iron
= the Judge, 1 suppose /"
- / had some writin' on paper, sal
the man. 'sbut | done lose it de night
: rained so. All! Miss, rs tellin' d
: trufe-Judge sent me, sure as Is sin
ner. Is been helped along so far, an
!, gears like mus get to Canada. Can
: 90 back no ways. Wife's dar and d
Il Young uns, Got clear a year ago: Miss
= | pray for you cherry day of my life e
n you'll jes' be so good to me. Tank YOU
y Miss" !,
For somehow when he spoke of viii
and children had stepped back and L
: him in.
:. 1t was the back hall door TO which th
- rap had come, and the kitchen was clos
9 at hand. / led him thither. When
], saw how worn he was, how wretche(
= how his eyes glistened, and how und'
- his rough blue shirt his heart beat so thi
" you could count the pulses, ! forgot N
e, caution. / brought out cold meat an
1t bread, drew a mug of cider, and sprea
,e them on the table. The negro ate, an
g. | left him to find Anthony, to whom
- intended to give directions for bis lodi
ing.
y To my surprise, Anthony was nowhel
ut about the house or garden Hanna
i'd must have taken him with her across IL
o. lonely ROAD TO Ndpl6bOu.
= Tt was natural, but felt angry.
u Yet longed for Hannah's return, al
ld listened very anxlously until the cloc
struck nine Then, instead of her foo
steps. heard the patter of raindrol
ts and the rumbling of thunder, and, loo
"A ing out, saw that a heavy storm W
:, coming on.
= Now, certainly grandpa and gran
Oh ma would not come, and Hannah, wa
e. ing for the storm to pass, would not
FL here for hours However, my fear
- the negro was quite gone, and | felt
~ certain pride in conducting myse
no bravely under these trying circumsta
H. ces.
nd Accordingly went up stairs, found
is the attic sund1y pillows and bolster
and carried them kitchenward.
"Here," said, :" make yourself b
q on the settee ysnder, and be easy for t
night. No one will follow you In su
a terrible storm as this, and no dou
OF grandpa will assist you when he retur
TX, home"
IDS "Good night, and God bless yo
ed Miss" still speaking in husky whisp'
81 And so / left him.
But I did not 90 up stairs to my bt
1 Il
main dressed, and sit up in grandp
armchair, with candles and book 1
ell company Therefore locked the do'
an took the most comfortable position, a
". opening volume, composed myself
ION read.
'eh Reading, l fell asleep. How long
,g. slept cannot tell. was awakened
ell a low sound like the prying OF chlse
At first it blended with my last dres
so completely that l took no need OF
er- but at last | UNDERSTOOD that some
RS was at work upon the door.
red I sat perfectly motionless, the bio
lco curdling in my veins, and still ch
ain chip, went the horrible little instrume
ars until at last knew whence the sou
ND came.
en- Back of the sitting-room was graz
hat pas study. There, in great old ia
, !. Toned chair, were stored the family