Middletown transcript., 1873-07-05


o'clock should hope for Ar,hur-whcn
sound. awful. wild, uncarthly broke the
stiffness Of the dark Decembcr night. II
was scream from woman's voice in
dire distress; another followed, and il
came from some where in the house Not
a momcn, did hesitate.
Springing out Of bed and putting on
only my slippers-happily having kept on
my dressing gown seized my child.
pau.ing only to snatch up her little shawl
that lay beside her on the bed. unbar-
red my shutter. opened the window, and
the mex, moment was on the veranda. II
needed not third wild shrek to mpcl
me to speed beyond what | had ever
dreamed Of as possible.
In a second or two was beyond the
gate flying for life, for my own and ano-
theirs existence. dearer far. in my arms.
claspcd tightly TO me-fying through the
lines, past the dreadful hedges. on, stumb-
ling now anl then, but recovering myself
only to resume my race for life with
greater desperation. Death was surely
behind US, II tho pale, piercing face Of
the oatside watcher overlook me now,
what would be my fate?
God was mcrcifnl indeed to me, and
gave me the power to proceed iu my aw-
ful extremity.
Heavens portals could hardly have
been more rap,nrously reached than the
barrack gates as flew inside Of them
| saw group Of men standing in the
doorway aud toward them rushed, rec
ognizing. TO my unu,terablc thanklulness
among them my husband,
Hi, amaxcmpnt may hc better imagined
than described. MS be behcli us; and as |
could not do more than point behind me,
| believe poor Arthur must have thought
] had gone suddenly raving mad ! only
heard their voices murmuring around me,
aud ielt baby lifted on, of my arms,
though they tpll me- afterwards ! held her
= tightly they could scarcely separate US
The next thing | knew was that Arthur
had laid me On a sofa in bright warm
room, aud tha, we were saio--Ar,hur,
baby anil IAN together.
But the servants conveyed 10 Ar.
'hpr, us cohercutly as | could, the events
Of the afternoon and nv conviction that
nothing short If murder had been com.
I miltcd la less ihau five minutes be was
~. with some 0f the others, u the cat
+ t1sc Nhfrr lha nwfal scene presented it.
self II their siew u they entrrad
In the passage from tha kitchen 10 thr
entrance hall lay the aral body 81 our
unfortunate cnnk \ hlaw from snme
heavy weapon hal actually smashed il the
E l. ~
i tinet our other servant was found in an
insrn,ite state but. after some time, re-
covered sntlieie ently II bp able to give the
particulars af thu attack. aud d lescrip-
j ton II their assailant, who proved to lie
10 athrr than the monster who glarrd IN
upon me that very afternoon. Ii seemed
that, after had seen everything was sc-
cure. the servants had gnnc out 10 the
coal-huasc, anil. during. their temporary
abs nee from the kitchen door. the rniliau
had slipped III. seere,ed himself in n cup.
bnnrl III tie passage, and thus been nc.
iually locked into the house with ourselves
Imagining, il was supposed, thnt Ar,
i thur would not return aud knowing thal
We hal goal deal Of platc IN the house
he had arranged to begin operations aftcl
all was quiet. and the first scream had
been elected from the unfortunate servants
at whose bedside he suddenly made hi.
appearance
The misereant had struck down tn,
cook, while she attempted 10 escape,
which. happily for herself, the other ser.
ynni was too paralyzcd To do The scream
had heard u, left the house must hay,
been the last dying one Of the poor cook
whom the murderer had pursued ant
averiaken before she could gain my door
which wa,. 10 doubt. the point 10 whici
she was lying for suecor Not mo
ment too snnn had gone. An accom-
pliee had been admitted by the front door
which was found wide open my bedroom
donr shattered but nothing touched, M,
flight having. doubtless scared them.
The tracks Of their pursuing foststep,
were diseernei easily when the blessed
morning light of Christmas Day shone
They had evidently gone in pursuit of me
but probably my safety WAS due grentl,
to the whieuess of my garments. whicl
must have rendered my flying figure al
most invisible against the snowy ground
The police were soon in quest. aud er
many hours elnpsea The retreat of the as
sassins was discovered
! 4 desperate struggle ensuea. and. rec
oguizing in one man an escaped and INTO
rious convict. and in the conflict. ieclin
his own life was in danger. the constabl
fired on him. aud the miserable corps
, was conveyed to the police station. whcr
: our servant identified il as the murdere
Of tho cook and the assaiant of herself
, The wretched man had with his oompau
: ion aud aceomplce, escaped only two day
, before from prison. to which the latte
was safely escorted back BY couple {
policemen.
: The funeral Of our poor servant too
a place few days afterwards. aud the Bun
/ galow was finally deserted by US. TIL
/ other servant recovered completely. an
E the policeman. who had been wounded /
/ ihc con Wet rather spyrrelv wos renorta