National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-05-30
MRS. PERCY'S PERIL.

Arthur Percy, captain in Her Na;estv,.
Dragons. is my husband. md tbe "a
venture am about TO Relate befell me
about eighteen mont.hs after our mar.
riage, when the regiment was ouartered
in Ireland ~
detachih. .ent was stationed in one ~
tne most r.nqulet parts of that country.
whlch : refrain, from obvious reasons
from naming. Arthur was ordered r.,
taAe command Of it. and SO [. of rourse
accompanied him with our baby. an in.
fant OF about five months. We Thought
ourselves very fortunate in having 80,
cured a small out extremely pretty cot.
tage at an. almost nominal rent distant
about one mile from the barracks
cannot better describe the cottaoe
than by telling you that it was called
The Bungalow, and like its name.
sake, was long, one-storied buildinp
with veranda in front of the principal
windows. A small entrance ball in
which Were two doors was the first thing
observed on entering: one led Ia tbo
drawing-room, dining room. and three
bedrooms, while the other led directl-
to the kitchen, servants room. az IN.
passage Leading to the or.er Offices
our estaoiishment Consisted of two
women servants apC, one man the lat-
ter, being soiGIer, returned every nigbt
10 10 'he oarfD.cks, which happened to be
t,ie ne'.est habitation to us. not even
,he numblest dwelling breaking the
loneliness of the way between them and
the Bungalow. ''''''
have already said that the distance
from them was about mile. and the
road, which was partly grass. grown. Law
through narrow sort of lane, enclosed
on each side by very high hedges
lhese hedges were n continual horror
TO me- Searcel Y ever did see Artbnr
START IN the morning without visions
arising OF deSperadoes concealed behind
them; dressed in the ineviteole lone
tailed ragged coat, the nigh.crownod
harFoW-rimmed hat. and the mnrdoron,
weapon all of winch thincs invariabIr aIj'r
associated ST, with an Irish rnffian
Inc dragoons had been sent 10 ouoII
some rlsings, and to support the an.
'n'ntles, consequently they were nnt
regarded by the natives in anv verv
tnondly light.
As the weeks went on and every after
noon Drought Arthur safely back TO me.
HlF Tears were somewhat alaved. and
oc''Sionally | walked through the lane
towards the town to meet him-alway.
however, feeling glad when | got safely
P''' any chance passer-by whom might
encounter.
Arthur used to laugh at nv fears, and
as l knew | was desperate coward I
uIed 10 think they were groundess,
ana merely the result of my own natural
tlmidity.
Inc year was drawing to a close. and
on the 10th of January we were to bid
Iuieu to the Bungalow, Ireland, and the
tiISa. The regiment was under orders
ior England in the spring, and till then
Arthur was to go on leave.
was IN raptures at the prospect of
De"g settled in my own part os the
TEot'u again, and, best of all. leaving
iiei'nu against which | entertained so
REio'ouhd a prejudice. 1t was Christmas
i:'e arthur was obliged. most unwil-
MnA8y, to spend it at the barracks. as
sI'e lew officers there wished to have n
IareWell dinner, and, in addition. there
was 10 be an entertainment for the sol.
ulers at an early hour.
IL had been showing heavily all dav
ana when Arthur left. about haIf-past
Three o'clock in the afternoon. darkness
was beginning to come on.
begged him not to return if the
snow continued, as | knew it might be
very late ere the party broke up, and |
touio not bear the idea of his coming
i.ohe through that dark, narrow road, |
rI ~ the middle of snowy December
n'sh': II he lid come he was to tap at
iIis window, which would enable me to |
~. MN IN without disturbing the SER
,tt"nIS' who slept at the other side of
the house.
nter l had watched his figure dis |
J5Ppeaf re-entered the cottage with a
u'Sdgreeable sense of solitude and |
ris %ieaLlhess, which I tried to dispel by |
s,HBihg Tor the nurse to bring my baby, |
oo,.ilrrlng o.l the fire into cheerful blaze. and |
iirerwlse occupying myself Though |
blIost quite dark, it was now only |
tbo bYout iour o'clock, and the blinds in
dro nttie sitting room were still un-
a"h' L was sitting on the hearth
u;s with baby on my lap, amusing her
nasl ,I my watch and its glittering ap-
sonaSes, which were an unfaillng
tuice ,t. OF pleasure to her and as she
tbe'ched out her little hands to grasp
tbo l was suddenly attracted to
wb; e direction of the window, through
TN to my unutterable horror, l dis
ei uished distinctly the face of man
moaig upon me. In that swift,
woaiehtary woa glance 1 could see that it
tona pale, sinister, malevolent coun-
bnanGe, boar1i, with small, hungry eyes. My
,orrn fart peat wildly, but 1 dissembled my
otha otllor well, | suppose, as had 1 done
J;serise Jssrwise baby and might have Jared
bIIently So rapidly had 1 compre
to nted L the necessity for appearing not
st - nave observed him, that / hardly I
Tipped tSapp,pd speaking to my baby, but a ]
nroe ,nousand projects for escape from my
ttheseht position revolved themselves
7 Iough my whirling brain. How could {
dars Sscape from that little room, with its {
LIZ, unshaded window Furtively
i;heu again, and was infinitely re-
xsn;s waved to find that the apparation had
;.anished, "a for the present, at least, from !
I I'S ,a'e close proximity to the window.
8ot up at last, still chat,ering to my I
tn child, and moved slowly {
;ps. Saas the door, even pausing fer an I
instant at the table, partly to gather I
strength to proceed, rs nv limbs were 8