Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-20

ily go to bed. Still that internal jerks
kept before me. [ muttered anathemas
and turned over again.
Now comes the singular part of the
affair. l must have fallen asleep for a
moment. dreamed that l was in that
very house. in that very room and bed
that had fallen asleep and woke up with
the impression that there was some one
under the bed; that did not know how
to ascertain the truth Of it without caus-
ing the robber and murderer to spring
on me unawares; that having boyish
trick of stuffing my pockets with every
thing, l felt in there for marble and
found it-and leaning cautiously from the
forward edge of the bed, dropped or roll
ed it toward the back side or wall of the
room, thinking, as did so, that if there
was no one there, it would roll across
and strike the mopboard with sharp
click. dreamed that the marble rolled
but little ways, struck something and
stopped-that looked under the bed and
found Stowell instead of jerks. with muir
der written upon his face. Then there
was a confused plan of what I said and
did
came to full consciousness from this
dream, or incubus state, and ahem-ed and
turned over to see if / were really awake
now. My whole body was damp, the
sweat standing in cold drops upon my
face, so great had been my suffering in
that few moments sleep. 1t was so
strange, so frlghtfully real, that l shifted
to the other side, and as silently as posi-
BILE drew up my pants and felt in the
pocket. My fingers touched bullet that
was lying loose amidst other rubbish. l
drew it out, and with such a sensation as
| never experienced before and hope nev-
er to again, prepared for the dream test
Reaching my hand well down towards
the floor, gave it roll towards the back
of the bed 1t moved foot or two, and
struck something soft and stopped.
My heart stopped beating for minute,
and globules Of fire swan before my face,
peOpling the darkness with horrors.
There was no choice but to fill up the
the bed before my muscles were paralyZed
with terror, and called out:
"Here, you, Stowelr'-I actually in
tended to say jerks, but could not
''come out from there, and have done
with this sort of practical joking No
sound about the house. The stormy
clouds tearing away overhead, allowed a
watery moonlight to food the room.
"Stowell" called again, II am in no
mood for this sort of practical Joking.
have not boosted OF my courage, but
shall discharge my pistol under the bed,
hit or miss, IN one moment more"
There was humping and a rustling,
the spread was swept aside, and good
Heavens! it was Stowell. l could see his
white hair and beard Before he had
come to an upright position, for | could
dimly discern the outlines Of objects, |
sprang to the door to shout for help.
had not TUNED the key when l heard
leap outside, and the instant that the
bolt fell back from the socket, man
sprang into the room; pistol ball grazed
my ear, another shot, and two forms were
struggling upon the floor. was but a
moment inactive; the next, and | had
planted blow with the butt of my pistol
somewhere upon the grey head, which
stretched the villain seDseless, almost the
instant receiving the flash Of pistol in
the side Of the head, which, had it not
providentially refused fire, must have ma
terially interfered with my future powers
of narration.
Much confusion followed. The land
lord rushed in; the landlady also. Every
thing was explained directly, jerks
was my rescuer. jerks, whom | had so
doubted, said to me: Look here ~ and
he removed the white hair of the rebber,
and exposed to our startled gaze the clean
face and closely cropped hair Of ''sen-
fenced for life" penitentiary man.
'sHe escaped two weeks ago from =
and eluded pursuit / got on the track of
him at Detroit, and have followed him,
off and On, ever since. He came up
from New Sharon purposely to rob, and,
if need be, to murder you. His joviallty,
his apparent good-humor, allayed all
suspicion. / could read his plans when
he first went to bed. He slowed himself
into some closet Or corner of your room,
to wait for you to fall asleep. remained
close by your door, and should have
warned YOU but feared to arouse the sus.
picions of the fellow, lest he should again
make Off"
Since was really saved by dream,
| consider it remarkable.
distrust remarkably jolly people now,
and take into favor sour, silent-appearing
| persons.
jerks was detective.