Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-02-20


raindrops and the rumbling Of thunder
and looking out saw that a heavy
storm was coming on.
Now,certainly, grandpa and grand
ma would not come, and Hannah
waiting for the storm to pass, would
not be here Tor hours. However, my
fear Of the negro was quite gone, anC
| felt a certain pride in conducting my
self bravely under these trying circum
stances.
Accordingly | went up stairs, fount
in the attic sundry pillows and holsters
and carried them kitchenward.
"Here," | said, ''make yourself a
bed on the settee yonder, and be easy
for the night. No one will follow
you in such q terrible storm as this
and, no doubt, grand pa will assist you
when he returns home. Good night.
"Good night, and God bless you
miss" still speaking in very husky
whisper. And so left him.
But | did not 60 up stairs to my
bedroom. / intended for that night
to remain dressed, and to sit up in
grandpa's arm chair, with candles and
a book for company, Therefore |
locked the door, took the most com
Portable position, and, opening q vol
ume, composed myself to read.
Reading, | fell asleep, How long
slept | cannot tell. was awakened
by low sound like the prying of a
chisel.
At first it mixed with my last
dream so completely that | took no
heed of it, but at last | understood
that some one was at work upon the
lock Of the door,
| sat perfectly motionless, the blood
curdling in my veins, and still chip,
chip, chip, went the horrible little in
strument, until at last / knew whence
the sounds came.
Back Of the sitting-room was grand
pas study. There, in a great old
fashioned chair, were stored the fam
lily silver, grandma's jewelry, and sum
dry sums ofmoney and valuble papers
The safe itself stood in a closet in a
recess, and at the closet the thief Was
now at work.
The thiet-ah, without doubt the
negro | had fed and sheltered.
Perhaps the next act would be to
murder me if | listened, Tie storm
was still raging; but though the road
was lonely, better that than this house
with such horrible company. couldn't
save my grandfather's property, but |
could save my own life. &
| crept across the room and into the
hall, and to the door. There softly
as l could, unfastened the bars and
Dolts, but, alas! one was above my
each. | waited and listened. Then |
moved hall chair to the spot and
climbed upon it. In doing so | struck
ny shoulder against the door frame.
1t was but a slight noise, but at that
moment the chip of the chisel stopped,
heard a gliding foot, and horrors, a
nan came from the study, sprang
vwards me. and clutched me with
both hands, holding my arms as in a
Iice, while he Kissed in my ear:
YOU'D tell, would you? You'd
all help? You might better have
'lept, you had ; for you see you've got
o pay for waking. I'd rather have let
| chick like you off; but you know
ne now, and l can't let you live"
l stared in his face with horror,
mingled with an awful surprise; for
low that it was close to me | saw, not
he negro, but our own hired man,
Anthony-Anthony whom | had sup
posed to be miles away with Hannah.
lie was little more than a youth, and
had gwen nm many present, and
llways treated him well.
| Iplead with him kindly.
"Anthony, | never did you any
larm; | am young | am girl. Don't
ill me, Anthony. Take the money
lont kill me for poor grandma's
AXE"
You'd tell on me- said Anthony,
"Likely( I'd be caught.
80, have got to kill you"
AS he spoke he took hi, hands from
ny shoulders and clutched my throat
iercely.
| had time to utter one sufocating
hriek then | was strangling, dying,
With sparks in my eyes, and a sound
If roaring waters in my ears, and then
what had sprung on my assassin,
With the swift silence OF a leopard?
What mad clutched me from him, and
TODD over him with something g,A
ering above his heart ? The /lSt
leared away-the blurred mists that
lad gathered over my eyes; as sight
eturned | saw the negro with his
cot upon Anthony's breast.
The fugitive whom l had housed
nd fed had saved my live.
Then ten minutes after-ten minu-
es in which but for that poor slaves
resence | would have been hurried
ut of life-the rattle of wheels and
he tardy feet of old Ajax we heard
without, and my grandparents were
1ith me.
i-Itis needless to say that we were
lot ungrateful to our preserver; need
ess, also to tell of Anthony's punish. !
nent.
1t came out during his trial that he
ad long contemplated the robbery
hat the absence of my grandparents
ppaaring to afford an opportunity, he