Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-04-17
oTTUMWA WAPELLo COUNTY, APRIL


storm was still raging ; but though tha
road was lonely, better that than this
house with its horrible company
could not save my grand prop
erty, but / could save my own life.
crept across the room, and into thu
hall, and to the door. There, softly a.
I could, | unfastened tho bolts ant
bars, but alasi one was above my
reach. / waited and listened, then
moved hall chair to the spot and 90
upon 1t; In doing SO | struck my shout
der against the door frame.
IL was slight noise, but at that mo
mems the chip of the chiscl stopped.
heard gliding foot, and horror OF
horrors man came from the study
sprang toward me, and clutchcd mt
with both hands, holding my arms at
in vice, while he hissed in my ear
"You'd tell, would you?" You d cal
help! You might better have slept
you had for you see you've got to pay
for walking. I'd rather have let q
chick like you of, but you know me
now, and | can't let you i've" 4t
4 stared in his face with horror min
gled with an awful surprise; for now
that it was close to me, saw, not the
negro, but our own hired man, Antho.
ny--Anthony whom / had supposed to
be miles away with Hannah. lie was
little more than youth, and | had
given him many present, and had al
ways treated him well,
Iplead with him kindly.
"Anthony I never did any harm to
You; I am young;I / ann girl, don't
kill me Anthony. Take the money
don't kill me for poor grandma's sake.
"You'll tell on me" said he dogged-
.ly. Likely I'd be caught. Mol have
got to kill YOU"
As he spoke he took his hands from
from my shoulders and clutched my
throat fiercely.
l had time to utter one piercing cry,
then l was strangiingy dying, with
sparks In my eyes, and a sound as Of
roaring waters in my ears, and then
what had sprung on my assassin, with
the swift silence ofthe leopard ? What
had clntched me from him, aud stood
over him with something glitterins
above his heart? The mist cleared
away, the blurred mist that had gather'd
over my eye as sight returned / saw
the negro with his knee upon Antho-
ny's breast. .Is
The fugitive had housed aud fed
had saved my life.
Then ten minutes after--ten minutes
in which, but for that poor slaves
presence, would have been hurried
ont of life--the rattle Of wheels aud
the tardy feet Of old Ajax were heard,
and my grandparents were with me.
II is needless TO say that we were
not ungratcful to our preserver need.
less also, to tell of Anthony's punish
lnent.
It came ont during his trial that he
had long contemplated the robbery
that the absence Of my grandparents
appearing to afford an opportunity, he
had decoyed Hannah away with a lie,
and hid in the study. lie knew moth
ing of the negro's presence, and being
na3nrally supersticious. had actually
fancied my protector creature ffom
the other iworld, and submitted with
out struggle.
Long ago--so we hesrl--the negro
no longer slave, met his wife and
children beyond danger; and now that
the bonds are broken for all in thit
free land, doubtless they have return.
ed TO the genial cline whence they fled
to find refuge In Canada.
The Hon Geo. b. McCrary, member
of Congress from the lst District ol
Iowa, sends the following card to the
Gate City, in which paper it appeared
yesterday. 1t is manly, straight
forward statement. and we commend
it to our readers and the balance ofthe
members of Congress from this State
who are permitted 10 share in The
back pay voted at the last session:
kEoKUK, April s, 1873.
EDITORS GATE CITY.-- Gentlemen
In compliance with the request OF Q
number Of my constituents. expressed
TO me in private letters aud otherwise
and also in similar request.
made by the press of the District e
which my attention has been called
asking for public statement OF tht
course propose pursuing In the
premises, deem it proper TO make
public the folio Eing statement:
/ have not received, and do not in.
tend TO accept the back-pay voted b.
the last Congress to its members. OF
any part oft. As soon as am advised
Gas ! have not yet bccn) OF the amount
Of money placed to my tredi. as back
pay, intend to order its return to tht
Treasury of the United States, and, il
found practicable, its application to
the reduction of the National debt.
am aware that this publication may
appear to some as unnecessary and os'
tentatious, and this consideration has
caused me TO hesitate and TO delay tt
mako il, and 1t is made now because
my constituents and friends insist up
on II, and because / recognize il as thu
privilege and duty of the Represents
tive to answer sny aud all questions
touching the rights and interests of tn,
one, or the public aud official acts .
the other. Very Respectfully.
Gro w MC(RARY.