The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-11-18
eminate from something prone upon the

floor. II
Suddenly the awful thought flashed {
across my brain that the hidepus son Of the !
landlady had entered the room and con {
cealed} himself before Ltook possessioel, and {
this with d view to rob me. # callsd for
assistance Ifeltsassured,he E4uld sfting Up
and snothse me as ~ witAlmy boy in NY
arms, and even if my cries were heard IN
all probability they would not be needed.
If sprang toward the door to make my
escape, how was it possible, with that
heavy chest and those chairs against It, for
me to effect an egress. was almost wild.
felt my brain Keeling. --.- ---..ss-s.---
All! what silent, passionate prayers for
preservation went up from my heart te dod
that night!
Lying there, waiting for the throttling
fingers upon. my throat, l slowly lifted my
head from the pillow and peered around the
room. dimly lighted by the smouldering en-
bers upon the hearth, when l felt the planks
of the bed under me pressed upward as
something crept beneath it on the hoor.
Observation-Disclosures stealthily |
it advanced.
1t was q mani felt confident Of that |
and he was watching, like . tiger IN the
jungle, for the suspicious moment to spring
upon his defenceless prey.
| lay so still he believed me to be asleep,
and was leaving his hiding place to COM
mence his desperate work
rose lightly in the bed upon my knees,
and so remained waiting to do battle Tor my
life, and for the life Of my precious child
living so close to me wrapped in his warm
| and rosy slumbers.
O, God! the agony Of those moments.
| knew not whether he would creep out
at the foot Of the Ted, or to the right.or left
side of it.
Watching, lynx-eyed, still kneeling,
waited moment longer, and by the GRIM
SON glow Of the embers his face was reflect
ed in the looking-glsss which hung above
the chest Of drawers that had stood oppo-
site the foot Of the bed. His hideons face.
with it's horrible mouth, with its greenlsh
fanxs, and those frightful, leering, oestiai
eyes, how they looked.
He was srinning as he Poked his head
out, and the light glowed on his counte-
nance.
ASH pazed upon him, in On instant hope
of salvation flashed through my mad BRAN:
The crimson scarf had worn mufied
around my neck during my travels, was y,
ing across the bed. l reached out WIN
! Quick. nervous grasp and caught It. and
waited for him to creep far enough IRON
under the bed to throw this scarf, like o
lasso, about his neck.
leaned eagerly forward: be crep'
}, along almost noiselessly, and then VARY
|, lifting his head he shook back the tangieo !,
8 shock of sandy hair from over his eyes sno
at The same moment l threw the scarf
It around his neck.
e Had i missed its aim would have been
lost, but God guided II with unerring pre-.
] cision, and planting my feet aga'ns' 'ne
foo,board l pulled with oil the tran''e
7 strength could command.
n .esxed the robber Of his self command, ang
: onlv hi. head being from under the bed ne
Il nd M mower to use his hands. | felt the
: wild ,hroes of his body foundering upon
: the floor beneath me; but not even aiter NJ
became Quiet did release my clutch upon
e the scarf.
r inc close to the door. and then they pausee
"a f acme one was listening. and al foeinl
: ou;et thew retired a. cautiously - they mac
y dared not call out. knew the mat
VA. dead. but if shrieked for help wouit
Q not the host and his wife become my muir
derers when they beheld their dead son.
VI How I lived through those hours Is
}, mystery to me. God WAS with me.
y rhe embers died out and left me and tn
,hrottled corpse and the unhappy child to
. ~ether in the dense darkness; and 30
,. vatohed for the dawning day and the com
r ing Of my husband.
Of :. last the 6rst rays Of the morning. sal
l. ahone in ~ the window. dared not look
the awful thing that lay prone upon tn
ID door, lest should loose my r. eeon:
he could not release my hold, for 10
y grown rigid. Was parslysed.
On the still, clear air Of the smorning
H. L., I he.vd Clarke's voice in the court b
"a low.
~ last night
n could not distinguish the answer.
elf Nv reason tottsred.
Iknev nothing more until months afse'
d, wards-at least distinctly.
sg have . faint recollection, and . fesr'
" one, Of the bursting in Of my room door,
: glimpse Of hideous face with blackene
ID tongue and eyes starting from their socket
I and Of our boy starting from his haPr
- sleep to greet his father. After enis.
he was a blank for weary weeks.
Clarke has told me since that susPieie
to rested upon the host and his wife.
no They hushed the matter up quickly. ~
the vould.be robber and assassin wss ou
IN led quietly enough.
II When next l looked in the mirror. n
face Vas prematurely pinched and wrinkle !.
ich and my hair vas Is silvery gray - It =
day.
led We moved from Anselmo, and reeurnn
INST 10 our native state We battled withthe bra
NO est until fortune came to ~.
rd- But the wealth Of the Indies, the bliss
an eternal, telluric paradise could never
m store me the freshnes and fairness o. =
. life. before that one fearful night Of 10
rorr
no. >AA~AAA<4