The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-05-14
MI isC g Ian @ o LIS.
A Might Of .A1arna..

My sister Julia was always very coura
geous. In our youth the country was wild
er than now but it might truly be sale
of her that she was not brought up in the
woods to be scared by an owl. She would
traverse the most unfrequented paths, won
dering at my timidity. There was moth
ing masculine, however, in Julia's appear
ance; she was simply sweet, joyous
child, with an absence of fear in her char.
acter, and consequent clearness of per
ception in all cases of supposed or real
danger.
When was sixteen and Julia eighteen
my father hired laborer named Hans
Schmidt, Hessian, who had been in the
British service, and who, at the close OF
the war, had deserted from his regiment
He was powerful man, with heavy, i'm
bruted countenance; and both Julia and
myself were struck at the very first with
an intuitive dread of him. The feeling in
Julia hardly took the character of fear,
but was one rather Of loathing; yet, if she
could have feared anything, | think it
would have been that man, for she had an
intuitiye perception that he was demon
strative. One evening she read of horri-
BILE murder that thrilled our blood and
upon turning her eyes from the paper, they
encountered those of Hans Schmidt
There was something terrible in his glance;
and, from that moment, she resolved that
the villain should be turned away. AS
her wishes and opinions were always OF
much weight with my father, the latter
gave the Hessian his discharge
Soon after this, Julia and l were left
alone in the house, both our father and
mother being absent upon visit until the
following day, and we happened to be
without a female servant at that moment
Qor we only kept one.) So Julia and l
had been remarkably busy, since early
morning, making various household ar
engagements with which we intended to
surprise and please the old people upon
their return, and being unusually weary,
proceeded to our chamber at an early houl
of the evening. We had partly disrobed
ourselves, when Julia turned hastily to the
window
Il declare she said, 'the evening is SO
pleasant that it is a pity to remain indoors
! don't feel bit sleepy, let's go down up
on the lawn
We descended the stairs. How little |
imagined what was in Julia's heart Har-
ry Irving came up just as we reached the
lawn. He was only casually passing the
house. Julia engaged him in conversation
and he came and joined us. My sister
was more than usually lively and engag-
ing.
Where are Tom, and Edgar, and
Will 2 she asked, abiding to his broth.
ers.
oh replied Harry, they arc over
at uncle's. They will be coming back
soon.'
His uncles farm was mile off, and his
own house was about half that distance
The three young men soon appeared upon
the road and to my surprise, Julia arose
at their approach, and proceeded to meet
them. Then she returned to Harry and
me, and called lis aside from the door.
Now, Mary, you need not be nervous,
she said. Keep quiet, and do not speak
above your breath. There is man under
our bed-there, there' and she clapped
her hand over my mouth-'a man under
our bed, and the young Irvings are going
up to secure him y
They all provided themselves with heavy
sticks; and then, guided by Julia, ascend.
ed the stairs.
AS to myself, ! could not follow them
but remained trembling and moaning up
on the door-steps.
Never did experience a greater sense
of relief than when the assaulting party
descended, looking partly ashamed and
partly amused, having found nothing tc
justify their sudden armamene Julia was
in an agony of modification, and wept pit
eously for, although half convinced thai
her apprehension had been groundless, the
idea that she, who had never till now fear
ed anything, had placed herself in light
so ludicrous in the eyes of those young men
was insupportable. The man, she said
must have taken the alarm and fled out OF
the back door, for she could not have beer