Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-01-16

aims, ard, even ii my 'iitH were Healu, III
all probability they wond not be needed.
"IfI sprang toward tic door to make my
escape, how was it possible, with that heavy
chest, and those chairs against it, for me to
my BRAN rcelng.
"Ah! what silent, passionate prayers for
preservation went up from my heart to God
tfat night
Lying there. waiting for the throttling
fingers upon my throat, slowly lifted my
head from the pillow and peercd around the
room, dimly lighted by the Sinoidcriug en-
Der, upon the hearth. when felt the pal;ks
OF the bed under me pressed upward, as
something crept beneath it on the floor.
''Crccping- -crecpng-crccpins stcalthily
it advanced
alt was mani felt confident of that
and he was watching, like a tiger in the
/ jungle, for the auspcious moment to spring
I upon his deltmSelcSs prey.
81 lay so still he believed me to be asleep,
and was leaving his hiding place to commence
| his desperate work.
81 rose lightly in the bed upon my knees,
and so remained waiting to do battle for my
( life, and for the lie of my precious child,
! lying close to me wrapped in his warm
and rosy sIumbers
so, God! the agony Of those moments
81 knew not whether hc wo&iI creep out
a the foot Of the bed, or 10 the right or left
side of it.
"Wntchins, lynx-eycd, still kneelng, l
waited Il moment longer, and BY the crimson
glow of the embers. his face was reflected in
the looking-ga>s which had hung standing
above the chest Of drawers that had stood
opposite the foot Of the bed. His hidcouS
face, with it. horrible mouth, with its green
isIl lansS, and those lriyhtlu', lcering, beast
ial eyes how they Looked.
''lIc was grinIiag Is he ppkcd his head
out, and the light g.owcd on his couu;c-
nance.
"A> | eazrd upon him, in an instant
/ hope Of sa.yation flashed through my mad
| blain
"Thc crimson scarf | had worn muflrd
around my neck daring my travels, wa> ly
ing across tie bed. reached out with quick,
nervous grasp and caught it, and then waited
f5r him 20 crcrp far enoagh from under the
b'd to throw dis ac;ri, Ike Il IaS.;o about his
neck.
Il leaned eagerly forward lie cropt
along almost noislcS~ly, and then wariiy
lifting his head he Shoo!, back the tangled
shock o' sandy hair from over his eyes, and
at the same moment | threw the >ca,l around
/ Ei> neck
! clad it missed is aim would I,ayc been
lost, but God ,idcl it with nerring pre-
ci>ion. and, painting my Ir1Iag inst the foot
hourd p4l'>I with All the frantic strength
I conid conn,nd.
! 'Thc attack coming 50 Sudlcniy, dispo>-
scsSed the robber Of hi, sct-cnm,naud, and
oniy hi head beng rom under the led he
had no power to use his hands. | felt the
wild throes Of his body fpuniepnS upon the
/ loor beneath ne: but not even after he b.
came quiet did release my clutch upon tn,
scarf
"Oac2 remember heard footsteps seal
iug close to Tie door, and then t!ay pae-ed
a~ if some one WAS listening, and All being
quiet they retired Il, cautiously as try lad
/ approached.
Il dared not call out. knew the man
was dead. bat if | shricked for help would
not the host and III, wife become my mur-
darers when they hcilcld their dead son.
"IIow lived through those hours is a
my-tery to me. God was with me.
The cmbers died out, and left me aud the
throttlel corps, and the happy child to-
gethcr in dense darkness and SO watched
tor the dtwning day and the coming Of my
husband.
"Leaden-tootel the hours dragged by, and
ut last the frs, ray, OF the morning sun shone
in at the window. | dared not look at the
awful thing that lay prone upon the floor,
lest should lose my reason.
Il could not release my hold for | had
grown rigid. was paralyzcd.
'On the still, clear air of the morning at
last heard Cnrke's voice in the court be-
low.
."IIalloo! mine host, Did my wife como
lat mig t.
Il could not distinguish the answer
"Mv reason t"ttcrcd.
Il knew nothing more until months after
warclS-;tt least distinctly.
81 have a faint recollection. and fearful
one, Of the bursting i'll Of my room door, Of
4 glimpse of hideous face with black
cned tongue, and eyes starting from
their sockets, and Of our boy Starting from
hi happy s,ecp TO greet his father. After
this all was blank for weary weeks.
Clarke ha~ told me since that suspicion
rested upon the host and his wife.
''rhey hushcd the matter up quickly, and
the would-be robbcr and assassin wa, buried
quietly enough.
when next looked in the mirror, my
face WAS prema,urely pinched and wrlnkIed,
and my hair was a> si.yery gray as it is to-
day.
1--WE moved from .An-clmo, and returning
10 our native state we battcd with the bray
est until fortune came to Us.
bat the wealth of the Indies, the bliss OF
!