The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-11-04
A NIGHT OF ALARM.

-hN SlStCL JuIli hdo NSIy SouiSSS
Gus. In our youth the country was
wilder than now; but it might be
said Of her that she was not brought
up in the woods to be scared by ap
owl. She would traverse the most
unfrequented paths, wonderingat my
timidity.
There was nothing masculine,
however in Julia's appearance; she
was simply sweet, Joyous child,
with an absence osfear: in her char.
acter, and a consequent clearness d
perception in all cases Of supposed OF
actual danger.
When l was sixteen and Julia was
eighteen, nv father hired a lahore,
.nanied Hans schmidt; al IssSiaa
who had been in the British service.
and who, at the close Of the war, had
deserted from his regiment.
He was a powerful man, with q
heavy imbruted .countenance, and
both Julia and myself were struck, at
Tie. very first, with an intuitive
dread Of him. The feeling in Julia
hardly took the character Of fear, but
was one rather of the most intense
loathins. ].
One evening she read of a horrible
murder that thrilled her blood, and
upon turning her eyes from The pape.
they encountered those, Of Hans
Schmidt. There was something ter
rible in that glance, and, from that
moment, she resolved that the vii
lain should be turned away.
As her wishes and opinions were
always of much weight with father,
he took her advice and gave Hans
his discharge.
Soon after this Julia and were
left alone in the house, both fathe,
and mother being absent on a visit
until the following day, and we hap
pened to be without a servant at the
time-for we kept no more than one.
At night We went to bed, and had
partly disrobcd when Julia turned
hastily to the window.
II declare she said, "the evening
is so pleasant that it is pity to re-
main in doors. l don't feel a bit
sleepy; let's go down on the lawn"
We descended the stairs. How lit
tie I imagined what was in Julia's
heart! Harry Irving came up Just
as We reached the lawn. He WI:
only casually passing the house.
Julia engaged him in conversation
and he joined US.
@Where are Tom and Edgar onc
WHIP" she asked.
"Oh," replied Harry, "they are ovel
to my uncle's. They will be coming
back soon.
The three young men soon appear
ed upon the road, and, to my sur
prise, Julia arose at their approach
and called US aside from the door.
Now, Mary, you need not be nerv
ous," she said. keep quiet and dt
not speak above your breath. There
is man under our bed-there there!'
and she clasped her hand over my
mouth-"a man under our bed anc
the young lrvings are going to Sc
cure him"
They all provided themselves with
big sticks, and then, guided5 by Julia
ascedned the stairs.
As to myself, | could not follow
them, but remained trembling ant
leaned upon the doorstep. Never die
I experience a greater sense Of relic
than when the assailing party de
seemed, looking partly ashamed anc
partly amused, having found moth
ing to justify their sudden arma
| ment.
Julia was in an agony Of mortiii
cation and wept piteously; for al
though but half convinced that hel
apprehensions had been groundless
the idea that she, who had never til
now feared anything, had placed her
self 50 ludicrousE in the eyesoft those
men was insupportable.
The man, she said, must have ia
ken the alarm and fled out The back