Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-02-12

store.
There was so much picture lore TO can
vass, that It was II o'clock before we were
all snug in our rooms. Then 7 said my
catechism and went to bed.
By the way, may as well explain that
my catechism il repeated to Milly every
night and the questions are somewhat Of
this kind:
"Are you sure the kitchen fire IS quite
out1''
Ibid you turn of the gas7
''Was the studio window secured p
"Has Mary put out her light7'
Et cetera, ct cetera. Then / put out our
own, and sleep fell upon our humble roof.
was just busy paying the Spanish wo-
man for the great, luscious watermelon
she bad sold me under the walls Of the old
palace when fierce brigand fellow pre-.
sented formidable, bell mouth trabuco
at my head, and bade me give up my cash.
1 closed with him in a fierce struggle, but
it was all in vain be shook me and tossed
me as he lik ed, and all the while be kept
on saying:
Erred Fred Oh. pray DO wake up.
"Eh' What's the matter3''
I'm sure there's somebody breaking
in!-
"Botherr r.
I was drawing the clothes up over my
ears, when Milly began to sob.
"oh, pray, relieve me, dear. There is
indeed some one getting in"
Didn't yos send me down stairs a
month ago because the wind ratified the
front door," growled.
"Yes. yes. my dear: bat IN sure this
time"
80 you were when ii was only Jane
snoring up stairs
but. listen, dear, yourself"
$50 did when the sweeps came next
door OF o clock.
"Bui heard it as plain as possible-a
heavy, dull noise, and then sharp snap,
like a window fastening forced back. I'm
sure its thieves"
MY dear 1 said, quietly, you We got
burglars on the brain. shan't get up; 50,
that's Hat. Go to sleep; no one viii come
here"
"Theu let me get NJ and get 1 light-I'H
20, dear"
MADAM, ny mauhood's honor
Bang There was n thud which shook
our window. and 4 strange. gurgling noise
succeeded it, bat smothered and muffled
as II some one was being sufocated.
"Therer exclaimed Milly, pitimIy,
we shall be murdered. Pray. give me the
baby, dear"
''Irs only Tom Norris dreaming about
bull fights in Spain," said, hastily draw
ing on some clothes but though spoke
in tones Of credeuce and could bear some
one moving up stairs, was far from salts
Ted.
Lastly. struck light, and opened the
door, Just as one was opened overhead.
Anything the matter, oil fellow ?''
Anything the matter, old fellow ?"
These two questions crossed on their wly
mp and down.
II thought you were queer r
Il thought you we're queerr =
These remarks, too, crossed and then
we took counsel for a moment and listen
| ed, for ali was perfectly still.
! well, I'll 90 down and see, I said
for that was absolutely necessary. though
| I confess did not like the task.
! I hardly uaered the words before there
came up. evidently from the studio. a
sound as Of the window being ed furi-
0usly, then a hand was Leatiug at ii evil
dsntly, and before we could reach the door,
| the whole house was filed with a most dis
nal howl that sounded hardly human.
And again, in an instant
Help, help o., pray help"'
'"rhs is 4 rum start" said Tom Norris,
as unlocked the door and threw it open
when we entered together; and held up
the light above my head.
l have seen strange sights, but that was
one OF the most strange; for there, halt
st-angled. and with starting eyes, was the
head OF man apparently being guill0tined
by the window sash, which had fallen right
across his neck, holding him sscurel =
there, so 1t was impossible to move.
could read al glance how it happened
for the broken sash lines hung down into
the room. TAe fellow had forced back the
catch, and thrown up the window to gel
in; when, in a most inopportune moment
for him, the lines had snapped, letting The
heay Y, one panel sash fall-fortunately fol
the seoundrel-upon his shoulders, or il
must have been his death. As it was, ht
had wriggled and struggled hard, striving
in vain to free himself, till the sash rested
upon his neck, where it glided down more
tightly and, as his efforts grew weaker
and mis- hands impoient to hold il up, b,
hung there securely trapped. with nothin:
left for him TO do but howl for help.
"Well, you're a pretty sort Of a scoun
drel, you are" said Tom, coolly.
"For Heavens sake, sir, let me go. oh
pray, sir, let me out, and I'll never do 81
any more. I shall be dead directly"
And a precious good job, too,'' sal,
Tom. 1--WE could get on very well wiihou
, burglars"
'But please, SIR said the poor wretch
, in stifisd accents, II amt took nothin'."
: How many pals have You got on
, there ~
; "oh, sir, 'strue as goodness, sir, only two
T sir; aud the towards cut, sir, as soon a
they saw me here-hooked like pair {
, sneaks, sir; bat only let me get out. siI
please, sir, and I'll hloY on 'em both, sii
, Oh-h-hr e.
t Here the poor wretch uttered such hoS
| that ran TO the window.
"No, no, let him be-" said Tom, cooily
"He won't hurt. I'll see to him. Yo
go and tell them up stairs that we'v
caught the scOundrel and they need not b
afraid"
= II ran and performed the task, and cam
: back to find Tom arranging the light s
that it fell upon the burglars face.
UHndn'L We halIar hrar him In md n