The Van Buren press., 1876-03-14
MISCELLANY.
The 'rax-Collector's Wife.

settle down upon the earth. All day th
rain had been falling, sometimes in heav,
u showers, the roses and pinks in the gar
den had sickly look, for the petals hum
low, and were heavy with water and mu,
that had splashed upon them The cloud
were still dark and threatening. bespeak
ing stormy night. The little town o
Ashton in Virginia was nusually quiet
The streets were too uddy and tn
weather too inclement to eptics the pco
pie from their homes. Ohiy now an,
then solitary traveller was to be seen.
In vine wreathed cottage, on a fowe
sprinkled lawn the supper had been wait
ing over an hour for the master of th,
house, whose business had necessitatet
his being absent from home all day MIR
Jacobs was the tax-collector of the dis
trict, and consequently could not wait thu
return of pleasant weather before pursn
irg his journey. Therefore, he hat
equipped himself in his India rubber ove
garment in the morning, and had gone
about his business, leaving his wire the
promise of an early return 10 the evening
but supper time had come and gone with
out his making his appearance. Mrs
Jacobs, however, was not anxious as yet
Such delays were too frequent to cause
this one to give her any uneasiness Of
mind
She fitted about the house, busy with
evening aaties singing gay song as abe
went. She was bright little woman,
with world of courage written in her
dark, sparkling eyes
Anon she disrobed her little ones, and
put them to bed and when the night
shadows turned into an inky blackness,
she seated herself by the lamp and began
to work, still leaving the supper table
spread, and the food on the stove keep.
ing warm for the return Of her husband.
But the little clock on the mantle shelf
had told her the hour Of ten before his
step was heard at the door. He came in
hurriedys and strobe to seat without
removing his dripping outer garments.
81 must go to Richmond, to night"
he said in answer to his wifes question:
ing look.
"To Richmord!' repeated his wife,
in dismay. Twenty miles and in the
storm"
Cant be helped. he returned. "Basi
ness is business, You know"
.nH e,rJ1 on h,s 'uas, ,vseaftag tue tahd'
some face of light-complexioned, mid
dle-aged man. He had large gray eyes,
but they wore an anxious expression,
and their glance wandered restlcssly
around the apartment.
"Jane," he said suddenly again diving
his hand intc his troublesome pocket,
"do you suppose you could take care
of large sum Of money till to-mor.
row.
"Why, ycs,' she answered in sur.
prise.
IL have collected s5,000," he contin.
ued "it is too late to get to the bank
and do not care to carry so much with
me"
"Well, you can leave it here as well n.
not No one would think of my having
such sum of money.
He drew a large wallet from his p ok
ct and placed it in her hands
1t belongs to the government, and Il
you let it pass from your hands am ru
ined," he added.
"You are gong to eat some supper?' ?
che inquired
mo | have no time to lose. l mus
reach Richmond by midnight Good
bye. Take good care of the money. ant
fasten all the doors
He gave her hurried kiss and wa
gone But the soond Of his footsteps
had scarcely died away before Mrs
| he - fnn1 n Of fnu f,r
ing over her. Why it was she knew not
She had lived there seven years, and slep
there many night without the door ever
being shut. Now, they were locked ant
bolted, yet she 'uld not think of going
to bed She was too nervous for that
She was likewise too nervous to work
She put the money in the pocket of he
dress, and claspiDg it tightly in "
hands, she sat very still, gazing anxious
ly into nothingness. and listening so in
tensely that silence became fearful min
Cling Of discoriant sounds in her ears.
g An hour passed. 1t had been an ag'
!, to her. Presently she heard sound. /
was not rain. for there was perfect lul
in the storm. 1t could not lie a neigh
Dor, for she lived IN the outskirts of til,
village, some distance from any one, ant
she was not likely to be called up in
case of Sickness.
Again she heard it 1t seemed as if {
window sash had been slowly raised
Strange that she could have forgotten t.
fasten them down
"Why didn't John leave mt his revol
yer ?" she mused. "lhave nd,hing will
which to protect myself, in case should
be molested to night. 1t was really al
| oversight in him"
Again she heard the sound 1t seemed
to come from the bedroom. II was sure
ly the raising of sash Thent there wa'
the sound Of movement, rs though
some one was entering that way.
Fear nearly paralvzed her or mo
mcnt, but she quickly rallied, md, taking
up the lamp. proceeded to investigate the
matter She had scarcely olened tht
door, when she staggered ba'k with l
half suppressed sc: cam. Two men il
hideous DISCUSSES were ALREADY in the
! room, and third rufiian was in the ac
| Of crawling through the window lnvol
UNFAIRLY she clutched the pocket which
contained the money, thinking mean
while, how she would protect herself and
it. Alas she had nothing but her owr
weak hands with which to fight the bat