Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-10-19
in the bed. No one would have sup
posed the bed had been disturbed.


was elated at my ingenuity.
then hunted up what jewels the girls
possessed, and placing them, with what
money I could find, in a box, I tied them in
mypocket. After doing this,I stole down
stairs and removed my scissors from
the door. These scissors were counted
among my most valuable treasures. L
had had them many years, and had no
intention OF losing them now.
1 expected She man would only wait
till he thought I and my fictitious
brother was asleep, and would then
search the house for valuables, and
finish by killing me.
Only one plan for escape that I origi-
mated seemed feasible. I determined to
wait till l heard my lodgcr in the rooms
below, and then wrap myself in papa's
shawl, and Jump out of the window. l
was net kept long in suspense; the Pc
culiar squeak of the sitting-room door
warned me that it was time to act.
Quietly raised the window, and just as
the steps approached the stairs, I jump
ed to the ground. Fortunately, there
was a bed of lilies directly beneath the
window, and they softened my fall.
That there was danger OF breaking my
neck I had not thought. l was deter
mined to escape.
1t was as dark as Egypt, the rain was
pouring down in torrents, but this was
nothing in comparison with the horror
within the house.
Hall mile back of our house lived a
friend of papa's-Mr. Vincent. 1 re-
solved to go there. I ran along, stun
bling against fences and falling into
bitches, thinking I never knew such q
long hall mile.
Finally l reached the house, and man.
aged 10 tell my story. Several young
men happened to have been delayed
there by the storm, and, headed by
Henry Vincent, young man OF some
twenty-five years, they prepared to cap
ture my visitor.
was too excited to remain at Mr.
Vincent's. I declared I would go back
home. They all tried to persuade me
not to do this except Henry Vincent,
who said "such little heroine should
do as she pleased" With my hand
tightly clasped in Henry's, We started.
When we came within sight of our
house, we saw light fitting from room
| to room, and few words of boisterous
soi.g aoated to us on the breeze. ST.
lently my friends surrounded the house,
guarding every avenue of escape. Henry
and U would not let him leave me for
a moment) entered the house. We
found the vagabond searching papa S
desk.
He had found several hundred dollars
that had not seen, when preparing for
flight. He started to run when he saw
u, but finding men and revolvers on all
sides, he was obliged to surrender.
He was safely bound, and then ques.
toned. It appeared be was a noted
thief who had long baffled the police.
He said when he learned the house
was occupied only by two individuals he
was much elated. He did not intend TO
proceed to acts of violence, unless my
brother and I troubled him too much.
When he found the house deserted, he
concluded I had not told him the truth
that was alone. Not finding me, he
supposed had hid, and he would not
hunt for me.
Lifting me into his lap, Henry Vim
cent called me the "bravest little womah
he ever knew" All the others praised
and fattered me, till L began to think
men were greater takers than women.
All that night We staid there, but be-
fore morning I was raving like mad
man" Three long weeks 1 remained
unconscious.
When I became sensible, anxious
faces were bending over me. Papa,
mamma, and all the folks were at my
bedside.
"What is the mattera" asked.
| In moment that dreadful day came
! to nv remembrance.
"Oh, know" said /, with shud,
! der.
1t was long, long time before 1 re-
gained my strength.
Every person petted and praised me.
was the heroine of the neighborhood.
Henry Vincent never tired of descant'
ing upon my bravery, and devoted him
self TO me in manner that would have
been very aggravating to his lady friends
had been few years older.
My "lodger" was sent to prison to
mediate for some years.