The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-08-09

WeiS Ic1t LII pOSSeSSlOn OI QUIZ SreoG HOUSE,
which never seemed so large to me be-
fore. I tried to read, but it was impos-
sible; all the murder stories I had ever
heard came to my mind.
/ remembered that none of our doors
could be locked. Papa, who had few
strange ideas, declared locks were a
nuisance I felt that I was doomed.
went out to the yard, and, to my
dismay, discovered that the sky was
overcast and storm near at hand. I
could see the rain coming; faster and
faster it came; it was soon at the house.
Oh, how it did rain!
On each side of our yard was q brook,
pretty and peaeeable in pleasant wealth
er, but very little rain transformed
them both into raging torrents.
AS I stood at the window, [ saw frs
one bridge and then the other swept off.
I knew now that must stay alone all
night; it would be impossible for my
brothers and sisters to get home.
Travellers, or, as Sally called them,
"trampers, often stopped at our house
over night, as there was no public house
near. 10 my horror, I now saw one of
them coming across the field. Should I
hide? No, that was not to be thought
Of. Without stopping to knock, the
great, rough man walked in.
"Can I stay here all night ?'
I dared not refuse him, SO, as calmly as
I could, answered:
eyes"
He seemed surprised at seeing no one
but myself, and questioned me much.
I told him that my brother was up stairs
writing; that we two were alone. That
was the first thing that entered my head
to tell him. Such villainous counte-
nance that man mad !
His hair was cut close to his head,
leaving his huge ears in bold relief.
Wicked-looking eyes and q brutal mouth
completed his general expression If fe-
rocity.
Bedtime came, and I directed the man
to a room up stairs in the servants de-
partment-not the cup stairs where [
had said my brother was.
Now that there was real danger, I was
calm and reasonable. I fastened the
door that led up stairs with my en-
broidery-scissors, which happened to be
in my pocket, SO as to guard against sur
prise, and, hurriedly collecting our silver
ware, carried it to mammals room and
hid it in the bed. No one would have
supposed the bed had been disturbed. I
was elated at my ingenuity.
/ then hunted up Whist few jewels the
girls possessed, and placing them, with
what money could find, in box, I tied
them in my pocket. After doing this, I
stole down stairs, and removed my scis-
sors from the door. The scissors were
counted among my most valuable treas
ures. had had them many years, and
had no intention of losing them now.
I expected the man would only wait
till he thought I and my fictitious
brother were asleep, and would then
search the house for valuables, and finish
by killing me.
Only one plan for escape that [ origi
mated seemed feasible [ determined to
wait till I heard my lodger in the room
below, and then wrap myself in papas
shawl and jump out OF the window. I
was not kept in suspense long; the pc
culiar squeak Of the sitting-room door
warned me that it was time to act.
Quietly I raised the window, and just as
the steps approached the stairs jumped
to the ground. Fortunately, there was
bed Of lilies directly beneath the win
dow. and they softened my fall.
That there was danger of breaking my
neck I had not thought. [ was deter
mined to escape.
1t was dark as Egypt, the rain was
pouring down in torrents, but this was
nothing IL comparison with the horror
within the house.
Half mile back of our house lived q
friend of papa's-NIr. Vincent. ] re-
solved to go there. I ran along, stum-
bling against fences and falling into
bitches, thinking [ never knew such a
long half mile.
Finally 1 reached the house, and man
aged to tell my story. Several young
men happened to have been delayed
there by the storm, and, headed by
Henry Vincent, a young man of some
% years, they prepared to capture my
visitor.
| I was too excited to remain at MIR.
Vincent's. I declared would go back
home. They all tried to persuade me not
to 60 this except Henry Vincent, who
said, "such little heroine should do as
she pleased" With hand tightly
clasped in Henrys We started.
When we came within sight of our
house, we saw a light fitting from room
to room, and few words of boisterous
song fioated to us on the breeze. Silently
my friends surrounded the house, guard
ing every avenue of escape. Henry and
L q would not let him leave me for a
momenD entered the house. We found
the vagabond searching papa's desk.
He had found several hundred dollars
that had not seen when preparing fo1
flight He started TO run when he saw
us, but, finding men and reyolvers on all
sides, he was obliged to surrender.
He was safely bound, and then ques-
toned. It appeared he was a noted
thief who had long baffied the police.
He said when he learned the house
was occupied only by two individuals he
l,Int1,.l L,