Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-12-18

for the storm to pass, would not be
here for hours. However, my fear of
the negro was quite gone, and | felt a
certain pride in conducting myself
brayely under these trying circum-
stances. $40
Accordingly l went upstairs, found
in the attic sundry pillows and holsters,
and carried them kitchenward. .rt.- Z
Here" | said >" make yourself a
bed on the settee yonder, and be easy
for the. night. No one will follow you
in such terrible storm as this, and, no
doubt, grandpa will assist you when he
returns home. Good night" .......
! "Good night, and God bless you,
| Miss still speaking in a very husky
whisper And SO | left him.
But | did not go up stairs to my bed
room, | intended for that night to re-
main dressed, and sit up in grandpa's
arm chair, with candles and a book for
company. Therefore l locked the door
took the most comfortable position, and
Iopened volume, composed myself to
read.
Reading, | fell asleep. How long |
slept [ cannot tell. | was awakened
10y a low sound like the prying of a
chisel. 2" g..
At first it mixed with my dream so
completely that | took no heed of it,
bat at last | understood that some one
was at work upon the lock of the
door
| l sat perfectly motionless, the blood
curdling in my veins and still chip, chip,
chip, went the terrible little instrument
until at last-I knew whence the sound
came.
/ Back OF the sitting-room was grand
pas study. There, In a great old
fashioned chair, were stored the family
plate, grandma's jewelry, and sundry
sums Of money and valuable papers.
The safe itself stood in a closet recess,
and at the closet the thief was now at
work.
The thief-ah, without doubt, the
negro / had fed and sheltered.
| Perhaps the next act would be to
murder me if | listened The storm
was still raging, but though the road
was lonely, better that than this
house with such horrible company. |
couldn't save my grandfather's prop
erty, but could save my own life.
crept across the room and into the
hall and to the door. There, softly as
/ could, [ unfastened the bars and
bolts, but, alas! one was above my
reach | waited and listened. Then'I
moved hall chair to the spot and
climbed upon it. In dong SO struck
my shoulder against the door frame.
It was Slight noise, but at that mo-
| oh of oh, ~ or
heard d gliding foot. and, horror of hor-
. rors, q man came in from the study,
sprang toward me, and clutched me
with both hands, holding my arms as in
a vice, while he Kissed in my ear:
You'd tell, would you? You'd call
help? You might better have slept, you
had; for, you see, you've got to pay for
waking. I'd rather have let chick like
you Oft; but you know me now, and
can't let you live" nf .s...r.. ....
/ stared in his face with horror,
mingled with an awful surprise; for now
that it was close to me [ saw, net the
negro; but our own hired man, Antho-
Iny-Anthony, whom | had supposed
to be miles away with Hannah. He was
little more than a youth, and I had
| :,
ways treated him well.
l pleaded with him kindly.
Anthony, [ never did you any harm !;
[ am young; am girl. Don't kill
me: Anthony. Take the money; don't
kill me, for poor grandma's sake.
You'll tell on me-" said Anthony,
doggedly; i" likely I'd be caught. No,
L have got to kill YOU
AS he spoke he took his hands from
my shoulders and clutched my throat
tiercely. @ .
[ had time to utter one sufocating
shrek, then | was struggling, dying,
with sparks IN my eyes, and sound OF
roaring water IN my ears, and then
what had sprung upon my assassin, with
the swift silence Of leopard? What
mad clutched me from behind, and
stood over him with something glitter
away-the blurred mist that had gather
ed over my eyes; as sight returned |
saw the negro with his foot upon An
thoy's breast.
The fugitive whom | had housed and
fed had saved my life. ....l ....
Then ten minutes after-ten minutes
IN which but Tor that poor slaves pres
encel would have been hurried out of
life-the rattle Of wheels and the tardy
feet of old Alex were heard without and
my grandparents We're with me. 2.
1t was needless to say that we were
not ungrateful to our preserver; need.
less, also, to tell Anthony's punishment.
1t came out during his trial that he
had long contemplated the robbery;
that, the absence Of my grandparents
appeared to afford an opportunity, he
had decoyed Hannah away with a lie,
and hid in the study. He knew nothing
of the negro's presence in the house,
and, being naturally snperstitious, had
actually fancied my protector a crea-
ture from the other world, and sub
mitted without a struggle.
Long ago-so we heard--the slave, a
slave no longer, met his wife and child
rem beyond danger; and, now that the
bonds are broken for all in this free