The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-11-22

enough, but expecting at every step to
be knocked on the head. AT last
reached the kitchen. Putting one ear
to the trap door, that led into the cellar,
listened. But l heard only Flora
playing on the piano, the gate banging
and slamming, and the old oak creaking
in the gale, and knocking with its
branches against the house.
"What towards we are, after ALL
said to myself, boldly raising the trap
door, and peering down into the cellar.
could see nothing, but the air smelt
of rain.
"One of the windows must be open,'' /
said. II hear the rain dashing in. That
explains the queer noise"
l descended the stairs, intending to
shut the window. Gradually my eyes
became more and more accustomed to the
darkness. When reached the bottom
of the steps 1 turned round to look for
the window. Great heavensl 1t was
not therel
My heart stopped beating. I chung to
the cellar steps As 1 looked, the win
dow re-appeared, now plainly wide
open. l stood staring at the patch of
faint, gray light, for a full minute,
then, laughing silently at my fears, and
persuading myself that the shutters had
blown open again, advanced, intending
to fasten the shutters securely. l had
gone more than half way across the eel
lar, following the wall, when the win
dow was obscured again, and a gruff
voice cried, Here, lend fellow hand -
AT the same moment / saw burly form
creep through the window. My knees
absolutely gave way under me as anoth-
er voice behind me, answered, 1--WE had
better wait till the family go to bed" In
moment, however, recovered myself,
and turned to fly up the stairs, even at
the risk of being caught by the ruffian
behind me.
But before I could move a step the
trap door fell with bang, and l knew
L was shut in hopelessly with two, if not
more burglars.
There was horrible silence. But for
the support the wall gave me, / would
have sunk to the ground. Directly one
of the rufiians tried to light a match. l
heard the scrape on his boot and saw
the flame for moment; but fortunately
the wind blew it out. The imminent
peril gave me sudden strength. To at
tempt to raise the trap door from below,
was impossible for me l knew. NV on
ly hope of escape was through the win
dow; and toward it / fed as swiftly and
noiselessly as possible. l remembered
that an empty vinegar barrel stood al
most directly under ii. On this I sprang,
and catching the sill above, was about
to draw myself up, when the nearest
with an oath. He was, luckily, Just one
instant too late. Quick as flash was
upon the sill, and out of the window, and
had run around the house to the front
entrance. The door, to my surprise, was
wide open, and flood of light streamed
over the stOOp. But / did not stop to
think why this was so. Breathlessly /
rushed in, and as breathlesslv fed into
the parlOr, where the first thing I saw
was Flora, talking and gesticulating vi
olently to some gentleman who, facing
around at my entrance, revealed the
torn and face of cousin Sam.
did not have the Mysteries. I did
not faint. But forgetting everything but
my happiness and sense of relief in cous-
in Sans presence, flung myself into
his arms, saying, "Sam! dear Sam" and
know not what else beside.
My story, you see, is told. In a min
ute or two cousin Sam started for the
cellar, but the burglars had taken the
alarm and fled. Then he explained his
presence. He was returning from the
fair, and seeing lights in the house, and
knowing that robbers were about, he
stopped to ask us if we were afraid. ALI
this he told with his arm around my
waist. Then he turned to me with a
sly smile.
Rose" he said, 81 take it, you propos,
ed to me just now. l think I'll accept
you, which is treating you better than
you treated certain sutton, few days
ago"
L was covered with bushes. But what
could l do? did what a great many
women, under similar circumstances,
would have done-I burst into tears.
Cousin Sam soothed me and kissed
me, and told me again and again how
much he loved me. But he tells every.
body, to this day, that proposed to him
and not he to me.