River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-31
Some One in the Room.


good trade; and we occupied an old fash
oned and somewhat dreary house at
tepney. Elijah liked the place more
han did, and it was on his account that
we stayed there so long | thought it
could make very little difference to him
where we lived, for he was at home only
two or three weeks out of every ten
was often alone two months at time; ard
lonely enough it was sometimes.
Get some one whom you like to stay
with you my DEAR" the captain said,
when | told him one day how unpleasant
l felt 10 be alone so much. SECT any
one you please, a d before long l hope
l shall he able TO stay at home with ysu
myself
| took his advice, and after some in
quiry. found woman whom thought
would suit me. Her name was Emily
Sands, and she was pleasant faced wom-
an Of about forty. She told me she had
been left a widow with no means, and had
since earned her living by needle-work;
ana although | had intended that the
woman who came every morning to do
my houseword should still come, | found
Emily so handy and so willing that l
soon discontinued the services ofthe other.
Dllt WIS - dIuldJlC duu 50 NIIluOUS, IHdt
| was satisfied that / had done the best
that | could do in the matter.
IL hope So" he said doubtfully.
And don't you think sol' | asked.
well, no, he replied.
Nov, I'd like to know why, Elijah
DO you see anything wrong about her?n
L cant say that | do; presume it is
only a notion; but l have IN some way
i t.
l can't explain it, and you had better not
he prcjudccd by it."
''You may be very sure | shall not"
| rcioined, If it has no more foundation
than this.
And this was all that was said between
us on the subject. | was too well ac-
quaintcd with the captains sudden
whims to attach much importance to this
one.
The captain remained at home this time
barely two weeks. On the morning that
he left to take his vessel for another trip,
lust after he had taken his hat to 90, he
called me into his chamber and shut the
door.
"Hcrc is something, Fanny" lac said,
that | want you to keep safe for me
till 7 come back" And he took a paper
package from his breast pocket as he
spoke "There are ten fifty-pound notes
in it-five hundred pounds in all. | will
Icck it up here in this bureau drawer,and
give you the key" And he did so. mo
one would think of coming here for
money!
"Do YOU think you had better leave it
here, Eiiah!?" l asked. "Why not put
it in the bankf'
l., I ~. 10,
The money was only paid me last night.
But no matter the money will be safe
where it is, and there will be no danger
about it or if you don't think so you may
deposit it yourself"
NV husband took little thought of
possibilities, and | presume that he never
once thought of money from the time he
left the house until he returned. As for
myself, was not so easily satisfied had
heard enough of house plunderings and
outrages of that kind to make me afraid
To keep this large amount with me. My I'M
casiness increased rs day wore on; and the
about three o'clock the same afternoon,
took the money and went to the bank, de-
tcrmined to deposit it. The bank was
closed all the banks were closed, for it
was Saturday.
took the package home again, re-
placed il in the bureau drawer locked it,
replaced the kew in my pocket, and re-
solved that l would not worry any more
about it. Emily called me to tea in a
little while, and though not hungry,
went into the diningroom and sat with
her while she drank her tea and laughed
and chatted in her vivacious way,
The evening wore rather long, and
L -, !
room after the table was cleared, she
reading aloud, and listening, as was our
custom. When the clock struck ten she
laid down her book; and | took my
lamp, and bidding her good night, went
up to my room.
Ny chamber occupied the whole front
of the second story, and Emily had a back
room upon the same floor. y bell-wire
ran from my room to hers, so that |
could summon her at pleasure.
| placed the lamp upon the bureau,
shaded il, and returned and closed the
door Then / drew my easy chair to the
middle of the room, put on my slippers,
and sat down for few minutes before re-
firing And Immediately l became vexed
n myself to find that was looking at the
drawer that held the money, and that |
WAS feeling in my pocket to see that the
key was safe. | felt no alarm; had al
most cured myself of my uneasiness; but
N seemed as if that money, and the dan
Ger OF It's Gus ody, would ob:Eude upon
me In the Impotence of the moment
turned my chair half round, and looked
toward the Opposite wall. The shade that
Tp'aced over the lamp confined its rays
within small circle. beyond which the
bed. the furniture, the carpet and the
wall paper were obscure. In the corner.
to the right of the DOR was an antique,
hira-backed chair, a avorite piece Of
furniture. As | turned my own chair
from the bureau. my eyes rested on this
object: and | saw by the same glance tina
"a human figure was sitting IN it,
I could not at first make out whether
IL was man or woman: | only became
conscious. as | sat in bewildering, dumb
terror, that 1 was confronted by strang-
er there in that semj-daykness-by some
one who had hidden in the room for some
object; and what the object is well knew
No person VINO has never been placed
in such a terrifying situation as that can
describe the siekcning feeling which fol
moment takes possession of the heart
and ! can only say for myself that | sat
mOtionlesS for time-I knew not how
long-thinking of helpless situation
There | was locked up in room alone
with a rutfian, waiting. trembling. and
and expecting to hear him speak, or be-
come the object of some violence. FoI
although, as l have said, | could not dis
tinguish whether II was man or woman
did not doubt that it was the former
and one of the most desperate of bis kind
And presently as my eyes fell to the
floor. | saw a great pair of boots thrust
out upon the carpet within the radius Of
tdeGght.