The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-15

put it into the Honorable James Pratt's
palatial mansion at Roseville, where, on
the same night that his neighbor Mrs.
Grey Delavan was found brutally muir
dered in her bed, and her diamond set
and opal chain, besides several other
ewels, stolen, Mr.. Pratt's alarm gave
warning in time to arouse him and his
butler, who rang the alarm-bell in the
cupola, and the villains fled at once. I
also put up this life-preserver In the
splendid house of Mrs. De Vries, who
was, as you may remember, stifed with
chloroform in her chamber while her
safe was broken open, and fifty thou
sand United States bonds, with the De
Vries pearls, family jewels valued at
twenty-five thousand dollars, basely ab-
stracted. The very next day I put up
the alarm, and she has never been trou-
bled with burglars SINCE"
Here he stopped for breath, and Mrs.
Lyte seized the opportunity.
but I have neither bonds nor jew
els, and 10 not need such protection" :"
The agent smiled superior.
Pardon me; burglars do not always
know what is Yns side house. Yours is
Of elegant appearances; it is known, of
course, in the village that there is no
man in your house, and you have GER
tainly some silver"
Here his keen eyes perceived certain
change in the sweet, sensitive face.
"Silver is eagerly coveted by robbers,
on account of its easy removal from in
Identification. Nothing tempts them
more. Think how you would feel if the
hand offs rough man clasped your throat
in the dead Of the night and demanded
your keys! Would not in that case re-
gret most deeply the false economy that
left you to his mercy?"
Mrs. Lyle grew pale; she repressed a
| little scream, as at that moment the door
opened. 1t was only the doctor on his
daily visit to Miss Lyte, but the agent
did not know that; he thought it was a
guest, so he took up his hat.
Il will call again tomorrow, madam.
trust you will consider the subject in
the meantime, and"
"Oh, don't trouble yourself, sir: |
shall not take it, do assure you," said
the widow, reassured by the doctors
presence.
"No trouble, no trouble at all, madam.
I shall certainly call. Good.day."
The doctor laughed. but Mrs. Lyte
was angry. She related her experience
of the morning at dinner, and Annie was
more vehement than ever.
Don't be bullied into it, aunty. |
wouldn't have that thing put up if he'd
give it to you. They are real nuisances." "
alarm as we need," said Mrs. Hill.
"You bet Pepper and III take care of
you, nanny, without his old wires and
bells!" said Sam. with all 4 boys conf
dence
But next day the agent came, and as
Mrs. Lyte had taken no precautions
against admitting him, he obtained i'm
mediate audience. To-day his tales Of
horror far surpassed those of yesterday.
He related how widow lady of about
her own age had been choked to death
By desperate burglar, her old mother
gagged. her boy locked into his cham
ber. where he slept quietly till morn
ing, and then he had to break open his
door and descend to the dreadful scenes
below; then IN old and wealthy bach
elor figured on the scene, found in sev-
eral pieces, evidently after severe
struggle, and all his silver missing from
his private safe. In fact, this terrible
raconteur spared neither age nor sex.
The widows blood curdled in her veins.
With q vague hope of escape, she
feebly inquired the price of this great
family safeguard, although SHE had
heard it elsewhere.
"Only q hundred and twenty-five dol
lars, madam. Think of it; real life
insurance for one years premium!"
Now, the widows income was a
thousand dollars a year, and close fru.
gality enabled her to set aside but a
small part of that; Miss Lyte paid her
board, and the house was free from in
cumbrance, while mother Hill had 4
modest income thai sufficed to clothe
her. and Pembroke was cheap place
to live in: but, for all that, the price
of m alarm was very large to her; she
could not afford such foolish luxury.
and she said so very decidedly; but it
made no impression on the cool persist
ence of the agent; he only drew a pam
phlet from his pocket and presented it
to her, saying, Read this, madam, if
you please. / am sure, when you think
of this matter further, you will change
your mind. / will call again"
Oh, no! not at all; don't trouble
yourself, sir. I am sure I shan't take it. D."
"And I am quite sure you will, said
the bowling and smiling youth, as he
disappeared through the door.
There was something in his sublime
assurance that daunted poor Mrs. I.yte
it is hard for any woman who has once
been under the lawful dominion of a
man to resist the tone of masculine au-
thority. Perhaps from habit, perhaps
from nature, Mrs. Lyte began to be
afraid she would take that alarm. BY
the noon mail, however, she had a differ
ent sort of alarm her brother-in-
law wrote on from Chicago that the
Young fellow who had so persistently
made love to Annie had left for the East,
and he wanted her to be sure Annie did
not see him or meet him. for he him
selfnever could or would consent to his
marrying his daughter. The epistle was
brief and peremptory, and threw Mrs.
Lyte into a flutter of apprehension. In
side was little note from her sister.
"DEAR EM.-Do not think hardlyssoi
Annie. Frank Chester is fine young
man, well educated and well bred,
Charles don't like him because lie is poor,
, but he is doing well in his profession
You know, Charles keeps ,thinkin chow
much ] suffered, when we were firsi
married, from his failing in business
when had such poor health, and Annie
} is the apple of his eye; he can't bear tc
have her want for anything. Don't
blame him, dear. I am as sorry as car
be for Annie, but it is best to keep hel
7 out of Franks way if you can. Pool
! fellow! wish he was rich!
"Good-bye, dear. CARRY GRANT"
: A cooler reader might have smiled
over this letter, which was what dis
I tinguished man has called "a mush O.
s concession;" but it only worried anC
t agitated Mrs. Lyte more. She wa:
4 thrown into one of her dreadful nervou!
q headaches, lay awake all night planning
how to manage this business will
y proper tact and prudence, and when il
d the morning she wandered out among
i. her budding roses on the tiny lawn
tired and freshed by the night, dur
: ing which Pepper had added to her ex
asperated nerves the one straw too mucl
e by spasm of furious barking, the frs
; thing she saw was shiny hat mounting
the hill below, and its rapid ascent soor
g revealed the alarm agent, as cool ant
= fresh in his drab summer suit as TIN
: morning itself. She was too tired ant
unready to make her escape; her heat
IS rung with the echo o.. last nights pain
:, her nerves were all unstrung, she wa!
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