The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-27

on tie settee yonder, and be easy for the
night No one viii follow You IN such 3
terrible storm as this. and. 10 doubt,
grandpa will assist you when ne return
nome, Good night"
Good night, and God bless you,
miss still speaking IN q very husky
whisper. And SO | lett MIN.
But l did not 20 up stairs to my bed
room l intended for that night to re-
main Uudressed ,aGd sit up in grandpapR' :
arm chair, with cand es and a BOOK Tor
company. Therefore I locked the door,
took the most comfortable position, aud, ,
opening volume, Composed myself 10
read.
Reading, fell asleep. How long I
slept, | can not tell. | was awakened by
3 low sound like the prying OF chisei.
At first it mixed with my dream so
completely that took no heed of it, but
at last I understood that some one was
at work upon the lock of the door.
[ sat per ectiy mOtiOniess, the blood
curdling in my veins. and still chip, chip,
chip, vent the terrible little instrument.
until at Isst knew whence the sound
came.
Back Of the sitting room was grand
papa's study. There, IN s great, old
fashioned chest, were stored the family
plate, graudma's jewelry, and sUndry
sums OF money and valuable paPe, =
The safe itgeit stood IN a cllset recess,
and at the closet the thiet vas now at
work.
The thief-ah, without doubt, the ne
gro I had fed and sheltered.
Perhaps the next act would be t.
murder me il listened. TIE storm WAS
still raging, but though the road WAS
lonely, better that than this house with
such horrible company. | could not save
my gTand.alhePs property, but l could
save my Own life.
I cTept across tae room ard into the
hail, and to the door There, softly SIS
I could, I uutastened the bars and boits,
but, alas one was above my reach. i
waited and listened. Then I moved 9
hall cbsir to the spot and climbed upon
IL. II doing so. / struck my shoulder
against the d00r frame.
Il was a slight noise, but al that NO.
ment the chip o. the chi=el stopped. /
heard a gliding foot, and. nor OF Of hoy
rOIs! man cams IN from the study,
sprung towards ne, ami ciutched me
with both hsnd-, holding my arms IS IN
q vice, while he hissCi in my ear
q" You'd tell, would you You'd call
help? You might better have slept, you
had; for, you see, you've pot 70 psy up
i0y waking; I'd rather have let chick
ike YOU of: but you know me now, and
/ can't let yoH live"
] stared Ia his iace with horror, ming
led with au awful su5pIi-e; Tor now ina.
it was close 10 NE l sa r. not the negro,
bat our own hired man, AnthaDy-Au~
thony. whom I supposed to b5 miles
away with Hannah. he was little snoEe
than a youth, and had given him many
z present, and had always treated linn
we'll.
I pleaded with him kindly
Anthony, I never did you any harm
am young; I aGl girl. Dom Kill me,
Anthony. Take the money don't kill
me, FOR poor grandma = sake
You'll tell on me" said Anthony,
dOggedly; " likely I'd be caught, No, l
have got to kill yoU."
Is ne spoke he took his hands from
nay shoulders, and clutched my throat
fiercely.
I had tine TO utter enc suf6cating
shrek, and then l was struggling, dying
with sparks ia my eyes, and q sound OF
roaring water il nay ears, and then
what mad sprung upon my assassin, with
the swift silence of 8 leOpa II What
1sd clUtChed NE from benIEi, and stood
over him with something gIittering above
his heart? The mist cleared swdy--the
blurred mist that mad gathered over my
eyes SIS sight returned l saw the negro
with his foot upon Anthouy's breast.
The fugitive whom had housed and
fed ha saved my life.
Ten minutes afteT-tan minutes in
which. bus for that pCor slaves presence,
] would hsvs been hurried out of life
the rattle of wheels and the taTdy feet
of old jax were heard without, and my
audDsrents were with me.
It is needless to say that we were not
ungrate!ut TO our preseyver; neetless,
also, to tell ADthcuy's punishment.
1t Games out during his trial that he
had long contemplated the robbery ; that,
the absence OF my grandparents appear
ing 10 afford an opportunity, he had de-
co7ed Hannah away with lie, and bid
IL he study Ha knew nothing OF the
negTO's ore. .eace il the house, and, beinE
naturally supeFstitious, had actually
fancied any protector a feature from the
other world, and submitted without ?
struggle.