The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-11-26
A Nj ssAGE THROUGH THE AIR.

MI SSAGE THROUGH THE AIR.
1t was lovely night in the month of Au
gust that / sat on the porch of old Uncl,
ioDy,s house, not yet entirely recovered
from the impressions made bv a gloriou.
sunset which even then left its footprint,
upon the clouds that lowered in the west
ern sky.
My horse stood at the gate already sad
died, awaiting me- but / was determined
not TO leave Uncle Toby's house until had
carried my point. and being his nephew,
had enough of the same old blood in my
VEINS to make me as perseyering as he wa,
obstinate.
Uncle Toby, I must have that bird"
"Wa'al, neffy, ask me for anything else
In the house except that, and it is yours v
Il don't want anything else, Uncle Toby,
but that you must give me-"
"Wa'al, now, neffy, you know that ERE
carrier pigeon took the first prize at the
county fair"
(Which fact will only make me prize it
dearer. Come, now, Uncle Toby, be gener-
GUS"
"Wa'al, boy, the bird is your'n. You al
Toby"
| To say that / was delighted would but
family express my feelings. The bird was
a beauty, as may easily be imagined and
as | bid old Uncle Toby goodnight and
mounted my pony, with the case in nv
hand containing the prize | SO dearly covet-
i ed, drove home with a light heart and
/ brain filled to overlooking with plans in
/ which the birds speed would be tested
Numerous valuable prizes seemed already
to be within my grasp as l reached home,
and having stabbed my horse, assembled to
my dark and lonely room.
was but sixteen years of age at the time
and on the night in question / was the sole
and only occupant of my fathers mansion,
the other members of the family having
gone on a summer trip to the mountains,
leaving me in charge. My room was on the
second floor, overlooking the road, and
| thither l had taken my bird, where in my
solitude | could quietly admire its beautiful
proportions.
Distinguishing my lamp, / sat by the
open window, eontentedly smoking my pipe
and enjoying the cool breezes that swept
across the lawn laden with the rich odors of
the flowers, when my attention was attract
ed to some dark objects that appeared to
be approaching by the road that led past
our house.
| listened intently, and above the whis-
pers of the summer breeze | thought |
could detect the hum of whispered CONVEX
sation
1t was no unusual occurrence for tramps
to pass our place at that hour, and the cir
cumstances caused only a ripple ofcuriosity
to arise in my bosom, until | heard a latch
of our gate lifted, and distinctly the tread
of many feet fell upon my ear
| was 50 surprised and startled at this
unexpected intrusion that | was momen-
tariy dazed, and before | could decide on a
plan of action they had assembled the door
steps, and knew from the splnterings of
wood that they had already commenced
operations to force an entrance into the
house.
BY the light of a dark lantern, which
they carried, | discovered that they were
six in number, and all wore heavy black
masks the more effectually to prevent
recognition in case of discovery. Then my
voice came back to me, and thinking to
make up for my youthful years in volume
of my voice, | yelled out, in laundering
tones
"Hello! What are doing there?"
The dark lantern was closed like a flash,
but yet could define distinctly the dim
outline of the robbers as they stood like
dark shadows in contrast white balcony
beyond. For a moment the stiffness of
death ensued, when L received a reply,
uttered in tones l shall never forget and
with an emphasis that clearly indicated a
purpose to carry out what was threatened
Il say, youngster, just you take in that
head of your'n and keep that baby mouth
closed or I'll blow the top of your head off,
The sharp click of pistol followed, and
you can rest assured that / needed no
second warning. What should | do? /
was at least half a mile from the nearest
neighbor, but the house was surrounded
and escape was impossible. There was GER
tain death in the very attempt itself,
The shotgun. ALL that was good idea.
| would get the gun and defend the mansion
to the bitter end. The shotgun [ had left
in the parlor so as to have it within reach
during the long hours of the day when
tramps were as thick as huckleberries, and
| had forgotten to bring it up stairs that
night My mind had been SO much absorbed
bv my carrier pigeon that had incautious-
lv overlooked the making of my usual pre-
parations for selfdefence.
| thought | would go down and get it,
and actually opened my bedroom door for
that purpose when / heard loud crash be-
low which told me as plain words could
utter 1t, that the hall-door had been success
fully forced, and that the robbers were then
actually in the house.
| retreated to the shelter of my little
room. locked and bolted the door, prey to
NV worst apprehensions. l remembered
the cruelty of these masked men, and /
knew that if they did not murder me outs
right they would by binding and gagging
so torture me as to make even death itself
desirable.
OF one thing | was satisfied, that the
safety of the robbers depended upon my
being secured, and to achieve that result
would be their first object. If | had wea-
pon, so that | could have made an effort to
preserve my life, | would then have been
contented but the idea of an unarmed boy
being thus left to the mercy of these un-
feeling ruffians almost drove me to distrac-
ton.
/ heard their footsteps ascending the
stairs. and | proceeded to barricade the
door. when a thought flashed across my
brain How was it that it escaped me so
long? The carrier.pigeon that | had just
received from Uncle Toby | would release
with a message; it would return to Uncle
Toby's. and | would be saved, and the rob-
beers foiled in their search for plumber.
| wrote a message hurriedly, secured it to
the bird, which | placed upon the window
sill, when, after moments hesitation, 1t
assembled skyward, and when it passed from
my sight was flying like the wind in the
direction of Uncle Toby's. The message
read as follows:
UNCLE ToBY-The house has been entered
by six masked burglars. Come Immediately.
BOB.
Scarcely had the bird started on its home
ward flight when the robbers reached my
door and tried to force it; but | had pushed
nv bedstead against the door, and with my
personal efforts to prevent them from enter
ing had improvised barricade that prom
ised to resist all attacks made against it.
The prolonged defence was making in
censed and exasperated the fellows to such
a degree thar they poured forth threats of
vengeance upon me. Their patience became
exhausted at last, and a pistol-shot which
grazed my cheek warned me of the danger of
longer remaining in that position. 1t had
been fred through the panel of the door.
/ rushed to the window and gazed out
upon the lawn below. The distance was
great, and it seemed to me that, while tor
fure awaited me if captured by the robbers,
there was certain death in a leap from the