Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-04-19

urns, composed myself to read. wv,
Reading, fell asleep. How long
I slept I cannot tell. Twas awakened
by a low sound like the prying Of a
chisel. 5''
At first it mixed with my dream SO
completely that took no heed Of it,
but at last understood that some one
was at work upon the flock of the
door. '''
sat perfectly motionless, the blood
curdling in my veins, and still chip,
chip, chip, went the terrible little in
strument, until at last I knew whence
the sound came.
Back of the sitting-room was grand
pas study. There in a great old
fashioned chest, were stored the fami
ly plate, grandma s jewelry, and sun
dry sums of money and valuable pa
pers. The safe itself stood in closet
recess, and at the closet the thief was
now at work.
The thief-ah, without doubt, the
negro I had fed and sheltered. 1.- D '
Perhaps the next act would be to
murder me if l listened. The storm
was still raging, but though the road
was lonely, better that than this house
with such horrible company. I could
not save my grandmother's property,
but I could save my own life. "
I crept across the room and into the
hall, and to the door. There, softly
as could, I unfastened the bars and
bolts, but, alas one was above my
reach. waited and listened. Then
I moved q hall chair to the spot, and
climbed upon it. In doing SO struck
my shoulder against the door frame.
1t was a slight noise, but at that
moment the chip Of the chisel stop
ped. heard a gliding foot, and, hor-
ror Of horrors man came in from
the study, sprung towards me, and
clutched me with both hands, holding
my arms as in wise, while he Kissed
in my ear: "You'd tell, would you
You'd call help? You might better
have slept, you had; for, you see,
you've got to pay up for waking; I'd
rather have let chick like you off;
but you know me now, and I can't
let you live"
I stared in his face with horror,
mingled with an awful surprise; for
now that it was close to me aa8, no
the naQrc, but our own hired man.
AnthoAy-AnsAony whom / supposed
to be miles away with Hannah. He
was little more than a youth, and !
had given him many present, and
had always treated him we'll.
pleaded with him kindly.
Anthony, I never did you any
harm. I am young; I am a girl,
Don't kill me, Anthony. Take the
money; don't kill me, for poor grand
mas sake"
you'll tell on me" said Anthony
doggedly; "likely I'd be caught. No,
1 have got to kill you"
As he spoke he took his hands II N
my shoulders, and clutched my throat
fercely.
I had time to utter one sufocatine
shri,k, and then I was struggling
dying, with sparks in my eyes, and a
sound Of roaring water in my ears
and then-what had sprung upon my
assassin, with the swift silence of g
leopard? What had clutched him
from behind, and stood over him with
something glittering above his heart
The mist cleared away-the blurred
mist that had gathered over my eyes
as sight returned Isaw the negro with
his foot upon Anthony's breast.
The fugitive whom had housed and
fed had saved my life.
Ten minutes after-ten minutes
in which, but for that poor slaves
presence, I would have been hurried
out of life-the rattle of the wheels
and the tardy feet of old Ajax were
heard without, and my grandparents
were with me.
It is needless to say that we were
not ungrateful to our preservsr; need.
less, also, to tell Aathony's punish
ment.
1t came out during his trial that he
had long contemplated the robbery
that the absence Of my grandparents
appearing to afford an opportunity
he had decoyed Hannah away with 8
lie, and hid in the study. He knew
nothing Of the negros 9 presence in the