Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-01-15
her across the lonely road to Mapleton.
LIZ l.... I'll

1 aCTOS> TIC lOucll fodu W ilAptCtOH.
Ii was natural, but felt angry.
Yet | longed for Hannah's return,
and listened very anxiously until the
clock struck nine. Then, instead of
her footsteps, | heard the patter of
raindrops and the rumbling thunder,
and looking ont saw that heavy storm
was coming on.
Now certainly, grandpa and grandma
would not come, and Hannah, waiting
for the storm 10 pass, would not be
here for hours. However, my fear of
the negro was quite gone, and felt a
certain prize in conducting myself
bravely under these trying circum-
stance.
Accordingly | went upstairs, found
in the attic sundry pillows and holsters,
and carried them kitchenward.
Here said |, ''make yourself
bed on the settee yonder, and be easy
for the night. No one will follow you
in such terrible storm as this, and,
no doubt, grandpa will assist you when
he returns home. Good night"
"Good night, and God bless you.
Mss" still speaking in very husky
whisper. Aud so | left him.
But | did not go up stairs TO my bed
room intended for that night to re-
main dressed, and sit up in grandpa's
armchair, with candles and book for
company. Therefore | locked the door,
took the most comfortable position, and
opening volume, composed myself to
read.
Reading, l fell asleep. How long |
slept | cannot tell. Twas awakened by
a low sound like the prying of chisel.
AT first it mixed with my dream so
completely that | took 10 heed OF it,
but at last | understood that some one
was st work upon the lock of a door.
sat perfectly motionless. the blood
curdling in my veins, and still chip,
chip, chip, went the terrible little in
strument, until at last | knew whence
the sound came.
Back of the sitting-room was grand
pas study. There, in great old-fash-
iOned safe. were stored the family |
plate, grandma's jewelry, and sundry |
sums of money and valuable papers. |
The safe itself stood i'm closet recess. |
and at the closet the thief was now AT |
work.
The thief-ah, without doubt the |
negro whom had fed and sheltered.
Perhaps the next act would be to |
murder me if I listened. The storm
was still raging; but though the road
lonely, better that than this house with /
such company. | couldn't save my
grandfather's property, but | could
save my own life.
| crept across the room and into the
hall and to the door. There, softly as
| could, unfastened the bars and
bolts, but alas, one was above my
reach. | waited and listened. Then ]
moved hall chair TO the spot and
climbed upon 1t. In doing so | struck
my shoulder against the door-post.
1t was a slight noise, but at that mo-
ment the chip of the chisel stopped. !
heard a gliding foot, and, horror of
horrors, man came from the study,
sprsng toward me, and clutched me
with both hands, holding my arms as
in wise, while he missed in my ear:
You'd tell, would you? You'd
call help? You might better haye
slept, you had; for you see you've got
to pay for waking I'd rather hev let
a chick like you OFF; but you know me
now, and can't let you live
| stared IN his face with horror,
mingled with an awful surprise; for
now that it was close to me | saw, not
the negro, but our own hired man,
Anthony-Anthony, whom l had sup
posed to be miles away with Hannah.
He was little more than youth,
and had given him many a present,
ard had always treated him kindly.
pleaded with him kindly.
Anthony, never did you any
harm; am young; | am a girl. Don't
kill me, Anthony. Take the money;
don't kill me, for poor grandma's sake"
you'll tell Oh me-" said Anthony
&" likely I'd be caught. No,
I've got TO kill you"
As he spoke he took his hands from {.
my shoulders, and clutched my throat 5
fiercely. Il
| had time to utter one suffocating
then was strangling, dying, /
with sparks in my eyes, and sound OF
roaring waters in my ears, and then =,
what had sprung upon my assassin '
with the swift silence of a leopard ! )
What had clutched me from behind, Z
and stood over him with something |
glittering above his heart? The mist /
cleared away-the blurred mist that U
had gathered over my eyes; as sight !
saw the negro with his foot
upon Anthony's breast.
The fugitive whom had housed and
fed had saved my life. I
Then ten minutes after-ten minutes I
in which but for that poor slaves re-
presence | wonld have been hurried r
put of life-the rattle of wheels and the !
.ardy feet of old Ajax was heard with {
)ut, and my grandparents were with )
ne. Z
Ii is needless TO say that we were not
to our preserver; needless,
llso, to tell Anthony's punishment.
1t came out during his trial that he q
lad long contemplated the robbery;
hat the absence Of my grandparents
to afford an opportunity. he :
lad decoyed Hannah away with lie, a
md hid in the study. He knew moth a.
NJ of the negro's presence in the !
house, and, being naturally supersti-
ious, had actually fancies my protec-
or creature from the other world, n
md submitted without a struggle. q
Long ago, so we heard, the slave, O
lave no longer, met his wife and chill I
lren beyond danger, and now that the \
ponds are broken for all in this free Z
and, doubtless his fears are over, and
he sits beside his humble Canadian 4