Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-23

Judge b said Massa Morton 'ud help
me. and it's kept me up. MisSus will
know.
knew grandfather hld given succor
10 some of these poor wretches before. but
felt that | might be doing wrong hy
admitting stranger to the house in his
absence.
Caution and pity struggled with me,
At last | said, You have II nute from the
Judge, suppose, sir?
bud some writin' on paper. said the
man, but lost it the night it rained So
All! Miss. Fse tellin lie lruff-Judge Sent
me rs sure rs Ise II sinner. lse been
helped along so far, ana pears like tan
get to Canady. Can't go back noways;
wiie's dare and the Young uns got clear
II year ago. Miss, pray for you ell, ~
day OBJ my life eff you'll be so good to me.
Thank you. Miss.
For somehow when he spoke of wife
and children | had stepped back and lei
him in.
1t WAS the hall back door to which the
rap had come, and the kitchen was close
at hand led him there. When | saw
how worn he WAS, how wretched, how his
eyes glistened and how under his rough
blue shirt his heart beat so that you could
count the pulses, forgot my caution. |
brought out cold meat and bread, drew II
mug of cider. The negro ate, and | left
him to find Anthony, to whom designed
to give orders about his lodgings for the
night.
70 my surprise Anthony was nowhere
10 be found.
Hannah must have taken him with
her across the lonely road leading to Ma
pleton's.
1t WAS natural. but | was angry.
Yet longed for Hannah's return, and
waited very anxiously till the clock struck
nine. Then, instead of footsteps heard
the falling of raindrops and the rumbling
thunder, and looking out saw that Il heavy
storm WAS coming on.
Now ce tainlv grandpa and grandma
could not come; aud Hannah waiting iol
the Storm to pass, would not he here for
hours. However my fear of the negro
WAS quite gone. and felt certain pride
in conduc ng myself bravely under these
trying circu nst ,nces,
Accordingly, | went up stairs. found in
the chamher sundry pillow, and holsters
and carried them kitchenwald.
Here, SAID, make yourself II bed on
that lounge yondcr, and he easy for the
night No one will follow you in such II
terrible storm us this, and no doubt
grandpa will assist you when he returns
home. So good night.
Good night, and G,d bless you Miss,
still speaking in Il husky whisper And
50 left him.
But did not go up stairs to my bed
room. designed for that night TO remain
dressed, and sit up in grandpa's arm chain
with lamps and II book Tor company
Therefore | locked the door, took the
most comfortable position, and opening II
volume, composed myself to rest.
Reading, fell asleep. How long
slept c.nnot tell. wi, awlkene ny II
low sound, like the prying of chrsel
At first it mixed with my dream So com
pletely that | look no heed Of it, but al
last | understood that some one WAS III
work upon the lock of the door.
sat perfectly motioule,s. the blood
curdlng in my veins, and still chip, chil +,
chip, went the terrible lutte chisel, untll
ut last knew whence the sound ctme.
Back Of the sitting room was grandpl'S
study. There, in an old fashioned chest
were stored the fam ly plate, grandpa's
ewelry, and sundry sums of money and
valuable papers. The safe itself was in
Il closet recess, and at the closet the theft
was now at work.
The thief-ah without doubt, the
negro had fed and sheltered.
Perhaps the next act would be 10 mur-
der me if listened. The orln was still
raging. and the road WAS lonely, better
that, than this house with such horrible
company. | couldn't save my grandftth-
ers property, but | could save my own
life.
crept across the room and into the
hall and to the door. There, safely rs
could. unfastene the bars and bolts, bat
alas one was above my reach. | waited
and listened. Then | moved II hall chail
to the spot and climbed upon ii. In doing
so | struck my shoulder against the door
flame.
1t was II slight noise, but ut that mo
ment the chip of the chioel stopped. |
heard gliding foot, and horrors. II man
came in from the study, sprang towards
me and clutched me with both hands rs in
wise, while he hissrd in my ear:
You'd tell, would you9 You d call helpo
YOU might better have slept. you had; /;
I'd rather hev let 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
my own hired man, Anthony-Anthony,
whom bad supposed to be miles away
with Hannah. lie was little more than IL
youth, and had given HIM many pres
ent, and had always treated him well.
pleaded with Linn kindly.
Anthony never did you any HARM
am young; | am II girl; don't kill me,
! Anthony take the money; don't Kill me
for grandma's sake.
You'll tell on me. said Anthony, dogged-
ly; likely Id be caught. No, have got
to kill you.
AS he spoke he took his hands from
my shoulders and clutched my throat
tiercely.
l had time to give one suffocatine
shrek. then | was struggling. dying. with
sparks in my eyes, and the sound OF roar
ing water in my ears, and then-whaI
had sprung upon my terrible assassin
with the swift silence of II leopardP What
had clutched me from behind and stood
over him with something glitterng above
his heart? The mist cleared away--the
blurred nist that gathered over my eyes
rs sight returned | SAW the negro with bis
foot on Anlhony's breast
The fugitive whom | had housed and
fed had saved LILY life.
Then, ten minutes later-ten minutes in
which, but for that poor slaves presence
would have been hurried out of life-the
rattle Of wheels and the tardv feet OF old
Ajax were heard without, and my grand
| parents were with me.
1t is needless to say that we were CRATE.
full to our preserver; needless, also, TO tell
Anthony's punishment.
1t came out during the 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 lie, and hid in the
study He knew nothing Of the negro
presence in the house, and being naturally
superstiious had actually ftncied my pro.
| tprtnr a pra.tura from the other world, and