The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-07-02


to the door, while I, initiating her ex-
ample, snatched a stick of wood. Sud
denly Sarah cried
You little goose It is Bill Nc
Carty r.
Sure enough, it was Sarah's beau.
Her mother was very sick, and McCarty
was sent to bring Sarah home immedi-
ately.
Here was dilemma Sarah didn't
want to leave me, and unless she started
home then, she might not see her mother
alive. 1t was nearly time for the rest of
the folks to come home, so managed to
raise courage enough to say that was
willing to remain alone.
In few minutes Sarah was off, and /
was left in possession Of our great house,
which never seemed SO large to me be-
fore. l tried to read, but it was impossi-
BILE; all the murder stories had ever
heard came to my mind. remembered
t,at none of our doors could be locked.
Papa, who had a few strange ideas, de-
clared that locks were a nuisance. / felt
that was doomed.
I went out to the yard, and, to my dis
may, discovered that the sky was over
cast and storm near at hand. I could
see the rain coming; faster and faster it
came; it was soon at the house. Oh,
how it did rain
On each side of our yard way brook,
pretty and peaceable in pleasant
weather, but very little rain trans
formed them both into raging torrents
AS l stood at the window saw first one
bridge, and then the other, swept of. I
knew now that | must stay alone all
night; it would be impossible for my
brothers and sisters to get home.
Travellers, or, as Sarah called them,
"trampers," often stopped at our house
over night, as there was no public-house
near. 70 my horror. now saw one Of
them coming across the field. Should
hide? No, that was not to be thought Of.
Without stopping to knock, the great
rough man walked in.
"Can stay here all night?"
/ dared not refuse him, so as firmly as
could, answered.
Eyes"
He seemed surprised at seeing no one
but myself, and questioned me much.
told him my brother was upstairs
writing; that we two we're alone. This
was the first thing that entered my head
to tell him. Such villianous counte-
nance as that man had
His hair was cut close to his head.
leaving his huge ears in bold relief
Wicked-looking eyes, and a brutal
mouth, completed his general expression
of ferocity.
Bedtime came, and directed the man
to room upstairs In the servants de-
partment; not the "up-stairs" where |
had said my brother was. Now that
there was real danger, was calm and
reasonable. 1 fastened the door that
led upstairs with my embroidery scis-
sors, which happened to be in my pocket,
so as to guard against surprise, and hur-
riedly collecting our silverware, carried
it to mammals room and hid it in the bed.
No one would have supposed the bed
had been disturbed. was elated at my
ingenuity.
then hunted up what few jewels the
J girls possessed, and placing them, will
| what money 1 could find, in box, / tied
} them in my pocket. After doing this,
J stole downstairs, and removed my scis
sors from the door. These scissors were
| counted among my most valuable treas
ures / had had them many years, anC
[ l expected the man would only wal
l till he thought l and my fictitiou
l brother were asleep, and would thel
+ search the house for valuables, and finisl
r by killing me. Only one plan for escap
/ that originated seemed feasible. de
/ termined to wait till heard my lodge
4 in the room below, and then wrap my
q self in papa's shawl, and jump out of tn
l.. ~ 1a,,t in
. long; the peculiar squeak Of the sitting
5 room door alarmed me that it was tim
. to act. Quietly / raised the window
Q and just as the steps approached tn
r stairs, jumped to the ground. Fortu
4 nately there was bed OF lilies directl,
s beneath the window, and they softene
y my fall. That there was danger
i breaking my neck had not thought.
u was determined 10 escape from thi
:, dreadful man.
J. II was dark as Egypt, the rain wa
pouring down in torrents, but this wa
a nothing in comparison with the horro
: within the house.
Half mile back of our house lived
n friend of papa's-Mr. Vincent. l re
= solved to go there. ran along, stumh
| ing against fences and falling int
/. bitches, thinking L never knew such
4 long half mile. Finally 1 reached tn
4 house, and managed to tell my story
Several young men happened to hav
r been delayed there by the storm, anC
+ headed by Henry Vincent, young ma
q of some twenty-five years, they pre-
pared to capture my visitor.
4 1 was too excited to remain at MI
Vincents. l declared would go bac
h home. They all tried to persuade m
4 not to do this except Henry Vincent, wi
said osuch little heroine should do I
n she pleased" With a hand tight
clasped in Henry's, we started.
It When we came within sight of oil
house, we saw a light fitting from roo
,e to room, and few words Of boisterol
= song floated to us on the breeze, 5