Richland beacon., 1880-07-10
"Oh, Sarah there is dreadful look

denly Sarah cried
"You little goose! 1t is Bill Nc
Carly ~
Sure enough, it was Sarah's beau.
Her mother was very sick, and McCarty
was sent to bring Sarah home immedi-
ately.
Here was a 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, 80 / 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. 1 tried to read, but it was impossi-
ble; all the murder stories 1 had ever
heard came to my mind. remembered
that none Of our doors could be locked.
Papa, who had few strange ideas, de-
clared that locks were nuisance. felt
that was doomed.
went out to the yard, and, to my dis
may, discovered that the sky was over
cast and storm near at hand. 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 a very little rain trans
formed them both into raging torrents.
As stood at the window l saw first one
bridge, and then the other, swept of. l
knew now that l must stay alone all
night; it would he 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. To my horror. now saw one of
them coming across the field Should
hide? No, that was not to he thought of.
Without stopping to knock, the great
rough map walked in.
"Can pstay here all night?"
dared not refuse him, 80 as firmly as
1 could, answered.
yes"
He seemed surprised at seeing no one
but myself, and questioned me much.
l told him my brother was upstairs
writing; that we two were alone. This
was the first thing that entered my head
to tell him. Such a 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 brutal
mouth, completed bis general expression
of ferOcity.
Bedtime came, and directed the man
to a 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. 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 mamma's room and hid it i'll the bed.
No one would have supposed the bed
had been disturbed. was elated at my
ingenuity.
I then hunted up what few Jewels the
girls possessed, and placing them, with
what money I could find, in box, tied
them in my pocket After doing this,
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. and
was not disposed to lose them now.
I expected the man would only wait
till he thought I and my fictitious
brother were asleep, and would then
search the house for valuables, and finish
by killing me. Only one plan for escape
that originated seemed feasible. de-
termined to wait till 1 heard my lodger
in the room below, and then wrap my
self in papa's shawl, and jump ont Of the
window. I was not kept in suspense
long; the peculiar squeak of the sitting
room door alarmed me that it was time
to act. Quietly I raised the window,
and just as the steps approached the
stairs, / jumped to the ground. Fortu-
nately there was bed of lilies directly
beneath the window, and they softened
my fall. That there was danger of
breaking my neck had not thought. 1
was determined to escape from this
dreadful man.
1t was dark as Egypt, the rain was
pouring down in torrents, but this was
nothing in comparison with the horror
within the house.
Half mile back of our house lived q
friend Of papa's-Mr. Vincent. I re-
solved to go there. I ran along. stumbl-
ing against fences and falling into
bitches, thinking I never knew such a
long half mile. Finally I reached the
house, and managed to tell my story.
Several young men happened to have
been delayed there by the storm, and,
headed by Henry Vincent, q young man
of some twenty-five years, they pre-
pared to capture my visitor.
I was too excited to remain at Mr..
vincent's. declared would go back
home. They al tried to persuade me
not to do this except Henry Vincent, who
said "such little heroine should do as
she pleased" With q hand tightly
clasped in Henry's, We started
When We came within sight Of our
house, we saw Light fitting from room
to room, and . few words Of boisterous
song floated to us ON the breeze. ST.
lently my friends surrounded the house,
guarding every avenue of escape. Henry
and q would not let him leave me for
q moment) entered the house. Wefound
the vagabond searching papa's desk. He