The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-07-31

bring it to me, and she came to me at
once.
"Its well-thought of, missus," she
said, as she laid it in my lap. "It's
yerself will be interested wild the raidin'.
There's accounts of the house-breakin'
in it.
"Of what?n 1 calculated; and,
though assure you I'm not the least
nervous, my heart was in my mouth for
| a moment.
"Of the house-breakin', mum, and
how the thaves in the wurreld got into
Misther Dinsmore's house, that's sittiat-
ed the same as this, neighboring nobody,
and tuck all they could lay their hands
on, to say nothin' of half-murderin' the
ould gentleman. The saints be above us
this night"
There it was, sure enough, headed
GA bold and outrageous attack upon
the residence of Mr.. Dinsmore!" l
read it through, and then l said to my
self:
"Jerusha Jackman, remember your
presence of mind. Don't let it fail you
in cases of emergency. Should house.
breaker take advantage of your solitude,
iOb nun Alld JOu IL Wco DO
though some invisible what 's-his-name
had addressed me from the chimney. /
answered, 81 will" and you can't i'm
agine how bold / grew at once. 1 re-
hearsed all that should do in case Bid
dy came to me in the night, saying,
"Missus, there's some one in the eel
lar!"-all l should do if l found any
body in the wardrobe when | retired,
and l had the satisfaction of feeling
that l was prepared. l might wake up
to find the spoons gone-I might be
murdered in my bed; but it would not
be unawares, and they would inscribe
upon my tombstone the words: ."She
showed her presence of mind to the
last" 1 felt quite self-possessed and
happy, though 1 was certain
yes, morally certain-that something
remarkable would happen before morn
ing that should be, as it were, weighed
in the balance and not found wanting
before the sun arose. did not feel like
retiring early, and sat by the fire until
the clock struck eleven. Then, just as
the last stroke died away, Biddy came
down from her bedroom like red fan
mel ghost, with eyes and mouth wide
open, and something of Importance evil
IDENTIFY on her mind. l put baby down
in her cradle and arose, drawing myself
up to my full height, and feeling that 1
was the only one to be depended ON in
this awful emergency.
"Bridget," said I, show many are
theyP Is it one or morep'' .....
"Mum?" said Bridget.
"The thieves | mean," said I.
"Oh, it isn't thaves, num-" said Bid
dy. ''It's only that thafe of a wind
that's took the roof clane off the chick
en-house, and there's the wee bits iv
chicks stharvin to death wild cowld.n
"And in this dreadful rain, too" said
cts clared off fine," said Biddy,
'and the moons up"
So it actually was, and L began to feel
very brave.
"We must 60 out and put them in the
wood-house," said 1. And so saying, 1
tucked baby up in his blankets, and
wrapping shawl over my head, went
out into the night air. 1t had grown
very cold, but it was clear, as Biddy
had said, and we padded round in the
mud catching the poor little chickens.
We had them all at last, except one,
and we heard its little voice-SaOee, Swee,
SWee-somewhere, and of course could
not be so heartless as to forsake it. And
at last there it was, tangled up in some
dead vines, and as cold as lump of
ice. By the time we gave it to its
mother, who was very glad to see it,
the clock struck twelve. Baby had been
alone three-quarters of an hour.
"Muzzer's darling! sound asleep
YETI" said, as went to the cradle.
Merciful powers! shall ever forget
that momentp Baby was not there!
In moment the truth flashed on my
mind. Housebreakers had entered the
dwelling in our absence, and stolen my
treasure. Perhaps they were in the
house yet, or some of them. 1 felt the
strength of a tigress, and, leaving Biddy
bowling in the dining-room, rushed up
stairs.
Sure enough, there was light in my
bedroom, and peeped in. The mo-
ment / did so, 1 felt 1 was powerless.
The robber who had stolen my baby
was there, and the terribly muddy boots
of another were sticking from under the
bed; and, oh, horrors! another had got
into it, and had hidden, as he imagined,
under the quilts.
On my presence of mind depended
the recovery of my child and my own
life. In moment the plan flashed upon
me. There was but one door to the
room, and the windows were high and
barred, for had contemplated the time
when baby should be large enough to
climb up and lean out. Noiselessly and
suddenly drew that door to and locked
it on the outside; then, with the key in
my hand, and trembling like an aspen
leaf, l stole down stairs and cried to
Bridget: ..
"I've locked them in; they shall
give my baby back; come with me!'
and away l went across the garden and
down the road to the first house.
This was "Mulligan's Tavern very
low place, indeed, Stunned by all re-
spectacle folk; but l knew there were
always men there who were afraid of
nobody. The greatest brutes would not
refuse aid to woman at such time.
As we came near | saw light in one
of the windows, and heard voices and
loud laughter. 1t was no time for cere-