River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-15

posed the bed had been disturbed. /
/ was elated at my ingenuity.
/ / then hunted up what few jewels the
/ girls possessed. and placing them, with
what money could find, in box, |
| tied them in my pocket After doing
/ this stole downstairs, and removed
my scissors from the door. These scis-
/ sons were counted among my most val-
liable treasures. | had them many
wears, and was not disposed to lose
i them now.
| / expected the man would only wait
/ till he thought | and my fictitious
/ brother were asleep, and would then
search the house for vahables, and
/ finish by killing me. Only one plan
/ for escape that originated seemed
/ feasible. / determined to wait till |
heard my ledger Ill the room below,
| and then wrap myself in papa's shawl,
! and jump out Of the window was
not kept IN suspense long; the peculiar
| squeak of the sitting room door alarm
| ed me that II was time Ia act Quietly
/ / raised the window, and Just as the
steps approached the stairs, | jumped
/ to the ground. Fortunately there was
] a bCAA Va 4iAASS NA4NNAAA bCAlGstA&A tAAt w
dow. and they softened my fall That
there was no danger of breaking my
neck had not thought. was deter
mined 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 from our house liv-
ed friend of Papa 's-Mr Vincent.
resolved to go there. | ran along,
| stumbling against fences and falling in
to bitches, thinking | never knew such
a long half mile Finally ! 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, a young
man of some twenty-five years they
prepared to capture my visitor.
! was too excited TO remain at Mr..
Vincent's / declared / would go hack
home They all tried to persuade me
except Henry Vincent, who said "such
a little heroine should do rs she pleased"
With hand tightly elasped in Henry's,
we started
When We came within sight Of our
house we saw a Light fitting from room
! to room, and few words of boisterous
song floated 10 us on the breeze 81
lently my friends surrounded the house,
guarding every avenue of escape. Hen
~ and Il would not let him leave me
for a moment) entered the house. We
found the vagabond searching papa's
desk. He had found several
hundred dollars that / had not seen,
when preparing for flight. He started
to run when he saw us but finding
men and revolvers ON all sides, he was
obliged TO surrender.
He was safely bound and then ques-
toned Ii appears he was noted thief
who had long bat1led the police. He
said when he learned the house was oc-
cupied only by two individuals, he was
much elated He did not intend TO pro
coed to acts of violence, unless my
brother and | troubled him too much
When he found the house deserted, he
concluded / mad not told him the truth
that | was alone Not finding me- he
supposed / had hid, and he would not
hunt for me-
Lifting me into his lap, Henry Vim
cent called me The 'bravest little woman
he ever knew" All the others praised
and flattered me, till | began to think
men were greater takers than women
All that night we stayed there, and be
fore morning ] was raving like a lunatic
Three long weeks | remained uncon
scious. When ! became sensible, anX
ious faces were bending over me. Papa
mamma. and all the folks were at IN,
bedside
What is the natter / asked In
moment that dreadful day came TO m!
remembrance. ooh, | know" said !
with shuder.
1t was long long time before ! re
gained my strength Every person pet
ted and praised me. / was the heroin,
of the noighborhood Henry Nineen
never became tired of descanting upon
my bravery and devoted himself {,
me in a manner that would have beer
very aggrivating to his Young lady &c
.. quaintanoe, had been few years old
er.
My "lodger" was sent to prison tC
mediate for some wears