The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-02-16
A THRILLING STORY.
A Woman's Presence of Mind.

DIR. J. c.. Walker, of Indiana polls,
Ind, gives the following account of
the encounter with a burglar in his
house At about three o'clock in the
morning [ was awakened by my
wife telling me that the gas was I'M
accountabiy low. We keep a Jet
lighted in the hall during the night
in case of a call or other emergency.
I got out Of bed and elevated it to
the usual height, thinking that pres
sure was unusually light, and say
ing to Mrs. Walker that that was
doubtless the cause of its burning so
low. and returned to bed. That did
not satisfy her, however. She i'm
agained that the turning down of the
light meant something, and woman
like looked under the bed She saw
the feet of man sticking out toward
the west wall, near the head Of the
bed, and hear comes the most re
markable part Of the story. She
knew | was awake, and considered
that if she told me there was a man
under the bed I would grapple him,
and he undoubtedly being armed
would kill me. So she arose and
went into the boys room and
awakened Thorn carefully, telling
them there was a man underneath
our bed, and for them to get up
quickly and watch while she went
downstairs for a revolver. When
she came back she gave it to John
remembering, even in that moment
Of supreme peril, that Frank had
Just recovered from a long spell OF
sickness, and was CONSEQUENTLY
weak rnd nervous. The then went
along the hall to the room Of the
colored man, whom she knew had a
revolver also. She then returned
and went into Franks room where
the two boys were.
In the meantime | began wonder
ing what she was about, and just
after she passed the door the second
times thought heard a slight rust
ling under the bed. l turned over
toward the side she vacated, and met
the gaze of a man, whose head alone
was raised over the bed rail near
the foot, watching me. The state
Of affairs flashed across my mind in
an instant. Mrs. Walker had seen
the man, and had aroused the boys
and cOlored man to assist if neces-
sary. The burglar was doubtless
aware Of her movements, |
and was bordering on what |
was to be done. OF course I amag- |
ined that that was to shoot me,
and to prevent him I lunged at
him with my right hand, striking
him in the right eye and knocking
him back on the floor. AS | struck
[ threw myself upon him and bore
him to the floor. The space where
we fell was narrow and circum-
5cribed and, although [ had the fell
low by the throat, he succeeded in
grasping my wrist with such a grip
as to temporarily paralyze it. [
never before felt, and did not think
t possible for a man to have such a
pressure. In our struggle he man
.ged to get his right arm from IN
Ter his body, and with it he fired
lis revolver, the ball grazing my
eft side and penetrating the ceiling
thought a young cannon had gone
If.
The explosion somewhat startled
ne, and l let up on my grip, which
nabled my antagonist to break
way from me and rush into the
all. Just as he got outside Of the
oor, apparently, two shots follow
d, and then all was still and dark.
he shooting had extinguished the
as, and the agony of the moments
hat followed was almost unbear- =
BILE. 1t seemed to me, of course, !
nat the two shots had killed the
oys, for [ did not know that there
-as a revolver in the house, much
,ss that Mrs. Walker had provided I
ne boys with it. Iran out into the
all expecting to encounter the
urglar, and found the door into
ranks room partly closed. [ tried
} open it, but could not, and then
occurred to me that by a chance
le boys might not be hurt, and |
allied out, as that you John?" and
he answer was like the sweetest
lusic to my ears, for recognized
is voice. di
care you hurt?" =
mo, father, l am not, and Frank
nd mother are here with me, all
ght"
''Who did that shooting?"
II did, and | know [ hit him. "
AS soon as possible the gas was
lighted, but no burglar could be
en- either in the hall or on the
airway. Originating an investi-
ltion party we went down stairs.
he fellow, after being shot through y
e heart, had run down stairs '
rough the dining and kitch-
|, and fell prone on the threshold
the porch-dead. He had his
volver in one hand and knife in Gel
e other as he lay. -