The Osceola times., 1882-04-01
UNDER THE BED.
Some Had Frights Caused by Wicked
Darglars.


skeleton in the family, the man under
the bed. 1t is an aweeome feeling to
timid, shrinking sensitive woman, to re-
member Just as she has put the light odt,
and crawled into the safe and comforta-
BILE retreat where she expects to peace
fully lay her head on smooth pillow, !
and sleep il not snore-that she has for
gotten to look under the bed In a mo-
ment she is as wide awake as II con-
frmed victim Of insomania; she imag' |
ines she can hear some one breathe; she
knows he is Il ere, dressed in brigand- |
ish suit-red flannel shirt, military
boots, q slouch hat and a mask and a
whole arsenal of firearms; her heart
beats thick and fast, strange noises ring
in her ears, the perspiration startes out
and bathes her in clammy folds. She
has locked the door and he will murder
her il she moves In very ecstasy OF
terror she slips one white foot out on the
carpet, it touches a cold rubber shoe OF
her own that is lying beside the bed, and
with a shrek that rouses the whole
family, she tears open the door and
when the alarmed household inquiries
the cause of her fright, she coolly an
swers: 81 thought heard rat in the
room"
The man under the bed does not al
ways prove a myth. Perhaps it is an
actual fact that women who pray look
for him more regularly than others Of q
less spiritual turn of mind; when the
good woman kneels at, the bedside to of
fer her devotions, it is the most natural
thing in the world for her TO first ex-
plore that historic territory and satisfy
herself that no concealed burglar is
listening. 1t is also well authenticated
fact that pious woman in the suburbs
Of London did discover the legs of
bold, bad house breaker sticking out Just
as she began her petition. She did not
shrek, but went on with a prayer for
that particular sinner that would have
melted the heart Of Newgate thief. |
wish that it might be added that he was
converted on the spot, came out and WAS
pardoned, and afterwards married the
petitioner. But truth compels me to add
that the good woman was interrupted in
the most solemn part of her prayer by
peal of laughter from the graceless
younger brother who had enacted the
part of a burglar.
More tragic was the story of the lady
who, travelling alone, stopped at an inn
and mentioned the fact that she had
been followed aud watched by villain.
Gus looking man with a shock of red
hair, who she feared had designs upon
the valuables she carried with her. As
nothing was seen Of him at the inn she
retired for the night, carefully locked
the door and was soon in bed, leaving a
light burning in front of mirror. No
sooner was her head on the pillow than
she had distinct view of the man with
the red hair crouched under the bed;
she made no sound, but reached softly
for scarf she had laid near, made it
into q running moose and waited The
next morning when her servants broke
open the door, they found the lady sit
ting up in bed. grasping with both hands
the moose in which she held the fearful
weight of the dead man; she had stran.
gled him, but was herself a raving mani
ac from whom reason had forever gone
Some time ago prominent judge in
Birmingham, n. H., was found murdered
in his own house and no clue to the
murderer. 1t was imme diately after an
adverse decision he had made in case
of great importance, and the murder was
supposed to have been instigated by a
desire Of revenge but as all the parties
were respectable people it was impossible
to fasten the guilt on any one. The judge
was a widower, and lived alone with the
exception of a young daughter and the
servants. This daughter was beautiful,
and on the evening in question had re-
turned home from a ball at a late hour
and gone directly to her own room where
she stood before her mirror taking off
her Jewels. As she did so, she held her
white and rounded arm above her head,
and conscious Of its beauty said aloud.
what beautiful ARM little thinking
the idle remark of such consequence as
it proved to be in the tragedy that fol
lowed. The girl both saw and heard
her fathers murderer, but as he was
masked failed to distinguish his features,
but always declared she should know his
voice if ever she heard it. Several years
passed, and in another city she was
standing in crowd observing some
passing sight, when she was conscious
of the curious regard of a stranger who
stood near. Looking at her with singu-
lar intensity, he made this remark;
"Oh, the beautiful arm" She knew the
voice in an instant, and throwing her
self bodily on the man, denounced him
as her fathers murderer. He was arrest
ed, tried and convicted, and told how he
had lain hidden under the bed and heard
the idle remark of the young girl which
she herself had been scarcely conscious
of. He had recognized her on meeting
he, and involuntarily betrayed himself,
as he had been stranger and an unsus-
pected party.
1t is not pleasant thing for woman
to waken in the night and see masked
burglar standing over her with a pistol
in his hand. Yet such an occurrence
happened to Miss Mary Scotten, sister OF
Mr.. Daniel Scotten, of Springwell, only
a week or tive ago. Miss Scotten is a
lady well known in Detroit, and she is
the only woman who did not, up to the
time mentioned, believe in either ghosts
or burglars. So much faith had the lady
in her kind, that she failed TO use the
burglar chain across her own door, and
retired to rest without a misgiving. To
a representative of this paper she said;
81 never for = moment had thought of
burglars getting into the house. and
when awaked and heard the chain at
the door rattle, supposed it was
mouse; then | heard board creak but
thought that was the servants. But in a
moment q man with a white handker.
chief tied over the lower part of his face
stood in the room, with bit of lighted
candle in one hand and a pistol in the
other; he pointed the pistol at my head
and said, If you move I'll blow your
head of = didn't move"
What were your sensations at that
supreme moment, Miss Scotten?"
81 had none; | think | must have been