The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-12-07

7NtNANASAAAe ahiAA llSlGHGtA lllCuLAN TO see III
the sound or whatever it was would be
repeated.
All was as still rs death. Nothing to
meet my listening ear save the mourn
ful breeze as it gently rustled the leaves
outside my window; and the faint tick,
tick, of the large clock in the hall down
stairs. \ es, a cricket was chirping from
the hearth, and | could hear the weird,
lonely boot Of an owl from the neighbOr-
ing wood
A thrill ran through me. Everything
seemed so completely forsaken-so quiet
and desolate. LoOGing at my watch [
discovered that it was exactly two
o clock, and indeed, was surprised to
learn that l h. d been asleep so long
Another hour before my brother would
come. l thought it would never 90 TO
allow myself to fall asleep again. and
remembering that there yere some APP
pies in the closet, / started to get one,
hoping it would ass st me to keep awake.
| had just stopped over the basket when
l heard q strange, grinding, cutting
sound, very low, but distinct / turned
to listen, and it came to my ear louder
than before.
/ asked myself If it could be a huge
rat cutting his way into the pantry BE-
low, but the next instant this hope was
driven from me, for the noise was evil
IDENTITY made by something larger than
rat. Some one was trying to Affect
an entrance.
Oh, Heaven. what could l DOE Sup
pose it were a robber attempting to
make an entrance into the house? What
would become of me? | shuddered
and stood like one riveted to the floor.
] felt the perspiration stealing out upon
my forehead in great, hot beads, and
almost heard my heart beating. Again
| i-tened in breathless suspense. The
sound was unmistakable this time, and
thai it was an intruder did not doubt,
trying to cut his way through some of
the blinds below.
There were guns in the house, and I
could handle one about as we'll as any
country girl; but the fact was they were
all down stairs in the pantry, and if 1
attempted to 90 after one l might rush
into the very AIMS of a burglar Be-
sides, did not know where the pantry
key was. Perhaps it was in the sitting
room, where mother sometimes kept it,
or perhaps in her room; but in what
| exact place? Alas! may be she had
taken it away in her pocket So there
was no hope of obtaining a gun, and
the only thing remaining for me to do
was to try and make my escape. But
/ how?
The thought struck me that 1 might
extingu'sh the I ght and hide myself;
but thsl l should run the risk of being
discovered and perhaps killed.
was, indeed, in s ate of perpleXity,
and asked myself what should | do.
The sound still grew louder. Whoever
the intruder was, he was certainly get
ting holder.
unfastened my shoes and carefully
slipped them OF, then blew out the
light and cautiously making my way to
the door which opened into the balcony,
stood Just inside and listened. Yes, it
was most certainly at one OF the front
windows! Lying down on the floor,
Crawled to the edge of the balcony and
! peeped carefully over at the windows
of my mothers room
l could see no one but [ could hear
the noise much palmer. l then made
my way to the other end of the balcony,
| and looked over IN the same manner.
| To my ineXprcssible horror, [ saw the
| dark figure of Il man at one of the par
/ lOU windows If he once managed TO
| get in, he could 90 all through the house
/ except in the pantry.
l saw in an instant that it was the
man whom l had seen in the yard.
/ Could it be that our old gardener had
| learned of fathers and mothers alb
/ sence and meant to take advantage Of
\ it to rob our house? / could scarcely
| believe it, for we had always reposed
! such confidence in Uncle Ben that
| did not believe him capable of such a
! deed.
| The noise ceased for a moment, and
! looking closely / saw him thrust his
| hand in through the hole he had cut
and unfasten the blinds Opening them
/ he tried the window, but fortunately it
could not lie lifted from the outside.
He then set to work with his knife
again to cut out the sash.
/ How | shuddered. He would soon be
| in, and what would become of me?
! Could l make my way down stairs and
/ out OF the back door before he cut
| through? Was there nothing / could
| do to prevent him from taking away my
mothers valuab,es? There were sew
/ cral handsome articles of silver in the
1 parlor, besides all the table silver on
| the side board in the halt. If | could
! get out l might send for help before he
had sufficient time to make away with
! the stolen property. | spent little time,
/ however, in planning for their safety.
was wondering how 1 was to take care
! of myself
1 had crept back to my room door,
/ and stood looking around for some
means of escape. The noise had ceased
/ altogether now, and stepping back to
/ the edge of the balcony, | looked over
and the man had disappeared He
( had succeeded in entering the parlor
window
/ There was no possible means of get
! ting out by the lower story now, for the
stairs won't down Immediately at the
! parlor door, and l could not escape be-
ing seen should 1 attempt to descend. l
had almost made up my mind to Jump
from the balcony into the porch, but it
was foolish thought, for it w entire
/ ly too high, and would be sure to break
a limb or sprain my ankle, and thus
throw myself into the villains power.
/ Once more l turned into nv room.
and my brain was in such q whirl that /
| could think of no course to pursue
nothing but to stand and listen. NV
hearttuttered. l heard a soft step on
the stair, and the next moment saw a
light thrown upon the wall in the en-
try. He was coming.
/ wrung my hands and glanced hur-
riedly about Must | hide myself be-
tween the feather-bed and mattress
Good Heaven! l hadn't time for that,
LOT ne was mar way up the stars.
The c uset door stood open, and
springing to it ! took out the KEY. and
stepping in, closed the door, locking it
on the inside. Peeping through knot
hole, saw the dark form of man step
\ ping caut ously across the hall to my
| room, hold NO small lantern in his
hand. When he stood on the threshold
he threw the light in and peered anx-
iously about Coming into the room he
examined the bed he even stopped and
looked under it, then turned to the ia
/ bic and stood looking at my book and