Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-12-08
AN HOUR OF TERROR.


AN HOUR OF TERROR.
found myself on the following morn
ing looking into the mirror to see wheth-
or or not my hair had turned white, and
j have often wondered since how ever
managed to come through it safely; but
/ did somehow. and am here now TO tell
you about it, If you will be patient and
listen.s
! was just sixteen years of age, and
the Youngest of large family. all of
whom had married and left home but
myself. We were residing i'm the coun-
try, aud / had never wished TO leave
my quiet home until after that eventful
night of which / am about to tell you.
NV mother used to- call me her - TOM
boy daughter, and indeed. if it had
not been for my &C ,ompiishments in this
direction. hardly know how should
have taken care of myself on that night
AS YOU will observe when | have
finished.
My father was physician. and had
been called TO the bedside of a patient
who was expected To die every moment,
consequently we did not expect him
back until some time the next day.
My mother had dismissed all the serv-
ants for the night and closed the doors.
10 was past our usual bed time, but we
were both deeply absorbed in our new
books. and seemed indisposed to retire
Al last, however, mother closed her
book. AMI said it was time we were in
bed. as we were expecting my brother
and his wife TO arrive the next morning
ut about three o'clock, and would be
called up to meet them. 1 had lust
placed my novel on the table, and was
leaning back TO enjoy huge yawn,
when tho gate opened and some one
came rapidly up the walk to the porch.
The next moment there was n loud
kno k ut the door, and mother and l
looked ut each other moment, rs if
wondering who could be coming in at
such late hour
"Some enc has sent for your father.
l guess" said mother, going TO her
room door which opened into the hall.
"Nho 5 thcrc?' she inquired heard
the voice of my brother-in-law, who
lived about n mile from US. saying that
his wife was quite i'll, and he had come
for father.
OF course ] was sorry for my sister $
illness. but at the same time was clad
that the caller was not an intru Ter. as
had ut first feared. When mother i'm.
fOrmo himfthnt father was away, he
asked her fshe would not return home
with him, "a She might De able TO rem
der my sister some relief
or course She could not refuse, and so
was TO be left alone, for / could not
poss bly, leave home. also, on account
OF my brother and his wife. and should
ccive. 49, -
Perhaps Il was More easily frightened
than most girls of my age, but the
fact that | was 1.-The baby of the fam.
n.y. and u q neyer been left alone nj
night. think quite sufficient reason for
my iai'ipG,,oy g.-t-,.... .. -
After seeing mother safely off !
fastened the door. and taking my book,
went upstairs TO my own room, where
L determined 20 spend the remainder
oi the ightreading lat least until mS
brother and wife came Mt three.
a door opened from my room upon a
little balcony, into which one from
the hall also opened. This / left a M
to admit fresh air, as knew there could
be no possible means of reaching II
from the porch below, except by long
ladder.
l could not center INV thoughts upon
the words before me. although / had
been very much interested before
mother left. would start aud listen AT
the least sound heard. Once | laid
aside my book. and going TO the back
window, looked down toward the serv-
ants houses To see il they had all re-
fired EXnrxsf In fVsr
and again decided TO be as brave as
possible, and forget all about robbers
anu ghosts; and so, alter satisfying my
self once more that there was no one in
the closet or wardrobe. or under the
ped L TOOK possession of my book and
sat down to read.
and again | found myself peering out
through the window down into the gar
den, and irving TO form the dancing
shadows there into human forms max
ing their stealthy way through the
shrubberY,
was about to turn my eyes to my
book once more when i saw something
that caused me to start and look more
closel y. Yes, il was, indeed, n man
creeping cautiously along behind the
hedge towards the servants houses.
Who could it beP The servants had
said nothing the night before about
leaving. and it was something unusual
for one of them to keep such things q
secret. rs they seemed to take delight
IN making known their pleasure trips to
us for several days before they were to
take place. Even il it was one of them.
why should he be so careful to get 10
his house3 And why had he come