The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-01-20
ROMANCE Or A HAMMER.

ROMANCE Or A HAMMER.
 "Yes, am. believe. quite i disin;er- ested person, and fairly we'll known for my courage and modesty. Twas boarding in retired neighborhood in New York. and next to me lived in private house an old lady and her granddaughter. Need say that that young person was unusu ally attractive: regret to state, howev- CT, that any advances on my part in tha, direction were met al first with much in- difference. Of course. an acquaintance with the old lady had to be made. and | very queer old lady was she With q great many eccentrcities. she had one in particular which ovcrshadowcd the rest Once her house has been robbed, forty years before. and she had never forgotten 1t. Though she was deaf as a post. she assured me that the least noise disturbed her of nights. as the dread of robbers was always on her mind. Whether the young lady shared her grandmother fears or not, did not know. rather hoped she did.
 If as thought to myself. I could only take advantage of this old woman's fan cies, that might give me an introduction to the house. The old lady was garu- lous. and livery soon scraped up an ac- quantance with her. I had not been talking with her more than five minutes. shouting my words into her ears. before preached the subject of robberies. From my pocket drew a newspaper and there from in loud tones read an account of a house-breaking adventure. must con fess that in order to add some point to the story introduced some quite new facts into the description. For in the de- scription the street in which the robbery took place was in an entirely different part of the town from ours. and for 1t substituted % OUT own immediate HeishberAaed.-la the original version. however. Il WAS an old woman who had actually been at the mercy of the bandits. howled it all out. and had the satisfaction of seeing that 1t had an instantaneous effee, on the old lady.
 "Deary me" said the old lady. Ter rible. and we are so entirely unprotected two lone women.
 Awful .' replied and when rob bers once get in neighbothood they never lei up until they clean out every thing. l don't like 10 tell you. but have seen some very strange and mysterious looking fellows = tramps apparently lounging around here la,eiy." "
 'Bless us. and am 90 deaf and ner- vous. l am sure shan't be able to sleep for weeks. What can do:'
 'l have an idea, said l. "In what story Of your house do you sleepF'
 Second story" Then the old lady described the position of her bed-cham- ber-second story back. Her grand daughter slept in the same room.
 had known that before from careful reconnaissance l had made. My own modest chamber in the boarding house was an the same floor, and our rooms were contiguous. only separated by the thin party wall.
 Now, my dear madame" said I. q am going to propose a plan of action for you, quite simple of its kind, which ought to relieve you of all anxie,ies. might recommend a burglar-proof apparatus. with telegraphie attachments. bu, those are very expensive things 10 set up can manage il all with a hammer"
 ' 4 hammer :" exclaimed the old lady. opening wide her mouth and eyes.
 Yes simple hammer"
 But l should be so terrified that if a Tohher were to break m never could use II. l couldn't knock a man down with it.. The old lady was terribly flustercd.
 didn't mean a hammer 10 be used as weapon. Oh. dear, no quite differ ent from that. Your room Tn your house and mine in my house are adjacent. ard the head of your bed is Jus, near mine Now. l will buy you a small hammer. and all you have to do Is 10 take it 10 bed with you. At the least noise. take your hammer and give three raps on the wall l will at once understand that by that Is meant precautionary signal. It's quite as good as any telegraphic apparatus l hear the three raps. good wake up al once, and sprIngIng out of bed, put on my clothes. am prepared for action, as it were Then should your fears con- tinue you keep on rapping. understand that the danger IS imminent. Then l seize my revolver, cock ii, rush down stairs. bound over the fence. and my presence at once disconoerts the robbers They endeavor to escape shoot two or three of them, and you and your charm ing granddaughter are saved"
 " It's very doubtful, but quite kind anu thoughtful of you. and so ingenious do believe that if knew that some one