St. Landry democrat., 1883-01-13


and proceeded to compromise. re-
deemed the property at former rates,
after deducting ten per cent. for use OF
ladder, it being my ladder; and next
day we sent down fer the expert once
more, and had the third story attached
to the alarm for $500.
'sBy this time the annunciator' had
grown to formidable dimensions. 1t
had forty-seven tags on it, marked with
the names of various rooms and CHM
neys, and it occupied the space OF an
ordinary wardrobe. The gong was the
size of washbowl, and was placed
above the head of our led. There was
| a wire from the house to the coachman'
quarters in the stable, and noble gong
alongside his pillow.
1--WE, should have been comfortable
now but for one defect. Every morn
ing at five the cook opened the kitchen
| door, in the way of business, and rip
went that gong! The first time this hap
| pened thought the last day was come,
sure I didn't think it in bed-no, but
out of bed-for the first effect OF that
frightful gong is to hurl you across the
house and slam you against the wall,
and then curl you up, and squirm you
4 like spider on a stove-lid, till some
body shuts that kitchen door. In solid
fact, there is no clamor that is even re-
motley comparable to the dire clamor
which that gong makes. Well, this cat
astrophe happened every morning reg.
ularly at five O clock, and lost us three
hours sleep; for, mind you, when that
thing wakes you, it doesn't merely
wake you in spots; it wakes you all
over, conscience and all. and you are
good for eighteen hours of wide-aWaked-
ness subsequently hours OF
the very most inconceivable wide
awakedness that you ever experienced
! in your life. A stranger died on our
hands one time, and we vacated and
i left him in our room over night. Did
that stranger wait for the general iudg-
ment? No, sir; he got up at five the
next morning in the most prompt and
transformations way. | knew he would;
I knew it mighty well. He collected
his life insurance, and lived happy ever
after, for there was plenty OF proof as
to the perfect squareness of his death.
..Well, we were gradually fading
away toward better land, on account
of our daily loss of sleep; SO we finally
i had the expert up again, and he ran a
wire to the outside of our door, and
i placed a switch there, whereby Thomas,
i the butler, could take of and put on the
arm; but Thomas always made one
I lit mistake-he switched the alarm Oft
4 at night when he went to bed, and
switched it on again at daybreak in the
morning, Just in time for the cook to
4 L. al n
i going to slam us across the house, some
times breaking window with one or
the other of us. At the end of week
4 we recognized that this switch business
was delusion and a snare. Ne also
I di covered that band OF burglars had
been lodging in the hou the whole
1 time-not exactly to steal. for here
wasn't much left now, but to hide from
Il the police. for they were hot pressed,
4 and they shrewd Y. judged that the de
u feetiyes would never think of tribe of
T burglars taking sanctuary in a. house
VIGOROUSLY protected by the most i'm
:. posing and aborate burglar alarm in
America.
s.Sent down for the expert again, and
this time he struck a most dazzling idea
The fixed the thing so that opening the
kitchen door would take off the alarm.
It was noble idea, and he charged ac-
co.dipgly. But you already fore ee the
result. switched on the alarm every
night at bed time, no longer trusting to
Thomas fral memory; and as son as
the lights were out the burglars walked
in at the kitchen door, thus taking the
. alarm off without waiting for the cook
4 to do it in the morning. 1ou see how
aggravatingly we were situated. For
months we couldn't have any company.
Not a spare bed inthe house; all occu-
4 p ed by burglars. S
:. Finally, I got up q cure Of my own.
4, The expert answered the call, and ran
anot her underground wire to the stable,
/, and established d switch there, SO that
!, the coachman could put on and take of
4 the alarm. That worked first-rate, and
season of peace ensuea. during which
we got to.inv ting company once more
I and enjoying life
But by-and-b by the irrepressible
, alarm invented a new kink. One VIM
i tiers night we were flung out OF ted by
4 the sudden music Of that awful gong,
and when we hobbled to the annunca-
tor, turned up the gas and saw the word
Nursery exposed, Mrs. McWilliams
tainted dead away, and came precious
near doing the same thing myself.
seized my shotgun and stood timing
the coachman whilst that appalling buzz
ling went on. / knew that his gone
8 had flung him cut, too. and that he
would be along with his gun as soon as
8 he could jump into his clothes. When
. / Judged that the time was ripe / crept
, into the room next the nursery. glanced
through the window, and saw the dim
outline of the coachman in the yard be
q low, standing at present-arms and
3 waiting for a chance. Then hoped