The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-05-16

stocking bag-we turned it inside and
out, held it up to the light of day,
opened it this way and that-ther5
was nothing else-not even as much
as ball of yarn or skein of thrumbs.
Then we went home, Marian and l.
We did not laugh much, we certainly
did not cry; the whole thing seemed
so like the freak of imbecil ty it was
pitiable, but l was glad that 1 nor
any of my family had ever built any
air castles over my legacy, that we had
never stopped in our busy whirl to
give it a thought. When got to my
room ! opened my horse-hair trunk,
and deposited it, tin box and
all, safe in the bottom.
1t was a thud in my room thai
awOke me. l cannot describe 1t by
any other word. 1t was not a foot
step-it was not the turning of a key,
or the grating of a file in the lock, or
the opening of a door. 1t was not
outside or in the wall, but right in my
room. So perfectly did possess my
self, when l awoke, that l was able
instantly to locate myself and
my belongings. AS 1 lay per-
fectly still, l heard clock striking
the hour of two" the dead hour of
the night. Presently, there was lit
tie stir, as of the moving of cautious
feet on the carpet, toward my bel. l
was able then to locate the stand. My
trunk stood in the corner of the room,
near the door leading to the hal. 1
had locked this door when | retired,
but the intruder must have picked his
way there, for the room had no other
access. Whoever he was, he was max
ing his way straight for me. What
could do? l thought of my poor old
father and Nell, and the boy--of Tot
asleep in her warm bed, of what 1 had
meant to do for them all. l thought
of my old home, and Of the cozy corner
where used to sit and read in the
afternoons, of my books and their be-
longings. This had occupied but a
second, but in it had lived years. A
little jar Of the bed He was there,
then.
Marian's room was separated from
mine by double wall. If screamed
she might not hear me. Was there
nothing, then, nothing? 1 lifted a
silent prayer for help and the answer
came like flash.
1t was the accomplishment 1 re-
ceived from old Meb that saved me.
1 concentrated all my strength in
one wild whoop. 1t was enough to
wake all the sleeping Indians west of
the Mississippi. Something clicked
against the bedpost and somebody
rushed out of my room, hitting his
feet against my trunk at the door,
with more noise and less ceremony
than he had observed in entering.
"You have had terrible night
mare" said Marian, shivering all over,
81 thought every redskin that ever
lived was nourishing tomahawk over
my defenseless head--I hope I've got
my scalp left"
Marian, how did you get ilto my
room?"
"Found the door wide open-lucky
that your door was not locked, though
Rick would have burst the door to
have reached you"
"Is there anything under my bed p
Dreaming yet, are you, dear?" She
smiled as she stopped. The night
lamp in her hand flashed over some
thing on the carpet. 1t was burglars
file.
Scipio Africanus must have received
an urgent call to his own country, for
he was never seen thereafter in this.
/ suppose he thought that tin box con-
tanned valuables; failing to find it AN
der my pillow, he would have searched
my trunk.
"Who would have believed it of
him." said Marian, the next day at
dinner.
April Fools day came on Saturday,
last year. If a mine of silver had
opened at my feet in New York, l be-
lieve should have hastened home to
spend the day with the children. We
used to make it kind of high dPy.
had come on with my tin box and
stOcking-bag just the same, however,
and after a morning Of merry-making
l sat down with Nell to mend stock
ings.
at is strange about this bag" said
Nell, tugging away at stitch with
the point of her scissors.
"What is strange about it?"
Don't you notice how it Fuckers in
this corner? 1t seems as if it was not
cut evenly, or else"
l was honeycombing the heel OF
Toms new sock and didn't notice
Nell's sudden silence till she pulled at
my sleeve.
"Patty"
She held little paper in her hand
81 found it sewed in this seam"
She had spread it out and was trying
to read it: "TO any one who has wit
and perseverance enough to find this
paper, l give and bequeath-" "Why
! or 1nao ~ eN