The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-12-13

come, but she didn't say anything And
after she had seen the last of the spring
wagon she went back into the kitchen and
went soberly to work washing the dishes,
trying to enjoy the prospect ofa long quiet
afternoon. undisturbed by any scolding or
fault finding. She ale such clatter
with the dishes that she did not hear steps
on the porch outside, and started violently
when a voice sounded close behind her.
Folks all away to the circus, guess ?"
She turned, and the big dinner plate
she was in the act of lifting from the
sink to the draining-pan, fell with a crash
to the floor, as she saw standing in the
doorway two rough looking men, dressed
in shabby, dirty clothes, and wearing di-
lapidated felt hats pulled low over their
brows. She saw at once that they were
tramps of the worst kind.-'Yes,
they're away" she said, trying to speak
bravely, and wondering where Towser
could be that these men had entered
the yard unmolsted, ''but l can give
you something to eat, if that's what
you want" ct amt all we want, by
long sight" said one of the men with a
short laugh, "but it'll do to begin with.
Set us out the best you can, and after
that We'll go through the house like a
streek O. lightning 'thout no help from
nobody. "-Jenny's heart sank. She
thought of the silver spoons in the cedar
chest up stairs. Mrs. Denning priced
them very highly, for they had belonged
to her mother. And then there was Mr..
Denning's watch, which he had lett at
home. fearing that if he took it with him
he might lose it in the crowd at the circus.
And Mr.. Mays trunk The tramps
would be sure to break it open and find
the chain and locket he had bought to
carry home to his daughter. felt
bewildered She sank down in chair,
too weak to stand.
Whats the matter" asked one Of the
tramps. Come, where's the milk and
butter, an the pies an meat? Get EN-
an be quick about it. We amt got no
time to fool round. "-"There's pan of
milk down cellar, and the cold tur-
keys down there, too" said Jenny, "but
| can't get EN-. don't believe | could
take step. Her teeth were fairly chat
terihg from fright, and she was shaking
as if with a chilli. The men laughed
loudly. 'See if you can put that
coffee pot on the fire, and we'll get the
milk and turkey for ourselves. Come
along, Bill, " and the biggest and toughest
looking of the two seized his companion
by the arm and started towards the
cellar door. "Oh, what shall | do ?"
moaned Jenny, as the men went clatter-
ing down the stairs swearing at the
darkness of the cellar. ''Where is
Towser?" She did not dare call the dog
and sat staring helplessly at the cellar
door, thinking how angry Mrs. Denning
would be when she came home and
found the house robbed of all its valu,
ables.
eff they would only stay down cellar
until | could hunt up Towser," thought
Jenny; and then suddenly bright idea
came into her head. The cellar door was
a very heavy one and was fastened by a
strong iron bolt. If she could but close
shaking limbs almost refused to support
her, but she managed to get across
the room and close the door just as the
men began the ascent of the stairs, and
as they reached the top her trembling
fingers shot the bolt into the catch. The
men, laden with the pan of milk and the
cold turkey, tried at first to kick the door
open, but failing in that, they ordered
Jenny to unbolt it at once, or they would
kill her. But, frightened as she was at
this terrible threat, the child did not obey
and after assuring her that she would suf.
fer for what she had done. the men went
stamping and swearing down the stairs
again.
'The trap! l forgot the trapr' thought
Jenny, fairly sick with fear, and she
dragged herself to the window to look
out-She almost cried, so great was her
relief, when she saw on the trap door
three barrels Of potatoes, which Mr..
Denning had rolled there that morning
to await removal to the cellar. She felt
sure now that the tramps could not make
their escape, for the windows to the eel
lar were very small, and had iron bars
across them. She did not think of leav-
ing the house to call for help. In the first
place, Mis- Denning had forbidden her to
leave it even for minute, and in the sec
ond place, she knew that the nearest
neighbors had gone to the circus. She
went back to the sink and finished the
washing of the dinner dishes, in spite of
the storming and swearing that was going
on below. Again and again the men tried
to break down the cellar door, but it re
sisted all their attempts. They tried
threats argument and persuasion on
Jenny without effect. She made no re.
ply to anything they said. But she was
in constant terror that they would succeed
in breaking in the door, and her heart al
most stopped beating as she heard the
rsining of their fierce blows.
Would o'clock never come? She
glanced at the big kitchen clock every
few minutes, and it seemed to her as if
hands had never before moved so slowly.
She set the table, cat the bread, went to
the dairy for milk, and made the toast;
and Just as the clock struck 6 she heard
the sound of wheels, and Mr.. Denning's
voice She went to the door as the wagon
stopped at the horse block. Towser
looked tagged, and very dusty, was al
ready stretched on the porch, preparing
for a nap.
TOW ser followed us all the way"
screamed Agnes, as her father lifted her
out of the wagon, ''and we didn't know
anything about it until we got there.
Then we couldn't make him go back.
Did you miss him, jenny" Jenny didn't
answer. She went up to Mr.. Denning
and touched him on the arm. But though
her lips moved, not sound escaped them.
"What's the matter, child2'' asked
Mrs. Denning, sharply wondering at
this strange pantomime. "Speak up. !
hope to goodness you haven't broken
anything, but l feel sure you have"
"Only plate" gasped Jenny, finding
her voice at last, but, but. there are two
!ramps in the cellar. locked" Then
suddenly the earth seemed to rise up to
meet her, and she fell senseless at Mrs.
Denning's feet.
Mr.. May carried her into the house and
laid her on lounge, Agnes rubbed her
hands, and Mrs. Denning poured water
over her face; but it was nearly twenty