Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-07-04


and whistlIng, and dashing tho snow
against the windows, but IL was bright
and warm and cozy inside, AMI, If il had
not been for thinking of the trouble
about the mortgage, and kcziah and
'Lisha out in the snow, we should have
been very jolly. Dolly and Philly were
merry enough rs it was; they are only
children.
1t was getting toward nine o'clock,
and Dolly and Philly were growing
sleepy, though they wouldn't own it..
We had put some chcstnuts on the fire
roast, and they were popping away,
when Dolly gave n scream that was
enough to make fellows hair stand
up straight, and said she saw II man
looking in mt the window. thought IL
was only the snow whirling against the
window, or that she was sort OF drowsy,
and dreamed it, but the next moment l
saw n mans faco--a dark, cvil-look-
;ng face-pressed again the window
panel Rob saw it, too.
"Somcbodv who has lost his way, l
he said. .coolly. (Whcn he
feels disturbed Rob is always particu-
larly cool.) Hc went to the window,
and so did |, though don't mind own
ing that stood behind Rob.
The face had disappeared. | said
mebbc it was ghost, but Rob
"pshawed" at that. He doesn't believe
there arc any such things. The next
moment Philly, who had run into the
sitting-room because he. was so fright
ened, screamed that the man was look
ing in at the window there!
"Why doesn't he come to the door II
he wants anythingp" said Rob.
A few moments afterward there did
come loud rapping at the kitchen
door, which opened directly out-of-
doors.
"Who's therep" demanded Rob.
"a poor belated peddler wantin' a
shilter from the Storm"
pecpcd through the window, and
saw that the man did not have ped
dler's pack upon his back.
$50 to Mr.. Macarty's, quarter of n
mile further on. He'll take you in, "
said Rob.
"Surc, it isn't afraid of the loiks OF
me We arcP' said the voice, coaxingly.
ats first cousin TO Dennis O'Rcilly /
am, and takin' his thrade now poor
Dennis is gone"
Ever since we were babies Dennis
O'Reilly had como round with his pack,
and Aunt Penelope had bought table
linen and laccs of him, and Keziah her
best dresses, and he had always showed
us children everything he had in his
pack, and given us gay pictures and
bits of ribbon off his muslin. We had
Il ~ f,.tn
IF he is Dennis cousin he must be
ali right" said |, and was going to un.
bolt the door, but Rob held me back.
a sha' mt let anybody into the house
to-nightn' he said, firmly.
"Hurry mp and open the door, me
honeys," said the peddler. "Bein' all
alone in the house yces needs me to per-
tect yees.
"Ilow does he know but there may
be somebody up-stairs9" said l.
Rob looked thoughtful and queer, but
be didn't say anything.
"Will yees open the door now, and
save me the thrubleP" said the man,
angrily.
Rob and / looked at each other then.
at will trouble him TO open that
uOOT, 5uiti
1t was strong door, and it had q
good stout bolt on it, But Rob was
looking anxiously at the windows.
OF course the man could break pane
of glass, and unfasten the window, easi.
ly enough unless we prevented him.
seized the poker. Rob rushed into the
hall closet, and brought out Uncle
Rufe's old gun. But it was seldom
used, and was not loaded.
If | could only get into the barn
chamber. But it would take too long
to climb up" he said.
He stationed himself at one window
with the gun, and stood at the other
with the poker, all ready to give the
mans hand some good wfacks if he
tried to break the window. But, after
fumbling away at the door for little
while, he seemed to have given it up
and gone away.
| was beginning to draw lone
breath thinking he had taken Rob's adj
vice, and gone on to Mr.. Macarty's
when we heard him trying the back.
kitchen door. That was a strong door
too. There was n strong lock in it in
stead of n bolt.
"He won't get in there" said L.
But Rob tried to lock the door be.
tween us and the back-kitchen. The
lock was old and worn out, and il
wouldn't fasten.
"Never mind" said I, she can't gc
into the back-kitchen unless he come.
through the key-hole."
"Hark!' said Rob.
There was picking and sorapin.
sound. The key fell out of the loci
onto the floor. In another moment ",
heard the door open, just as if it hadn'
been fastened at all, and the maj
walked in"
He was big, burly fellow, with
lot of black whiskers that didn't look a
if they grew on his face.
"You see you might as well hav
opened the door, and saved me tn
trouble" he said, scowling at us. "Bu
it doesn't pay to get mad with such Lii
tie rascals." Gle put in great man
very bad words that made it SCUM
awfully). Harry now, and get IN
something to eat and drink-the bes
you got in the house while / max
myself comfortable. It's not likely tina
that hired man of yours will get back tc
night in such travelling as this. and if h
should come could fix him! Do you sc
that?" He took out of his pocket
pistol, and held it very close indeed t
Rob's head. "Now you'd better min
what l tell without making any fuss.'
He hadn't bit of any Irish brogu
now, so we knew that must have bee
put on, like his whiskers.
He set down his pack, and put his fec
up to the fire, and lighted cigar, an
we got him something to eat. II
looked around, and caught sight {
Dolly's silver mug, and PHILIPS cur
and he got up and examined them, an
then coolly slipped them into sort {
pocket on the outside of his pack.
"rbat's good, as far as it goe.
Where's the restp And the money!
don suppose there's much. shouldn
have stopped except to make myse
comfortable, and to keep you froI
being lonesome. Now speak right III
and.tell me where the silver and til
money is"