Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-02-28

Then the women held long and anx-
ious consultation, neither trying this
time to conceal her fears. There was
no use in waking Tidy, who would only
add to the panic by rousing the Sleep
ing children. Dreadful as it seemed
the only alternative was to call for help.
So they crept upstairs, and. thrusting
their heads out of the windows, they
both yelled like Indians: :" MURDER
Fire. "Thieves!'' "Help" Alas,
their only neighbor was mile off, and
deaf at that, and echo only answered.
They descended and waited. Not only
did the noise continue. but they dis
tinctly saw the knob turn. They had
begun to barricade the door, when Til
DIV appeared. Miss Jones afterwards
told me that Tildy's black eyes cleaned
out of her white face, like the eyes Of
the brothers of the Misericordia, -
from behind their masks.
Just then the baby lifted up his voice.
My wife hurried to the nursery, and
he'd only succeeded in reducing his
shrieks to simple whine, when Tidy
uttered bloodcurdling cry:
Teddy is gOne''
Satisfied that it was too true, Fanny
took up the alarm with variations: MY
boy is gone! They have stolen my
Teddy!" AS near as have been able
to get at the facts, the uproar inside had
risen to its height, when a muffied
pounding took the place of the tinker
ing sound which had.' SO long been
kept up.
The loss of her child now seemed to
rouse my wife to heroism. She be-
thought herself of my pistols. which she
could never before be persuaded to han
die. Calling loudly: II warn whoever
is tampering with that door that l am
going to shoot!!' she pulled the trigger,
and almost dropped the weapon at the
report. Tidy says that she and Miss
Jones put their fingers in their ears;
tut poor Fan hadn't the chance.
Another shot, and another, until the six
barrels were emptied then all was still.
''Hark, Tidy! What was that?"
whispered Fanny, clutching the woman
for support.
Somebody was coming. Was it
friend or foe? They listened. Straight
up the walk, up the steps, along the
PIAZZA the footsteps cane and stopped
at the very door which had been so
bravely defended. The women now
gazed at each other helplessly.
Hello, Fan! What is the matter?
Open the door," l shouted, for l was
alarmed to find the household astir at
that hour.
AS the door few open 1 struck my
foot against little heap of clothes
tightly wedged into the lamb outside.
ooh, George! Our boy is gone:
Teddy has been carried off by burglarS!'
sobbed my wife.
''Why, no he hasn't, Fanny. Here
he is!'' and l picked up the little fellow
from the floor.
"You little lambr' cooed his mother,
taking him from me and covering him
with kisses. "D;d the naughty man
steal mamma boy?"
Teddy did see no man, only papa"
replied the astonished child.
''Why, my blessing! Then who did
take you out of your little crib and
carry you otf?''
"Nobody took me. Teddy 60 out on
the porch to get drink of water, and
mamma say: Shut that door!'' so
Teddy can't come in again.
''Did you unlock the door and 60 out
alone, dear?' now interposed.
Eyes, Teddy open door, but mamma
say: No, no. Then naughty people
make big noise and scare Teddy
''Then WHAT" coaxed Tidy.
''Then mamma play with papa's pis-
tol. Papa told mamma not to touch,
he added, severely.
''Then came, Just in time to spoil
the fun. Eth, Fan?'' 1 said, laughing.
But my wife was not in the hnmor
for joking. She sat crying over her
child for a long while without speaking.
Suddenly she asked: George, how did
you happen to come home, after all?'
20, had variety of reasons; but
the principal one was was homesick
for the country. "-Chicago Tribune.