Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1884-07-15
That BurgIar.
Br MAnAn CROSSE srINsTER.

BH MAHAH CROSSE SPISSTER.
I don 'tknow, but 1 think it is quite
natural for every one to feel desire
to know everybody else's business
that is, so far as their love affairs are
concerned-and confess that when
Ireceived Rida Travis wedding cards
l experienced keen desire to know
the why's and wherefores'' of the
case.
! felt greater. degree of curiosity
than otherwise would have done,
from the fact that my friend had been
a most determined coquette, and had
often boasted that she was absolutely
statement 1 most un-
hesitatingly believed too.
But everybody-so suppose-lras
to succumb to that sly little god,
either sooner or later; and so,. the
time having come, my friend, after
short opposition, found herself van
quished, and gracefully acIlnowl-
edged her defeat, by assuming the
name of the victorious party, with
the prefix of Mrs.
Some six months after the wedding,
in company with two or three others
| stepped aboard the cars, and, after
a ride of twelve hours. was shown
into my friends parIer, who was
seeming fly oyerje yed to see ms. 8
g confess, Rida, = said / laugh
ing, s. hat eYer eXI1 1ected to see
you astaGu, married 1duY, wtCt1 sucni
methodical habits, and all that.
6 Nor did 1, either" echoed her
husband, who had just entered.
Oh, was offered the most un-
Observation-Disclosures, Iassure you,"
said she, with smile.
And, to confess the whole truth,
we arc dying to know all about it"
cried we, all together. After some
urging, Rida began as follows:
You all remember FL Raymond,
[ suppose. Well, last summer,
year ago, 1 accepted long-standing
invitation to spend the summer with
her at Mr.. Raymond's farm, situated
somewhere out in the wilds of the
West.
81 fully expected to be killed and
scalped by the dreadful Indians, and
possibly boiled alive, for aught knew,
but FL assured me that 1 would see
nothing worse than barefooted hoosier
boys, at the very worst. So,
bundling up change of apparel, it
was not long ere 1 was safely ensconc-
ed at Forest Farm. Such glorious
times El and l did have. The trees
were climbed, the barns ransacked,
nd hn h,y etO 4 Il
either; in fact. two more thorough
romps would have been hard to find.
We were not molested by the
genus beau. for EI's brother and
cousin were both away, to be gone
several weeks, and, as consequence
we enjoyed the most perfect feedom
imaginable.
g Butthis blissful state of existence
was not to continue very long.
cone evening, about two weeks
after my arrival at the farm, there
came up severe rain-storm, and a
carriage-load of travellers stopped and
begged permission to remain over
night.
"Of course, Raymenc (pnere) was
too hosPitablc to do otherwise than
grant the request, and, as conse-
quence, there being number of la
dies along, Ell and L gave up our room
and occupied the one belonging to her
brother.
I" Now, in order to make you un-
derstand more thoroughly what am
about to tell you, 1 shall be obliged
to give you a short description of the
house.
"The building is long, wide and
low, there being no upper chamber to
it, butalI the rooms areon the ground
floor. Also every room has an out
side door. Over the windows those
trailing roses hang in ngtIteTichest pro-
fusion, and the yard is literally over
run with shrubbery.
g When we retired for the night,
upon endeavoring to lock the outside
door we found the catch broken but
finally, setting chair against it We
crept into bed and were soon fast
asleep.
q 1t might have been midnight, or
a little after, when I awoke with a
strange sensation of fear. I heard
no noise, but felt as though some per-
son or persons were in the room be-
sides ourselves. As 1 turned over.
FL spoke under her breath: Rida,
some one is in the room, 1 know
'' dared not reply, but just then
a slight noise sounded near US, as
though a person was walking carefully
over the carpet.
"a Instantly 1 thought of burglars,
and remembered my little gold watch
and Els purse that lay on the stand.