Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-02-07


need be she might give an alarm. Our
weapons, though somewhat formidable,
were certainly of great variety. Ruth
had fished out of the garrett an ancient
horse-pistol; Aunt Betsy armed herself
with club of applewood; Agnes had
the poker; jamie the carving-knife,
while |, like feminine George Wash
ington, brandished little hatchet.
We had made arrangements that
Agnes was to be sentinel for the first
half of the night and Ruth and the
latter,
But it was some time before we could
get to Sleep The rats made such
noises in the garrett, the wind howled
around the chimneys and ratified the
shutters these and dozen other noises
made us wide awake and eager to scent
danger.
The clock struck twelve-then one.
Agnes had just come into our room and
Ruth and were preparing to take her
place, when suddenly all three of us
heard a faint click of the front gate
latch, followed by footsteps on the
| frozen ground.
Ruth sprang to the window and drew
aside the curtain. "Look, girls! look!"
she whispered, excitedly.
And there, stealing in and out among
the tall evergreens down by the gate,
we did see dark figure! But at this
| instant two loud noises resounded
throughout the house. One was great
clattering of tin-ware; the other vio-
| lent splashing. Our first thought was
that burglars had already entered the
house, but when, armed with our re-
| spective weapons, we proceeded to the
| places from whence the sounds came,
we found that Aunt Betsey and jamie,
| not.satisfied with sleeping inglor.ously
while we mounted guard, had risen and
| started on a private tour of inspection
through the house.
! But alas! Both forgot the various
traps that had been placed here and
there for the benefit of midnight ma
rauders, and the first thing Aunt Bet
sey knew she found herself sitting like
Mr.. What's-his-name among the ruins
of Carthage. Milk pans, cake-tins,
horse-radish crater and cookey-cut-
ter were scattered about, while the
colander, like Achilles helmet, was
perched upon her disheveled locks.
| jamie we fished out of the tub of
water looking like veritable mer-
maid. Fortunately. no serious dam
age was done to either. and, as soon as
possible, all five of us were in the
parlor, watching the burglar down by
the gate.
He was still there, skulking in and
/ out among the trees in a most mysteri-
/ Gus way. At last, when our patience
1 gave out entirely, Ruth said, boldly:
/ II mean to see what that villain is
doing. Come, Aggie, will you go with
mep''
Goodness nae! Surely, girls, you
don't mean to go out of the houser'
said Aunt Betsey.
..Yes, that's just what we de mean, y
Ruth replied, as she proceeded to wrap
shawl about her. There seems to
be only one of the rascals, and guess
we can manage him. Anyhow, if you
hear us scream, run down to our res
cue. Come, Aggie," and minute
later the two girls had slipped out of
the front door, and were quietly
making their way around the shady
side of the house down to the gate.
i Now near the fence, and just a few
yards from the gate, there stood small
|
We had made it kind of catch-all-
for the chickens, and various other
things. AS the building never con-
tanned anything of value, we had
only slight fastening to it-a wooden
button and rusty hook. When the
girls reached the building, they knew
by certain muffied sounds that the
burglar was prowling about within.
Quick-witted Ruth seized the oppor-
tunity which presented itself. and,
without minutes hesitation, slammed
the door shut and confined it by but
ton and hook.
u A violent exclamation, mutter oi
chagrin, were heard from within. but
the girls did not wait to hear more, for
with swift feet they rushed back to
the house and told us what they had
done.
i OF course we were all wild with ex.
citement. The whole house was in
commotion, and poor mamma added to
!, the general confusion by ringing the
) dinner-bell with the most frantic
energy.
Now that you've caught the thieves
! Ruth, what do you mean to do?n
..Do?" Ruth repeated, in consider
able perplexity. s.We certainly ought
, to have help to secure the thief, for i
: would be too bad to have him escape
; now that we have actually captured
} him. But I'm really afraid that he |
be able to work his way out of the tool
! house the fastening isn't much tt
boast of, you know Some of us mus
hurry over to Farmer Jackson's, anC
, get him and his hired man to com,
! over.
That's so,n said Agnes, and sh,
added, decidedly: ssBut, seriously, yol
mustn't think of going, Ruth, becaus,
your throat isn't well yet, and mile
walk in this cold, windy air would b,
the very worst thing you could do
Edith can't go, of course, and dom
think it at all prudent for jamie to ven
2 ture out after her impromptu bath.
g can go better than any of you. No
| don't shake your head, aunty! Their,
is really nothing to be afraid OF nor t,
g worry about! I'll take my horse-pisto
G along. and so shall be able to defen,
! myself in a very heroic manner!'' an,
not needing our remonstrances, Agne
;, proceeded to wrap herself up warml
I and sally forth on her errand.
! You can scarcely imagine how anx
G iously we awaited her return. Sundr
thumpings down at the Toulouse not
: fed US that its inmate was zealousl
a striving to effect his release, but, muc
/, to our qualification, the old bolt an
!. wooden button proved stronger tina
: we had thought.
I In less than an hour two dark figure