The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-10-15
Cant I, thought I'm good path
finder and never get lost

And they walked on.
was petrihed with Advertisements for
few moments, AS soon as could collect
my scattered senses fled to tire house and
rushed up to Vestella. All the society
members We're with her. / burst upon
them with the terrible news had
heard
Nellie dc I4isls fell at once into swoon.
Anna NeSey screamed and wrung her
hands in terror, while Florilla Carter and
myself insisted upon reporting all to
Madame,
mo, no, girls, do nothing of the kind"
said Nestella, us she calmly sprinkled
water upon Nellie's face, and tried other
means to restore her. 1--WE will arrange
it better than that. Come up here, all OF
you" she continued, aftera pause, as she
saw Nellie beginning to revive, Come
up here, after Mile; Westron has been
through, and will show you trick that
will astonish YOU.
The hall-teacher went her rounds every
night at 10 o'clock to see that the lights
were all out and the girls in order, And
that night, alter she had retired, we
noisdlessly slipped up to the appointed
place
dropped the curtains, fastening the two
side windows aud leaving the sash of the
front window up. She waited for about
am hour to be sure that all in the house
were asleep, then cautiously lighted
lamp and proposed Der plan,
1t was adopted with many suggestions
aud improvements and much suppressed
laughter from the rest Of us, who had now
lost all fear and were ripe Tor fun.
We took the mattrass from the bed-it
was Il new one, very thick and heavy
and set it up edgewise; Just the distance
of its width from the window. Then hav-
ing taken out the bed-rope, we made q
slip.noose in one end and spread it open
under the window, raising IL a little from
the floor by means OF circle Of thick
books. Vestella took the other end in her
hand, and, having cXtlngulshed the light,
stationed herself in the darkest corner,
beside the window. We four crouehed be-
hind the mattress, ready to push it over
at signal from her.
1t was now o'clock, and we waited in
breathless suspense. The clock struck
two, and we were ready to drop with
fatigue and drowsiness; but soon after, a
light rustling away down below reused us
to a high pitch of expectation. He was
coming. How could he get along with 50
little noise2 He must have been expert
enced in such undertakings
In q few seconds we heard his hands
creak, as he grasped the balustrade, and
Immediately his head and shoulders were
thrust through the window. The mattrass
seemed 10 Starlie lin.
He looked around, listened, then SEEM
ingly impressed with the necessity of
greater caution, he gently set one foot
upon the floor, then the other, then stood
erect, and looked and listened again.
Vestella pulled the cord with all her
strength and down he went.
Down went the nattraSs upon him,
smothering his eXclamations, If he uttered
any.
it down with all the force we could mus
ter in our trepidation.
We heard no sounds from him and felt
10 struggles.
He evidently felt himself in q scrape,
and had shrewdness enough TO perceive
the more quietly he took it, the more
easily he would get through
What little noise ticrc was Occasloneu q
hustle i'll the room below the hall-teacher
raped at the door "Now, thought all
is over with us"
Miss Raymond"
"Wel, Mademoiselle replied Vestella
drowsily, as if awakened from u sound
sleep,
as all quiet in your room :"
Perfectly, Mademoisele."
81 heard noise as of some one falling"
$50 did |, Madcmoiselle. 1t must have
been in the street. will open the door
directly"
oh, MOI; I would not disturb you.
Goodnight"
After all had become quiet, Vestella
knelt down beside the mattrass, and put
ting her foot to the edge, said in voice
scarcely above a whisper:
p" Young man, you re Il prisoner"
II surrender at discretion" he answered
in singularly low and quiet tone.
1t was the same voice | heard in the
garden.
you out :"
First, then, you are to move as quietly
as possible. You are TO answer all ques-
tions we propose and when you speak
speak In a very low voice. Now let him
I've all took our seats in row. Yes
| tella in the centre, and lit the lamp. The
young man arose, and we had full view
| of his face. There We're the same laugh
ing blue eyes ! had seen in the garden.
They We're not laughing now. however
they were cast down, and the whole ex-
preston of his face was decidedly
sheepish. >,
Upon your knees, young man." said
Vestella, sternly. putting on an awful
! frown.
he knclt at the distance of about three
|
| studied grace, that | could think of moth
| ing but Raleigh receiving knighthood
from Queen Elizabeth.
"Give us your name, sir, and your his
tory. Tell us for what purpose you came
! here, and how you did it. There are foul
stories here, you know"
He started as if bullet had struck him
| He glanced nervously at each of us, turned
red. then pale then Redeemed again, ther
| ut fn1n1
voice, told us his name, his history, hi:
connection, and ended by assuring us tha
| his object was merely frollc that NJ
meant no harm to any one.
you were to take faithful note O
everything in the room, particularly thu
features of the occupant he started agail
you have an opportunity now"
He remained silent
Can you remember how we all look
or would you like photographs Z" He wa
still silent, bfushing deeper and deeper,
ITS my duty to hand you over to Mad
anne c. that you may be dealt with &C
cording to law. What have you to sa.
why sentence should not be pronounced
upon you 2"
'"Oh, ladies, do entreat you to spare
me exposure. | will submit to any teTm
you impose. Ishould be expelled from
| the Institute, my ilOlHtIs Htai1 Npuii "
broken by the disgrace: should lose al
my friends"
Listen, then, to the sentence of tn.
court" Vestella whispered to us, and eaci
took her stand in separate corner OF TIL
room :" In consideration of your extrem'
youth and the distress which a knowlcdg
of your foolish freak would bring upei
friends, this court-the Court of indie
pendent and Honorable Misses-has deter
mined not to make public your msde
meanor but do hereby adjudge you {
kneel before each of these young ladie
separately, ask their forgiveness and Civ
them your promise that you will never al
tempt anything of the Kind again durin.
your whole life. Then return to me am
sign confession which shall write, an
which shall be left with the court for you
future good behavior. After which 20
mus. have cupful OF cold water poure
over your head. This you can show I
your comrades as evidence that you wo
. the bet Now, sir"
He rose from his knees, and, walkin
straight up to Anna Vesey, knelt befor
her, and executed that part Of his ser
tence Then to Florilla, and SO on TO a
of us, using different terms to every on,
expressing himself so elegantly and wit
such apparent sincerity, that We wer