The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-09-11

fN~ - - ~ " III NAA(I4 ~ "
She blew out the candle, lighted it
again, and not being able to find a
candlestick, though a dozen stood on
the shelf, she set it in a water Jug, and
ran to the barn for old Richard.
When she had told her story, ending
with the informationtha the pack was
q living pack, Richard dropped his
fail upon the floor and stared at Alice
with all his eyes.
"A living pack" he cried, "why the
woman's mad with doubtl OF all the
foolish ideas this is theworat. Howcan
apack madeu ofnapkins and muslins
and corduroy breecheS ever become
alive?" However, he followed her in
to the house, and lifted the candle out
OF the Jug; never stopping till he laid
his hand on the pack. He felt the
boards that surrounded it's edges to
prevent thegoods from beingrumpled,
the cords that bound it, and the can
vass in which it was wrapped. "'The
pack is well enough" he said finally.
ut is just like other packs. | see
nought that ails it, and a good large
pack it IS. IT will have cost the hon
est man three hundred pounds if the
goods are fine. But he will make it
up, Alice, by cheating fools like you
with gewgaws.'
Alice felt some disappointment at
seeing Richard unconvinced, and per-
sisted that all was not right
about the pack. She believed
there were stolen goods in it, at
any rate, and SHE had no wish to sleep
in the house with it. Next came in
Edward, the lad of sixteen, who aided
Richard in his work about the place.
He was at this time often engaged in
shooting crows and other birds, and
had bought a huge old military gun
with which he Numbered away at
them, and this very moment he had
seen a flock of birds feeding at his corn
rick and had come III to get his gun.
When Edward heard the talk about
the pack he pricked up his ears atten-
lively. "Faik, Alice" said he, laugh
ing, "if it's a live pack perhaps I'd bet
ter shootit.'' 'Holdyourtongue, you
fool, said Richard. But Edwarn, tax
ing the candle in his turn, declared he'd
have q look at the pack, at any rate.
Gliding down the passage he edged up
to the parlor door and gazed within.
Presently he came back with q very
different look from which he took
away.
Gas sure as death / saw it stirring"
he whispered, land whatever be lin
there I'll shoot it." In vain the 9th
ers attempted TO dissuade him.. Car
rying his gun in one hand and the cam
die in the other he hastened down the
hall. Without hesitating a moment
he fired. Great heavens The blood
gushed out upon the floor like a tor
rent, and a hideous roar, followed by
a groan of death. issuedfrom thepack.
Dropping the gun, Edward ran into
the kitchen like one distracted, and out
at the open door, taking to the hills
like a wild roe liz his fight. Alice fol-
lowed as fast as she could; and old
Richard, after standing for a time in a
state of petrefactien, went into the
parlor. The pack had thrown tselft to
the floor, which flowed with blood.
The cries and groans had ceased, and
only a kind of gutteral noise was
heard within. The old man, getting
down upon his knees. Embossed the
cords and discovered the body of a
stalwart man, from which life had for-
ever fled.
"Alasl Alas" said old Richard, tears
running down his cheeks. 81 wish he
had lived to repent ofthe bad cause that
4 brought him here.''
By this time Edward and Alice, who
had gone off with the wild idea ofsum-
moning some one to their aid, returned
in sad distress. Having found no one
near, they could no longer leave Rich
ard to his melancholy fate. Together
they took the corpse from its confine.
ment. The wagg in whichi it was packed
was curious and artfuf. His knees
were brought up toward his breast,
and his feet and legs were stuffed in q
wooden box, another wooden box, a
size larger, but without a bot
tom, made up the vacancy betwixt
his face and his knees, and, there
being only one fold OF canvas around
this, he breathed with perfect ease. 1t
was the heaving OF his breast which
had alarmed the Servants. His right
arm was within the box, and to his
hand was tied Il cutlass, with which
he could rip himself out Of his oontine-
ment at once. On his person were
tour loadedpistolsand silverwhistle.
In an hours time they had the house
we'll equipped with armed men, and
when the robbers, who had thought
to establish their confederate within
in safety, arrived about. midnight,
they were repulsed with unexpected
fury. several of their number being
killed or wounded and their bodies
carried away in the retreat OF the 9TH
ers. The body of the robber in the
pack was buried, and it was said that
his grave was opened and the corpse
taken secretly away. No clue to the
perpetrators of this base and bold at
tempt at burglary was ever found.