Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-05-07
CRAWLING, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY MAY 1887 NUMBEE

to pass the time away. Harry will help
me entertain him."
Gresnberry, his wizened face shin
ing with delight, expressed his eager
acquiescence, and the matter was
settled.
At an early hour the following even
ing Money Bags presented himself,
clad in snowy linen. A huge diamond
sparkled on his shirt front, another
glittered in his necktie, an immense
cluster ring weighed down his skinny
old hand, while the. parchment like
appearance of his wrinkled old visage
would have made any respectable
mummy wither with despair. DIR.
Hackemup and Juliana Keziah, all i'm.
patience, departed at once. Belinda
and her aged fiance began their game.
Harry stationed himself at the window
III order to watch the procession as it
passed. But when the glimmer of the
torches appeared, and the martial toot
of the flies broke upon the ear, the boy
could no longer resist the infection,
and, crying out with youthful ardor,
"Oh, sis, I'll just follow them q square
or SO; you'll see me again in fifteen
minutes" he disappeared.
Alas, for Harry's resolution! Not
fifteen minutes afterward Mrs. Hack
emup, comfortably seated in the hall,
waiting for the speaker to begin, nudged
her husband.
There's Harry" she whispered.
"What did he leave home for?"
"Oh, all right" impatiently respond
ed DIR. Hackemup. "If he is here, it is
very evident he is not there. Stop
clackingl"
Belinda and Greenbery did not APP
pear to regret the absence of Harry.
The girl had never seemed so amiable,
and old Greenberry was in state of
rapture.
mr.. ooruy;, cried she, what
q fortunate thing it is for us weak
women that we have gallant men like
you to protect usl"
miss Belinda" cackled Greenberry,
trying to swell his fiat chest, would
that the opportunity were mine to show
you how brave man would do and
dare for his adored. Would that l
could fight hundred men in your be-
half"
open and tall, masked man strobe in
to the room, brandishing huge horse
pistol in each hand. Belinda, scream
ing loudly, precipitated herself into her
aged lovers arms, knocking him on his
back, at the same time blowing out the
light with great dexterity. Greenber-
ry, in mortal terror, feeling in imagin-
alton the cold barrel of pistol against
his head, struggled to his feet, and, to-
tally regardless of Belinda's frantic ap-
nepst sSsr s assstataf asaff fDrd554e ea IN
the darkness. His pursuer's steps were
close behind. Making frantic dash
for liberty, he sprang through win
dow and plunged headforemost into
huge water cask which was partially
sunk into the earth just beneath 1t.
The shock and the immersion stunned
him for q moment. When his scattered
senses returned he heard loud, rum
bling noise in the house, mingled with
faint shrieks, while dreadful voice
somewhere in his vicinity growled,
"Find the villain and secure the gold!"
"Oh," he thought, "they are pill
laying the house and carrying off Be-
linda, and will murder me if they find
me-"
Crouching in the hogshead, paralyzed
with terror, he hardly dared to breathe.
Hours, it seemed, of agony passed as
he covered motionless, half submerged
in the Shiny water. The enterprising
wiggle waggle and the sentimental
polywog, whose dom ain lie had in
vaded, regalned their equanimity and
sported around his angulshed body,
while an ancient bullfrog, chief pro-
prietor of pond near by, interrupted
in his nightly serenade, delivered q SON
orous discourse on the vanity of earthly
anticipations.
At last, as hope seemed dead, voices
smote his ear. DIR. Hackemup and Ju.
Llama Keziah, accompanied by Harry,
had returned.
What" exclaimed the Doctor. "All
darkness Where Is Belinda?"
Murder! thieves" piped mournful
voice from great apparent depth.
Juliana screeched, the Doctor swore,
while Harry, the only collected one of
the party, secured a light, the voice
continuing to pipe, Help! murder
thieves"
Following the sound, Greenberry
was soon discovered, and, by the aid of
step-ladder, rescued from his prison.
DIR. Hackemup and Juliana were
speechless with horror. Harry was
even more affected. Covering his face
with his handkerchief, his form shaking
with sobs (?), he, too, seemed unable
to speak. At length, however, without
removing the handkerchief, he asked,
in a smothered voice:
"Where's Belinda?"
"Murdered!" walled Greenberry.
DIR, Hackemup flew toward the door
leading up stairs, but started back as
he reached the table. On it were lying
two immense horse-pistols, beside which
was a card with this inscription: ITO
Mr.. Greenberry, with the compliments
of John Heron"
DIR. A. was not quite fool.
"An elopement?" he roared. "Green-
berry, we have all been the victim of q
base conspiracy"
"Yes," shrieked Juliana Keziah, seiz-
ing the card; "this is contamination
strong as a writ of have his corpus. It's
enough to bring on the Sairy Bean
Swinem Ma9innis of the backbone.
She has crossed the Rubicund, let her
go; but" dropping her voice, as her
eyes rested on Greenberry, poor Mr..
Gordy, you surely are monster to the
cause"
Greenberry sneaked home, nearly
bursting with impotent rage, vowing
revenge.
Belinda Hackemup was never found.