Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-03-18

finger, and haughtily dismissed the one
who had dared to suggest that there
might be such thing as mems rights.
He offered to remain in the house un.
til morning; but she scorned his prof.
ferred protection, and he could do moth.
ing but leave her, saying:
8 You will be sorry for this, Jennie"
9 | will call you back when get sor
ry," she said, lightly.
And bidding her goodnight, he was
gone.
Then, and not till then, did she real
ize it all. Her anger and pride gave
way to sense of loneliness and regret
as she recalled every word of the
stormy interview, and nervous fear
almost paralyzed her as she, rose
tremblingly to lock the door behind
him.
The ticking of the clock sounded like
the strokes on blacksmith's anvil. A
thrill of terror chilled her blood as
mouse scampered across the floor. Her
little, cold hand had barely reached the
bolt, when-oh, horror of horrow!--a
deafening report sounded somewhere
at the back of the house, and, no long
er paralyzed in tongue or limb, with
wild shrieks of terror, she bounded UP
the stairs. ~
"Oh, Sadie, Sadie!n as another and
another report sounded, "some one is
shooting through the back Window
| Vigorous strokes on the bedroom
door aroused the sleeping mother and
child.
"What is it? Oh, what is itp" ex-
claimed the former, as Jennie fell al.
most fainting into the room.
"It's firing! listen-there!' as still
another report sounded through the
house. Et8
"Oh," screamed Sadie, at is-it is.
Where is Mr. MAXWELL Call him!''
HE is gone!'' walled poor Jennie,
wringing her hands. bod
"Gonep The scoundrel! and left us
here to be murdered ....,
ut wasn't his fault. | sent him
away Oh, what shall we dop The
hall-door is unfastened--s There! |
believe hear some one coming up the
stairs. No, it is only imagination.
Thank Heaven, this door has a double
lockr'
BY this time Sadie had a window
open and was screaming murder at the
top of her voice.
mo one will hear you but our assas-
sinsr' walled Jennie, her voice almost
drowned by the shrieks of the baby,
whose piping treble was piercing in the
extreme. 'Jl. Af.A.t
'Let us set fire to the housed" sug-
gested the frantic young mother.
"Some body may see, the light and
come to our rescue VI
"Oh, Sadie, that would never do!
The dinner-bell in the yard can be
: heard over mile. Twill 60 out and
ring it." ..-
Jennie had suddenly grown calm and
brave. She felt she was to blame fol
their unprotected situation, and the
hope that her discarded lover might
hear the bell and come to their rescue
strengthened her limbs as she hurried
down the stairs, across the yard and
. lseized the bell-rope A
The alarm rang out on the midnight
air, and the vibrant. tones seemed tc
promise protection,
She felt calmer as she retraced hel
. steps,; and Sadie, knowing her ligh
football, re-admitted her to their retreat
Tom Maxwell was walking moodily
, up the road that led to his father
t house, when the distant music of ,
l farm-bell sounded on the air.
i "'Strange!" thought he. sis it som'
ghostly banquet celebrated at mid
, nightP' But with thrill of anxiety
"Surely the sound comes from the Ker
farmhouse. Something is wrong
e there"
:, And turning instantly, he retracec
e his steps in one-fourth the time he ha,
t taken them, in moody sorrow, few
minutes before.
y The house was not on fire, as he ha'
l feared, but the hall-door stood wild
open. Shouting loudly, he was an
y swered in faint, grateful tones; then
i almost without knowing it, he had tn
n frightened, penitent girl in his arms
II and Sadie was explaining the cause q
g their alarms
> Reassrring them, he took lamp an
: started ppon tour of investigation.
a The Or, hall and kitchen reveale
# nothing, but in the pantry four innc
e cent-looking tomato-cans stood upon
d shelf, their contents scattered over tn
0 floor and adjacent furniture.
II The mystery was explained. Th
y tomatoes which Jennie had thought $
= snugly 'sput up had taken notion
Il see the outer world, bursting the
d bonds with a loud report that sounded
Il in the silence Of midnight, to the ovel
1t strung nerves of poor Jennie, like th
q firing of gun 5r,.t ,
le Tom tried hard to suppress the laug
that escaped his lips when he al
r nounced the result of his search:
L. By this time the house was half file
or with the neighboring farmers and the
" families, in every stage OF dtsha6W
e. the first one appearing being Harl
Cooper, who now had Sadie and Il
a baby both in his arms. -
p A general shout of laughter aros
p and in the confusion that followed To-
Of drew Jennie INTERESTINGLY to the pa
Ie lor, which was unoccupied. de close
o. the door and then pointed silently
the clock, the hands of which were q
" most meeting at twelve. .rT - a
a. .'In three MONTHS she said, simpl
t. THAT will do was the gravel
s spoken answer. -LtEf -,
to And Jennie's downcast eyes did n
see the rascally, triumphant smile qui
is ering on the lips that pressed.a kiss
" reconciliation upon her blushing face
he 1T served you just right! said MI
lg Kerr, the next morning, upon hearii
ny Jennie's confession And now I
your wedding dress.n--nd-Bit