The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-12-06

only burglar Lnat uao ueaio, hlSu'"itl
concluded. and the chagrin that l felt
was diiicult to express IN words. But
/ soon expressed it in another way. l
raj ed the pistol, and fred two quick
| shots at the animals. and had the pleas
ure of seeing them both scampcr away
as fast as their legs could carry them. l
then turned to o,my house again, with the
intention of returning to bed without
letting my wife know anything about my
adventure.
was within twenty feet of the sky
light, when suddenly heard series of
screams issuing from the lips of my
faithful better half The next instant
saw her head and arms protruding from
the hole in the roof.
AWAY thief, away" she shrieked,
with such powerful voice that l was IN
doubt as to whether it. could really be
her Then before 1 could explain my
situation she jcrked the covering over
the opening and fastened it. l cried
after her, and pounded on the heavy
piece of wood; but the more l pounded
the more she shrieked. I could hear her
call nv name all over the house, and
finally her cries died away in the lower
| part Of the basement.
1t may be imagined that by this time
the whole neighborhood was alarmed.
| Two pistol shots right over the heads of
those on our block had startled many
from their sound slumbers, and the
shricks OF my wife had only served 20
confirm their suspicious about robbers.
1 felt my position unique and even
dangerous one. I was only halfdresscd,
with pistol in one hand, and L stick in
the other. What could they take me
for but burglar, if policeman or two
was sent on the roof. AS thought OF
all the calamities that might result from
nv little adventure, I ground my teeth
with rage. and wondered why women
were not endowed with a little more
reason and common sense. 1t was the
first time that had ever questioned my
wife's good judgment and cquanimity of
temper and nerves; but for that brief
moment felt inclined to think her no
better than the rest of women.
Nv bitter reflections were cut short by
a sudden noise supons' my right. 1t
was the sEylight sofsthe second house
from ours moving. 1t rose gradually in
the air. and then dropped down again.
1t was followed Immediately by num-
bling OF voices. Then tn" covering be-
gan to move once more, and | started to-
ward it with the intention Of explaining
nv situation to my neighbor Before l
had taken dozen steps a flash of light
burs forth from the small opening. and
the loud report of pistol broke on the
stiffness Of the night. | heard a bullet
hv close by my ear, and l knew that l
was being made the target for one of my
ncighbors. Ibid not fancy such danger
Gus work. and l hurriedly retreated in
the other direction.
But was surrounded on every side.
NV retreat brought me close to another
skylirht, from which the flash of another
pistol suddenly cleaned forth. l yelled
with fright at this second exhibition OF
craftsmanship, and implored my neigh
bors 10 stop firing, as l was an innocent,
man, and not robber. But they Psea
no heed to my words. A third heaRwas
suddenly poked up from: another sky
EsEslltl and Hal 4 tt hhree- spointed, at
me. My hair begun to stand on end, as
the novelists say, by this time, and l
pounded away with all my might on the
skyight of my own house.
The firing now became general. but
fortunately for me my neighbors were
all poor marksmcn, or their nerves were
so worked up that they could not aim
straight. The bullets flew dangerously
close to nv head. however, and / dreaded
let one of them by accident would hit
me. Finding that my words had no ef-
feet on the determined men, who were
100 cowardly to expose anything but the
tips of their heads above the opening, l
felt that I must protect myself in some
way. SO throwing myself down on my
back, waited patiently for further de-
velop21cnts. My enemies could not sec
me in this position, and for time at
least was safe.
I had not been in this position long
before l heard noise in my house as II
some one was ascending to the skylight.
watched the covering eagerly, and
when it began to move, my courage rose
again. But when two policemen stepped
out on the roof, felt all my bashfulness
returning. The prcdicament in which [
found myself male me dumb, and re-
mained in the same attitude until they
saw ire.
"Hcrc's the man now. He's shot, too,
by gracious, we'll, it serves him right,
said the foremost officer, "a he punched
me in the side with his club. groaned
aloud as the stick rubbed against my
ribs.
'sNo. he's not dead; he's only playing
'possum.' said policeman number two.
"Get up here, and march off with us "
rose to my feet without a word,
knowing that it would be useless to eX-
poSiu!atc with my captors.
As soon as we reached the room below
asked the officer if they knew where
my wife was. Alice, who heard my
voice recognized it, and instantly threw
herself into my arms, crying bitterly.
She had gone to the police station to
get help. and had supposed that I was
murdered, or some other unreasonable
thing.
1t was some time before the whole
affair could be explained to the two Off
L L. ,11 ohon 4 M