Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-03-13
shrieks of terror she bounded up the


.Oh. Sadie. sadie rs another and
another report sounded. "Some one Is
shooting through the back window
Vigorous strokes on the bedroom
door aroused the sleeping mother ami
child.
What is it? Oh. what is it?' ex-
claimed the former, as Jennie fell almost
fainting into the room.
Its firing! listen there! as still
another report sounded through the
house.
ooh" screamed Sadie, lit is--it is.
Where is MIR. Maxwell? Call him
.'He is gone" walled poor Jennie,
wringing her hands.
Gone? The scoundrel. and left lie
here to be murdered
1T wasn't his fault. sent him away.
Oh, what shall we do? The hall door is
unfastened--- There! | believe l hear
some one coming up the stairs. No. 1t
is only Imagination. Thank heaven,
this door has double lock-
By this time Sadie had window open
and was screaming murder at the top OF
her voice.
mo one will hear YOU but our assas-
sins!' walled Jennie, her voice almost
drowned by the shrieks Of the baby,
whose piping treble was piercing in the
extreme.
LET us set fire to the house," sug-
gested the frantic young mother.
Somebody may see the light and come
to our rescue
"Oh, Sadie, that would never do! the
dinner bell in the yard can be heard
over a mile. will go out and ring it y
Jennie had suddenly grown calm and
brave. She felt she was to blame for
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
seized the bell rope.
The alarm rang out in the midnight
air, and the vibrant tone seemed to
promise protection.
She felt calmer aS she retraced her
steps and Sadie. knowing her light
football. readmitted her to their retreat.
Tom Maxwell was walking moodily
up the road that led to his father S
house, when the distant music of a farm
bell sounded on the air.
Strange" thought he. as it some
ghostly banquet celebrated at mid.
night?' But with thrill of anxiety
"Surely the sound comes from the Kerr
farm house. Something is wrong there. "
And turning instantly he retraced his
steps in ne-fourth the time he had Ia
ken them. in moody sorrow, few min
utes before.
The house was not on fire, as he haC
feared hut the hall door stood wide
!. open. Shouting loudly. he was answer
ed in faint. grateful tones; then. almost
, without knowing it, he had the fright
ened. penitent girl in his arms, and Sa'
die was explaining the cause of theil
alarm.
Reasswing them. he took lamp ant
started upon tour of investigation.
The parlor, hall and kitchen revealed
: nothing. but in the pantry four innocen
t looking tomato cans stood upon shelf
| their contents scattered over the foo
and adjacent furniture.
The mystery was explained. Thu
3 tomatoes which Jennie had thought 81
r snugly "put up" had taken a notion t.
: see the outer world, bursting their bond
with loud report that sounded, in tn
: silence of midnight, to the overstrun,
4 nerves of poor Jennie like the firing o
r a gun.
y Tom tried hard to suppress the laugl
: which escaped his Ups when he an
nOunced the result of his search.
a BY this time the house was half file,
= with the neighboring farmers and thei
= families in every stage of deshabille, tn
# first one appearing being Harry Cooper
c who now had Sadie and the baby bot
> in his arms.
A general shout of laughter arose
v and in the confusion that followed Tor
y drew Jennie INCREASINGLY to the parloI
: which was moccupied. He closed tn
S door and pointed silently to the clock
= the hands of which were almost meetin
at twelve.
+ ''In three months" he said, simply
n That will do" was the gravel
K spoken answer.
l. And Jennie's downcast eyes did nc
see the rascally. triumphant smile quiz
+ ering on the lips that pressed kiss {
n reconciliation upon her blushing face.
1T served you just right" said Mr.
Kerr, the next morning, upon hearin
le Jennie's confession. "And now fc
your wedding dress. "-Bufato Ne,o