The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-05-07

ClAiO VI AIlO1 RASNSA" S~S
that | was, must have filled his soul
with remorse, since through his own
act | was rendered powerless to assist
him. He whined, however.
Cant you help me?"
As it was impossible for me willingly
to look on while a fellow-creature
suffered such anguish as / knew he
must be enduring, | used every effort
to get free, but vainly. He had tied
me too firmly for that. He took to
kicking again, and began to swear
horribly. May | never again hear
such language as | was forced to
listen to that afternoon.
His hands soon swelled, and | saw
some drops OF blood trickle slowly
down the panes, the rings he wore on
his dirty fingers having been forced IN
to his flesh. The piercing air, which
rushed in freely through the
wide apartment, must have greatly
aggravated his suffering. | know Twas
nearly frozen. And all this time the
American clock on the mantelplece
kept ticking off the moments tran
gully. as though to assure me that
time could not be hurried into a quick
er pace by any consideration ofhuman
distress.
Imagine what two hours in such a
situation meant for both of us! |
think the poor wretch at the window
tainted; but the horrible dragging of
his body on his poor manned hands
reused him directly. Trembling with
cold and commiseration, | sat watch
ing him, the tears rolling down my
cheeks. Oh, why had | refused Ted's
kind proposal to send Cousin Milly to
me? Why had l been so captious
about her dear little baby? Better a
room full of babies, all doing their
worst, than
But here l swooned, and fell, chair
and all, on the rug before the cold
CRATE, the fire having died out long
since.
Just on the hour of three / became
conscious of a dull thud below, which
l knew to be q knock at the street
door. lay listening, but rather lay
wondering vaguely what would happen
next than taking any interest in things
of this life, from which | seemed in a
manner to have f1oated away.
After a moment | heard steps plod-
ding up stairs, and a loud CHEEKY voice,
which | recognized as That of our old
friend, Mr.. Joy, the carpenter, called
out:
"Hilloa! Anybody at home!"
Coming to ourrOOm door, he knock
ed, and turned the handle, but of
course found it locked. Being unable
to speak, Iyet tried to groan, and
made some inarticulate noises, but /
could hardly hope the old man heard
them, as he was somewhat deaf. As
for my companion in misfortune, one
would suppose he would gladly have
hailed a prison as an escapefrom such
a plight as he was in, and so, no doubt,
he would, only he had no choice at
that moment, having gone of again
in a heavy swoon.
! heard the carpenters go down stairs,
and hopes OF relief died away in my
breast. Oh, Joy, Joy, why did you
come to mock me thus? Two more
hours probably before Ted will be
homel Shall l be alive by then? My
bound and aching limbs were on the
rack of pain; / lay and sobbed miser-
ably. But bark! A shout from the
back garden!
"What the dickens is all this?"
Again | heard the voice of Joy.
1t appeared that the carpenter, on
trying our room door and finding it
fastened, concluded we were all out,
but went around to the back Of the
house "to have a look at the winder''
which my brother had sent him to
mend-of course not expecting to find
it converted into a man-trap. He
had noticed while knocking at the
door, that the parlor widow was I'M
fastened, and, thinking it was unsafe
especially as Mrs. Brown was out, he
had used his privilege as our oldfriend
and hers to get through and fasten it
before coming up stairs. No doubt
the thief had entered the house by
that way.
1t was not long before help came,
and the door was broken open, when
our misery was ended. | dare say,
since prisons were first built, there
never was a culprit who walked into
Jail more meekly thandid the one who
had intended to rob my brother.
They say the poor fellows hands
will never be right again; a~mputation
may be necessary, as erysipelas is set
ting in. Well, all / can say is, / freely
forgive him for the suffering, menta'
and bodily, he caused me.
/ was in bed for a fortnight, but
| eventually got all right again. Dear
Ted says / am a brick, but that may
be his partiality. Anyhow, my foot
| stool provedto bea very effective safe
10 this hour nc one knows about il
but you, Ted and myself.
Faithful to His Trust.
| Savannah News.