The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-10
he excruclating flat intonation

Ml ocIlbOH WAS SlUUli1S near Tie
window, with little Stella on his knee,
apparently enjoying the noise, and
with his eyes fixed on me in blank
stare OF admiration that / could not
help seeing whenever my face was half.
turned iE his direction.
"Now let me sing song all by my
SELF" said Stella.
Mr.. Benton looked .inquiringly at
me and said:
eyes, Stella; let's hear you sing all
by yourself"
$50 she commenced, deliberately:
"Little bir-r-die, on-the-tree Ia
long breath) on-the-tree! (another
long breath) on-the tree!''
Then she stopped and with haugh.
ty disregard of the desires or opinions
OF her audience that would have been
worthy OF a petted prima donna,
turned carelessly around on Mr.. Ben
toms knee and looked out OF the win
dow, while we awaited her pleasure.
"Oh, loot-at the big birdie on the
tree out OF the window" she said, sud
denly, pointing downward toward
where / knew tall poplar grew close
to the house.
MI. Benton was apparently startled
by this evidence of Stella s keen vision
for saw him jumpas his eye followed
the direction of her finger. He con-
trolled himself at once, however, as he
replied quickly:
81 guess that is the shadow OF a
cloud in the moonlight ana not birdie,
Stella"
No she persisted; ~ saw a birdie
on the tree
He put her down, and she ran over
to me. AS | took her on my lap, |
heard the door close, and saw that
John Benton had disappeared.
"That is rather unceremonious. ]
wonder whether he is coming back"
thought. "Well, | do not care whether
he does or not" as l made up my
mind that the festivities could proceed
without him
| sat Stella on the end of the piano
and played a lively polka for the
children, with Stella's assistance, she
drumming on two or three keys in the
bass at intervals, with wlerd, if not
harmonious effect.
81 want some more tandy," an
nounced Stella, lmperlously.
II shall have to 20 down stairs for
it, Stella. 1t is all in the dining
room,'' said.
"Well, do down 'tairs. I'll be
dood."
OF course had to go. l left Stella
IN Alice's charge and ran swiftly down
the stairs. The nursery was on the
third floor. do not know what in
duced me to open the door OF my
parents bedroom as | passed it. /
did so, however. 1t was quite dark,
save a narrow bar OF moonlight fore
ing its way through the poplar just
outside the window.
l Iglanced carelessly into the gloom,
with my hand on the handle OF the
door, and was about to continue my
journey to the dining when Ifelt
a drauGht from the open window and
saw something white cleaning in the
moonlight for an instant and then
disappear.
What is that" / thought, as an
indescribable feeling of terror passed
over me and left me shlvering. cit
looked like q hand.
There was not sound to be heard
in the room save the rustling of the
curtains as the light wintry breeze
blew them from the window, but l
was certain some one was there.
What was that?
Surely a man climbing in through
the window! Yes, Twas not mistaken.
My eyes had become accustomed to
the darkness by this time, and
could see the outlines of his figure
clearly defined against the window!
In that terrible moment all had
ever heard or read about burglars
and their desperate actions when
brought to bay, passed through my
mind. l remembered half a dozen
stories, more or less improbable,
wherein young sirl had successfully
outwitted expert midnight thieves,
and captured them alone and unaided.
. The man, with his round head COW
cred by some kind OF closely fitting
cap, was cautiously creeping through
the window, and | saw the poplar
shake as if just relieved of burden.
He had evidently climbed the tree to
reach the room, and I remembered
hearing my brother Will say only the
day before that it was IL favorite plan
of thieves in robblng q house to get up
to the second story by means OF a
porch or tree, while the family were
gathered in the lower rooms in the
early evening,
| could not move! There was no
light in the hall outside the room, and
l could not be seen by the intruder as
l stood hand on the door-handle,
watching him, and listening in q
dreamy way to the noise of the chill
dren in the nursery overhead.
He was ir the room by this time,
and noticed that his footsteps were
noiseless, as if he had no shoes on, as
he moved across the bar OF moonlight
toward the bureau where my mother
always kept her jewelry. | saw n
round patch OF bright yellow light fall
on the keyhole OF the top drawer, and
then heard a metallic rattling. The
thief was picking the lock!
If | could only scream, or call for
Will!
The drawer opened; the man was
fumbling at its contents, when-crash
The yellow patch OF light disappeared,
and, with fearful word, l saw the
man fall, another man holding him
Then a pistol shot rang through the
room, and echoed up and down the
stairs, and the room was flooded with
light. Somebody had touched the
electric button down stairs and light
ed the gas.
For a few seconds my eyes were so
dazzled that could not see anything.
Then | saw two men rolling on the
floor in a desperate struggle, while a
pistol lay just out of their reach The
man underneath, with his closely fit
ting plush cap, was scowling at me, as
he tried to release himself, and l
thought could see murder written on
his thin lips and short, turned-up
nose so plainly that should have