The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-19
Printed By Special arrangement Copyrighted. 1856.
THE SPEAKING TUBE.
eY j. t. TRowSRIDGE.
PART /


was prepOsterous young prig in those days,
and a sense of the Importance Of the trust set
me up peg in my selfesteem. Very little dan
ger from house-breakers was apprehended by
anybody, suppose, except old Phebe, the cook;
she was to remain, and it was chiefly to quiet
her feminine nerves with the sweet conscious
ness of "a man in the house" that / was made
use of. Our relative positions might we'll have
been reversed, for she was creature Of quite
formidable proportions, while I was about as
stout as a clothespin-couldn't have weighed
much over a hundred; and in any serious,
Homeric conflict, you would have said she was
the goddess to cast her @gis over me.
But l magni6ed my mission. talking freely
about it among my acouaintances, and Dragging
of what would do in case of an attack. The
Oldboys had sometimes gone off for week or
two in summer. leaving their house without any
occupant whatever, relying for its safety OH the
simple fact that wicked world did not know of
its exposed condition; and here was advertising
openly and idiotcally first-class suburban resi-
dence to be robbed.
OF course, one of the smart things did was
to procure revolver; considered no heroic
equipment complete without that bit of foolish
ness.
"But you wouldn't really plug man, would
youG" said Horatio Bland, one of the young fell
lows to whom 1 showed nv six-shooter and
boosted of the blood would shed with it if 1
had chance
had at that time, remember, mustache il
its first downy softness, which was watching
the development of with vast solcitude; and
fancy that it curled at the corners with smile
meant to be cruelty sardonic, as answered,
"Oh. l wouldn't, would i"
had always regarded Horatio as q rather fast
young fellow, and | am free to confess that
had never cultivated his society to any great ex
tent under the eye of the shrewd old Squire.
had anticipated his admiration of my pluck, and
was quite surprised at the serious view hs APP
peared to take of the situation. He looked at
the weapon thoughtfully moment, then quietly
laid it at a safe distance from him, the table
1--WE were in the Squires Office at the time) and
remarked, gravely:
II don't think 1 should like to shoot man
under any circumstances! It's an awful thing
to take human life!-dd you ever think of it,
Jim9-even if it's robbers!"
But he shouldn't be a robber," / replied.
'Of course, the naked idea of killing man isn't
so pleasant Buff he makes war against socie
ty, what can he expect9 Whoever helps to rid
society Of such pests added, with immense
dignity, sis public benefactor"
Then there's another side to the question"
says Horatio. while you are shooting the bur
glar, there's the chance of his shooting you'll
There are generally two or three of them they
are practiced shots, which you are not; and when
it comes to a hand-to- hand fight, they can fire
Ave or six times as fast as you can, and nine
teen or twenty times as straight at
the vital parts. Particularly in the dark.
It's always in the dark you know"
he went on, looking me anxiously in the face,
while was dreadfuily afraid he might notice
Al Al. l6ut. l.
like cats, and ears-why!" says he, ''their senses
are rendered 80 abnormally acute by the sort of
life they lead that you can't make the least
movement or the faintest noise, but they seem
to know instinctively just where you are, and
pop-po pop! you are as full of holes as a col,
ander. Oh, it's all very well" he added, with
significant shake. "to talk about shooting burg
lars"
'But we don't often hear of their shooting
anybody" l argued
mo; whyP says Horatio 'They go for plum
der. not for the fun of slaughtering inoffensive
people. Let them alone and they you alone.
And, come case In hand, wise man generally
lets them alone, or merely makes noise enough
to brighten them away without exposing himself.
But, while they prefer TO do their work in quiet
and gentlemanly manner, they GO prepared for
the worst; and if shooting is on the programme,
they're there!"
This kind of talk from reckless young fellow
about town didn't have braciug effect on my
the prospect of long and lonely nights in the
great empty house. / should have thought little
of any danger ii it hadn't been for the revolver.
Instead OF giving me confidence, it became q
source of apprehension. | almost wished had
never thought of 1t; but having bought it and
Dragged about it, was bound to sleep with it
under my pillow. and make use Of it, if neces
sary. With all my self-conceit wasn't alto
gether wanting in resolution. Besides, didn't
believe all Horatio had said as meant to con-
vince him.
However, when he suggested that ought to
have somebody stay with me in the house, ad-
mitted that it would be agreeable for the sake
of the company, if not necessary for further
safety. And when he said he wouldn't mind 60
ing out there himself once in while if not ex-
pected to do any of the shooting felt truly
obliged to him.
The Oldboys' house was at Percy Park, about
two miles from our Office in the city; and 1 used
to walk out every evening, and back every morn.
ing after old Phebe had given me an omelet and
a cup of coffee. After Horatio had once shared
my bed and my breakfast, he liked both we'll
enough to go out with me about every evening,
without more solicitation. If he didn't 60 when
did, he came later; he was a fellow of many
engagements. some of which kept him until
near midnight. He was provided with a night
key, so that he might enter at any hour with
out disturbing old Phebe in her part of the
house. or me in mine, if had gone to bed. To
make up for the late hours, he sometimes slept
abominably late in the morning. then l would
return to town alone, leaving him to follow at
his leisure.
He had managed to find the soft side of old
Phebe's heart and I never heard complaint
from her because she had to keep his breakfast
waiting She thought him such delightful
young man, as indeed he was. l couldn't help
feeling some mlsgivings as to the view the old
Squire might take of these liberties, enjoyed in
his absence by scampish youth who would
never have ventured to cross his threshold when
he at home I was becoming greatly at
tached to him, he was always so friendly and
confidential. telling me about his little scrapes,
which should have thought wicked In anyone
else but which appeared quite excusablein him;
and then he made them so very laughable in the
telling!
One evening l was late and he reached the
house an hour before me- On entering our
room l found him sitting by the table leaning
back in his chair, with cigar in his mouth, and
bottle of fine old port beside him, with half
filed glass in the yzar 10. .l;..Ls