Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-03
and we reached home just as the big drops

ana we reached nome just as the big drops
1t proved the heaviest rainfall Of the season.
The hood-gates of Heaven seemed to be opened
and the rain fell in torrents all the fore part of
the night, while the house IA solid, substantial
piece OF masonry groaned and shook with the
violence of the wind. About midnight the
still fell in gentle, measured cadences. We
children went TO bed early. Mark and were
both tired and out Of sorts. The morrow would
be Saturday and we had planned to have some
rare sport Such weather would spoil all our
fun, and we did SO hate to be cooped up in the
house. After q time lost consciousness and
slept profoundly. The particulars of the awful
tragedy enacted during that terrible night we
learned the next morning from Miss Joyce's own
lips, and were eye witnesses to the fearful evil
dences OF the crime. Miss Joyce had sat up late
writing letters. During fathers and mothers
which was a front room ON the ground floor
and opened into little room back, where
slept Mary Ma Marthy and st: Clair An the
strong, massive shutters, which securely
fastened inside with heavy iron clamps. AS
late hour and did not retire till after mid
night II was some time after his before she
dozed of into slumber. She was always a
light sleeper. The least noise seemed instantly
to arouse her, not into that drowsy, semicon-
seriousness, which usually precedes full awaken
on this particular night, when her nerves
were tensely strung by the rigor of the storm,
all her bodily senses seemed preternaturally
acute.
How long she slept, whether minutes or
hours, she did not know, but she was suddenly
awakened by the sound of something falling.
And the impression received by her in that
second of time, as the mind 1eaped from Sum-
Der TO consciousness, was so distinct and real,
that she could have taken oath on the Bible
that the sound she heard was that of some me
taaic substance, dropping with a sharp ring
upon hard floor. The sound would have been
duiled had IL fallen on the thick carpets OF the
rooms immediately adjacent In the more
remote parts of the house distance would also
have deadened the sound.
Her thought instantly flew the wide hall
covered with oi-cloth, into which mothers
room opened. The door of the room had been
left purposely ajar that she might the more
readily hear if yone called. What metallic
substance would be likely to fall but the hall
d3orrkey? And, And she remembered i distinctly,
to have turned the key to prevent that. It
must, therefore, have been returned and pushed
inward from the outside. How swiftly the mind
leaps from link to link in the chain OF cause and
effect She threw on a wooden wrapper and in her
stockinged feet, gIided noiselessly into the hall
and laid her hand softly on the lock; the KEY
t0as gone! AT the same instant a key was in
serted from without. Her heart stood still.
sought it. No. thank God. The bolt was drawn,
and was both stout and strong. But-Great
Heavens! they were not to be foiled. Hist!
With brace and bit they were boring perpen-
dcular holes parallel with and close to the lock,
through which the light from a dark lantern
made ghostly lines upon the floor. She took in
the meaning of it all at once and realized that
they were working with the rapidity and skill
Ofexperts. Some natures are coolest in moments
was bored little Miss Joyce had decided upon
the only course left to her. She wisely
judged it best to leave the rest of us undis-
turbed. The girl she knew to be arrant
coward, and We boys were too young to ex-
ercise the proper caution. AT all hazards the
burglars there proved to be three of them)
The knowledge of that fact would put US
completely at their mercy. She determined to
had firearms, but where he kept them she did
not know, and besides there was no time to pro-
cure them. Already the holes had grown into
an aperture large enough for a mans hand.
And now the hand itself-a white, shapely
hand-had slipped through the slit, and was
about to reach for the bolt. Lifting silent
prayer for help she grasped the hand and with
a quick jerk folded the wrist backward upon
the edge of the aperture, then threw her weight
snap followed by a smothered groan and NUT
tered curses from outside. Then there was q
short. whispered parley, slight struggle and
steps. Afterward silence reigned, and as time
wore on the hand, that was clutched about hers,
grew cold as ice. Good God! Had they-but
the thought which flashed upon her was so
awful that for the first time in her life she
tainted dead away.
the front door. 1t was broad daylight. Hastily
slipping on my clothes descended to the hall
and de; found md Miss Joyce on her knees leaning
not answer. Running out and around the
house saw sight that for a moment trans
fixed me with horror. A young stripping of a
boy-far too young tor so vile trade-was halt
reclining against the door with his throat cut
from ear to ear. He was covered with blood,
which yet trickled from the wound and, stood
in little pools upon the steps. The burglars
could not take him away with them, and dared
not run the risk of leaving him. Dead men tell
no secrets. A neighbOr passing by had seen the
strange sight and gave the alarm. / mOtioned
him to follow me into the house, for could not
yet find my voice. We lifted Miss JOyce-we
had to pry her hand from out the clutch of the
dead One-and laid her on mOthOrs bed and
rubbed and bathed the poor, crumpled hand.
In a short time she regained consciousness, but
was nervously Frustrated for several days.
Very Unexpectedly and to our inexpressible
relief my father came home that forenoon.
They had accomplished but a short part of their
journey when the impression came to him that
he ought to be at home. 1t finally grew so strong
upon him that he and mother both decided
1t was best for him to return. When he learned
OF the tragic events of the night, he Just took
Miss Joyce in his arm and kissed her, while his
voice trembled with emotion as he said:
Brave little heroine! Our little, eldest daugh-
ter henceforth!"
This act of appreciation greatly delighted
US children. Well, she stayed with US a year,
growing sweeter and dearer TO us all, then she
left US. Mother told us confidentially that she
was going on to New York to marry a mission
airy under appointment to South America.
God bless her! She had the true mission
airy spirit School District No. had after.
ward many teacher as capable of imparting
knowledge and as good disciplinarians in their
way as she, but none, ay! not one, could ever
quite take the place in our hearts of little Miss
Joyce. -