Wichita eagle., 1888-03-16

parent; the other was very near my faithful
old gold timepiece, an heirloom that num-
bered more years than myself. Was to be
| murdered for its possession!
In frenzy partly made up of fear, partly
Of rage, l struggled to get my head and
shoulders out of the orifice in order to be on
more equal terms with my dastardly assail-
ant; but / seemed like babe in his grasp.
My blood chilled at the idea OF being so
powerless. Did the cut throat intend to
throttle me, or throw me from the window
Of my own attic? As yet he had not uttered
sound l could hear the muffied movement
| of his feet on the floor; but not word, not a
breath. A cold sweat broke out all over me;
| my sight grew dim. The silence Of my mys-
terious asSailant was worse than any uproar.
Why did he not speak?
"Help. Help" 1 screamed, my strength
fast failing.
l felt a powerful leg twisting about my
| own; he was about to throw me bodily from
the window
Frenzy nerved me with a strength not my
own. Isquirmed, twisted, bit, screamed and
kicked like a mailman. The extreme vio-
lence of my strength shall never cease to
astonish me. l succeeded in getting my
head and shoulders out of the aperture,
broke loose from the villains grasp and sent
him sprawling on the floor. rolled over and
over him in my frenzy. Every man has
more or less of the savage in him, and for the
time being every savage instinct in my
nature was uppermost 1t was q fight for
life. The attic had grown very dark. and
the floor was SO strewn with boxes and bun
dies that it was impossible to avoid them.
We fell over them repeatedly in our struggles
Precious though the old unframed paintings
were, | trod them underfoot; much as
priced my violins, hurled them at the villain
with all my strength. / began to ha' some
advantage over him; he did not know the
attic so well as |. He stumbled against the
angles, tripped over the cases that ! knew
the location Of, bumped against the sloping
ceiling. My courage began to rise.
"BegOne, or | shall shoot!" | cried
For the first time there came sound from
the villain. He chuckled! Well he knew
had no weapon, and well for him had not /!
You are at my mercy; surrender"
yelled, in voice loud and shrill enough to
rouse the neighborhood. Again the bastard
chuckled? What deviltry was he plotting!
"Will you surrender" l demanded.
"Well, hardly!"
The voice startled me. These were his
first words. had not expected reply, and
the words had strange and uncanny ring.
| confess l tremblcd
You are my prisoner said, in lower
key and with less confidence
Am ~
The efrontery of the villain astounded and
exasperated me. I caught up the first thing
l could reach and hurled it at him. 1t
crashed loudly against the wall. Shortly
after there came a scratching sound, and
light fllckered in the darkness He had
coolly struck a match! -.
L looked at him in amazement One glance
was enough. As have said, every man has
more or less of the savage in him, and my
savage again assumed the mastery. have
been angry many times III my life; but never
quite so angry as then.
Whose features did the light make appar-
ent to me! A dark faced, small eyed, short
haired villain:-a low proved cut throat!
Not at all! II was the serene and smiling
countenance Of my nephew, Mr. Percy T.
Jeuking, the only one Of my kin | had ever
taken any interest in. Even the srnirches of
scot on his face-the marks Of my fingers,
doubtlcss-couId not hide his identity. or his
pleasant smile. Dropping in to see ne, OH a
vacation from college, he had seen fit to
lessen my life at least ten years by one OF
his college antics.
''Forgive me, uncle" he cried, I've been
to picnics; but this tops them air.
For answer | threw all cid violonccllo at
his head He lodged, the match went cut.
and | hoped tho scapegracc wouldnot be able
to find tho door But he did What would
l have given for stout rattan and a chance
to lay it on his rascally carcass! He stumbled
down stairs, and followed at the top of nv
speed. | fervently hoped that be would fall
or miss his way, that might catch him. but
he disappointed me. The last thing heard
him utter was one of his villainouS chuckles
as he swept down the hallway might have
passed him, but why: where? He was mov-
ing like a whirlwind, and the savage had
good reason to.
About II O'Clock that night, while my aged
and faithful housekeeper was applying arnica
to my bruises and listening to my narrative
of the outrage, there came a banging on the
knocker of my front door. When the old
lady answered the summons, who stood there
but the little villain, Percy L. Jenkmglf
Cant play little for you on the ,vio-
lin. uncle!'
looked at him with scowl. 1907
He took up one of my violins. the oldest
and the best i'll my motley collection How
he handled the bow! No doubt he
will make a player. Curiously the first thing
he played was the "Suwanee1 RiEer.-the
typical American air that addresses the best
that is in us-and played it feelingly The
rascal knew the way to my heart Before he
was half through l forgave him After all,
no great harm came of the escapade. and
why should | bear him a grudge2 He is
young and has manga struggle for life ahead
Of him. If they all terminate as happily as
mine, he will be fortunate-H. D. Mason in
Pittsburg Bulletin.