Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-06-20

I'll take that bag OF twenties you got
~ h., l.

I'll take that bag OF twenties you got
at the bank this morning."
Too truel L had that very morning
drawn a quarters income-all in dou-
BILE eagles How had the wretch found
IL out? For a moment hesitated, but
that ominous clickI and quickly the
canvas bag came from its hiding place,
the middle of long bolster, that 1
always slept on. The burglar counted
It leisursly-he WAS in no hurry.
"Ana. now, little miss" said he,
III trouble you to show me the family
silver"
Without moments hesitation,
Ethel led the wretch down the winding
staircase, through the square hall with
its dark red walls, into the parlor, a
dim, old-fashioned room, with a great,
open fireplace, In which \ wood-fre
still smouldered on the brass andirons.
On each side of the fireplace was an
arched niche; one filed with the books
of a small library, and in the other
hung an exquisite copy of one of
Raphael's Madonnas. Will you believer
As his eyes caught sight of the virgin,
this robber-hIs pockets full of stolen
goods-made sign OF the cross, and
muttered an Ave Maria
led dining room. divided through the
middle by a crimson portiere. Two
large closets opened from il; one, the
first, for china, and the other for the
storage OF the house-linen. To my
surprise, it was the door or this second
c'osettthat Ethel opened, and pointed to
a black box. showed back on tbs top
shelf. L remembered then that a small
part of the family silver had been
slowed there, to be used only In case
of necessity; the rest had been sent by
the family who owned the house, TO tine
Safe Deposit.
In the corner next the door was a
step-ladder used for hcuse-cleaning
purposes. Just as the burglar seized
this, a tremendous noise, like the
tramping of armed men and the mad
rolling OF cannon balls, made him drop
the ladder and cock his pistol quickly.
We thought of rescue, but the noise
came from colony of rats in posses
sion of the nelghbOTing attic.
Seizing the ladder again, the bur- glar
set II against the shelves in the farther
corner of the closet, climbing heavily
to the top of IT, and laid his hand on
the box. when, prestol changel quick
as lightning, Ethel shut the door with
a crash, turned the key. showed the
bolt, and there he was, a prisoner.
"I've got him, grandma! I've got
himl she cried, 81 meant to get him
all the lmel'
The man struggled like a Gagged lion.
Kicks and blows rained on the door,
curses loud and deep filled the little
room; frantic pOundings with his huge
fists were thrown away on oaken
plauks felled in the old Bay State, and
thoroughly seasoned by coming
''around the horR in 49,"
But what shall We do, now?
Ellen, who, at the elimination OF
Ethel's daring. had sat down Oh the
floor, and bumped her head, not very
gently, against the wall, now struggled
To her feet, and we held a council of
war.
1t was half-past eleven. The night
was black, the streets dark, the super
visors had just decided, in a fit of
economy, not to light the street lamps
for the next six months, and our house
was the only one in the fifty yard lot
forming the square. The garden was
full of hiding places, where some con-
federate might even then be lurking,
ready to pounce out upon US If we ven
tured out. On the hole, 1t seemed best
TO hold our prisoner until morning,
when we could arouse the Chinese
servants and send for help. So we
brought out the lamp and victualIed
the garrison. Ellen made some strong
coffee over spirit lamp, and we sat
there all night and waited, paying lit
tie attention to the fierce threats and
laundering blows against the wall that
emphasized the rage of our captive.
With the first morning light, we
aroused All Lung, the cook, and, hav-
ing satifed his moon-eyed wonder, sent
out for the officers of the law, who
soon had our prisoner handcuffed and
Gagged IN the county jail.
You see now why find it uphill
work to discipline my granddaughter
Ethel. 1 have told you how she an
swers me when L try to reprOye her.
But there's one comfort at least.
That mani have been laughed at
a great deal of my life for looking for
him-was ''caught at last"