Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-08

Maggie sat down on chair and begal
to cry.
"We've done what We could said tn
man. The lady he was to marry an,
her friends will be down tomorrow
Meanwhile my instructions are that yo1
shall watch with him, and allow no strang
ers TO enter the house. There are vain
able things here, I'm told. and Mr.. Val
Motifs lawyer must take possession of then
and seal them up before strangers hav
access tot he rooms.
sCh, dear, dearr cried old Maggie
That it should come to this. Yes, II
watch alone. I'm not afraid, but-oh
dearr
Then she shrank back and let two
men carry horrible coffin into the from
parlor.
They came out with their hats off
and the other man held his also IN hi;
hand.
81 regret to leave you all alone in the
house, he said.
Il don't mind that" said old Maggie
| "But's terrible"
"If you would like me to stay" said the
man.
"No," said Maggie: owe no fear OF
| living or dead folks. You can CO."
Then she locked the door and went in
to the parlor, and putting the candle on
| the mantle, looked at the coffin through
her tears.
He was good enough to me-" she said,
poor Mr.. Archibald. All this comes of
wanting to marry at this time of life, and
galllvant1ng on railroads. I wonder if
he is changed much. II take a look"
and Maggie crossed the room and lifted
the lid covering the face of the enclosed
body.
81 will take look" she said to herself
again. II am not afraid of dead folks"
In minute more, Maggie dropped the
lid and retreated, shaking from head TO
foot. She had seen within the coffin q
face with its eyes shut, and with banda
geS about the head, and the CHASTITY fea-
lures of a clown in circus minus the
red mouth.
But it was Lying face well chalked
and not her masters; and Maggie bnew
at once that she had been humbugged-
that this story of her masters death was
vile lie, and that burglar lay within
the coffin, ready to spring upon her and
bind her, and perhaps murder her at any
moment.
She could of course open the door, end
try to escape, but the accompIices of the
man were doubtless outside. It was a
long distance to the nearest house, and
even if they did not kill her they would
execute their purpose and rob the place,
before she returned.
"Master looks natural" said Maggie
aloud and then tried TO collect her
thoughts.
Van Motifs revolvers were in the room,
she knew, loaded, six shots in each. She
could use pistols. She had aimed at
troublesome cats with great success more
than once. If she could secure those
pistols she felt safe.
Poor, dear master? she sobbed, and
edged toward the back room. Poor
dear master' She lifted the desk-lid.
She had them safe.
She glided back to the front parIor and
sat down on chair. She turned up her
sleeves and grasped pistol in each hand,
and she watched the coffin quietly. In
half an hour the lid stirred. cautious
hand crept up to the side. A wary eye
peeped out; it fell upon the, armed figure
and closed again.
You'd BETTER said Maggie to herself.
Again the head lifted. This time Mag
gle sprang to her feet.
Lou 10 AAou quito nanny, enc Sdlu
cody. No need of having you out if 1
fire; and can aim frst-rate, especially
when I'm afraid of ghosts as be now.'
The head bobbed down again. Mag
gle reseated herself. She knew this
could not last very long. 1t was as she
supposed. A moment more and the cof-
fin was empty, and a fredericksburg
young fellow sat on its edge, and thus ad
drassed herr
'We meant to do it all quiet, be said
'and don't want to frighten old women.
just put them down.
"Im not frightened" said Maggie.
"I'm coming to take them things away
from you," said the man.
"Come," said Maggie.
He advanced one step. She took aim,
and he lodged, but bullet went through
his left arm, and it dropped by his side.
Furious with pain he dashed toward
her. She fired again and this time wound
ed him in the right shoulder. Faint and
quite helpless, he staggered against the
wall.
"There you've done it, old woman" he
said. "Open the door and let me out.
Ny game is up"
"Mine isn't, said old Maggie, get into
you through the heart"
The burglar looked piteously at her,
but saw no mercy in her face. He went
back TO his coffin and lay down in it.
Blood dripPed from his wounds, and he
was growing pale. Maggie did not want
to see him die before her eyes, but she
dared not cali aid. To leave the house
before daylight would be to meet this
mans companion and risk her own life.
There was nothing for il but to play the
surgeon himself, and in q little while she
had stopped the flood and saved the
burglars life. More than this, she
brought him q cup of tea, and fed him
with it as if he had been a baby. Nothing
however, could induce her to let him get
out OF his coffin.
About one or two O'Clock she heard
steps outside, and knew that the other
burglars were near, but her stout heart
never quailed. She trusted in the bars
and bolts, and they did not betray her.
The broad daylight found her sitting
quietly beside the wounded burglar, and
the milk man, bright and early, was the
ambassador who summoned the officers
of justice.
When the bridal party returned next
day the house was neat aad tidy, and Mag
gle, in her best alpaca, told the news in
laconic fashion.
"Frightened!" she said in answer to the
sym pathetic calculations of her new mis-
tress. Enlightened! Oh, no! Fear wasn't
born in me-"
Protecting himself.
Arkansaw Traveller.
sobooI commissioner oaIIaS of fba
house of a Georgia farmer and asked him