Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-06-06
Confederate money that ! was going
10 mount on pasteboard Cor curiosi-

Ooniederate money that i was going
10 mount on pasteboard Tor curiosi-
ty.'
Wac nd a delicious supper Of game,
cooked 10 Delmonico, coffee and bot
wsfiles. Sancho hzd the wild turkey
bones. and Francois ate his share in
the kitchen. squatted on the hearth.
Aunt Alsntha. said I. hsva you
no women about the house r
La. no. childY said Aunt Alan
tia. .Whas do ! want Of womsn9 7
hate womenl Francois Is worth three
women any time. Aud Sancho can
do everything but talk
Late a. il was Aunt Alantha took
a lantern and showed nae over the
house, especially pointing cut the va.
rious doors where chains and bolts
were 20 connected with loaded guns
that any tampering with. the locks
would be sure to produce an explo-
sion.
No more burglaries for me, said
Aunt Alantha. chuckling. I'D like
to see EN- try il now. They've got
an idea that I'm very rich. So I ana
in guns, chains and wires.'
There were curiosities af all sorts
moses. birds nests. carefully labeled
geologicalspecinens. rattlesnake skins,
and q case Of hideous stuffed birds,
looking about as much like live ones,
as q complexion made up of powders
and cosmetics resembles sixteen
year. old girls peach pink cheeks.
i believe I've got sample Of eve.
ry small bird in these woods said
Aunt Alantha, viewing them with
her head on one side. Such collec.
tion as this is nearly priceless. Don't
mention it, Katherine. but think
seriously Of leaving this collection TO
your mother in my will. IL ought
never to 60 out of the family.
] looked at the case in dismay. Il
was full yard long. by four feet high
-an atrocity of stained wood. with q
hideous Tree bough sprawled in its
centre. like an octopus. and birds
perched about it in all sorts Of impos.
sible attitude.
Never. in all my life. had seen
anything so ugly.
The rooms were small. but we'll fur.
nished, after q wild. unceremon:ous
fashion. and / was relieved TO find the
apartment I was destined to occupy
opened out Of my Aunt Aiantha's
own sanctum.
1t is an awful lonely spot said !,
glancing out at the wild tops Of the
mountains, and the woods swaying in
the wind.
II like lonely places, said Aunt
Alantha.
Aunt Alantha I / hesitated.
'Well?' said my aunt in her short,
sharp way.
4 do hope said lowering my
voice to- a whisper. that you haven't
any money In the house.
All I've got in the would is in this
house., said Aunt Alanths, putting
another log Of moss fringed wood in
the air tight stove. which created
summer atmosphere through the ioom,
moistened by the tea kettle that sang
on the top.
oh, Aunt Alapthal And the bur.
glarsi'
Burglars, said my aunt, take 'em
all in all, are no worse than savings
banks that fly to pieces. and cashiers
that defalcate. Besides. they rum
mayed the premises three times al-
ready TO no effect. I don't believe
they'll try it again. Ny money. Kath-
ererine-'
oh, don't tell me where you keep
itr said [. putting my fingers TO my
ears. 4 wouldn't know for this world.
i wasn't going TO tell you, said
Aunt Alantha. I was merely going
TO remark that il was quite safe
In the middle Of the night / walked
up. A masked man was standing
over me.
Don't be alarmed, miss, said he.
1t amt our trade TO hurt women, nor
children. Just you keep quiet. It's
my duty to gag you. and to tie your
feet and hands. But / amt going to
hurt you. Your grandma. she's SUBJ
mitted quite peacefully. like sensi-
bic old lady. The French boy, he
fought considerable, and We had to
knock the dog on the head. All we
want is the privilege Of going peace
ably through the house.
There we lay. Aunt Alanths and /,
trembling all over, unable even TO
speak 10 each other. while the nuf-
Iled tread and disguised voices of the
v;ll;ana who had GAGGED ms sounded