Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-08-16

arms and had good cry.
It was bitter cold night, and I was
curled up in a nest of shawls in a warm
room, and gave a little shudder at the
prospects OF the icy-cold chamber and
shect= above us. Mother noticed it.
"Suppose you stay here, " she said. al
will come down in the morning before
your grandfather Is awake and call you;
and YOU arc so comfortable you will soon
fall asleep
Say there Stay alone, with that hor-
rible clock in the room, all night! J.,
who had never slept alone in all my life
And yet, it was so cold up stairs, and my
nest so deliciously con- Portable. The
physical sense conquered, and | saw my
mother depart with the candle, for we
ared NOS have light left burning. l
ried TO sleep in vain. The clock tieked
as il every stroke was made with q ham,
ner on my brain; the darkness was in
tense and suddenly ! beard stealthy
steps in the ball. The climax was too
much for my strained nerves, and
sprang to the door of the dining-room
forgetting that it vas always locked ut
night, and the key In my Grandlather's
room. No chance of a stolen crust in
that house.
A hand on the hall door drove me
nearly frantic, and with the instinct OF
eoncealment only, l opened the clock
case and curled down on the floor, hold
ing the pendulum fast in my shaking
hands. The door opened, and the steps
came into the room. Darkness all around
us, and my terror of burglars almost an
insanity, my situation may be imagined.
Hes not asleep yet, - voice said, and
| knew the speaker was our man-servant
Pol 10 oil ii n
night to count the money an sort 1t out,
"Sure he's got it?' said q strange
voice.
Sure? or course I'm sure. Don't |
drive him over every Friday of his blessed
lie o draw it out o hank?'
1--WE can get it now, then. If we knock
him on the head, there's only lot o
women in the house"
"No," said Robert. "We'l get the
money but I'm not hankcrin for rope
round my throat yet Wen wait
while"
'.I.et's 90 outside and see If the light
is burning in his room yet.
Creeping softly, slowly they crossed
the hall to the kitchen, and lay almost
unconscious, too much terrified to move
IL was some minutes later when a light
caluo across the room, striking the glass
1l nc clock-lace, and heard my grand
father say:
''H N was mistaken thousht
only one OF EN- Went to bed. Ihat nIaI
Is 'coIdled to death! Sleeping down
here next!
le poked about awhile, stirred up the
shawls on the sofa, and went OIL having
passed the entire time III lnutterlhE
abuse OF my mother an' myself.
'Let them steal his noney Thought
In guilty delight. "LeJ them knock
n i'm on the head. Serves aim rlgnt!
Then IN the uarkne5 IS 5e'hlou 10 see
him with Il great gaping wound IN MS
gray hair and I!ie blood streaming doWh
his lace. Would l TEE hlh@, 90, tHo
men killed him? J Would nave all nj
money! go,
TWAS terr!ble-Was ii moi 'or q chlla
70 Hesitate, but GId; ana W n creF
ONT Oh the clock-eGse and ~eA- so.sy uf
the stairs, fingered, nali-resolTeu 10 e.
90 ny mother and let the ROBBERS 90 their
worst
My tlmid knock was answered by d.
5narllng permission To enter. belof'
the torrent ol abuse eG" preparing Wa'
uttered, said:
"Gfandtather' Robert nd ahothni
man are Gown stal'5' N''''''s 10. IT ~, ~
60 tosieep 10 steal your '4oh1J anu ~"
you
\ grim look came mo his iaco'
"LhaJ nice he he-a.I.
1t IS true Ihey coate mo Ohe sle-
tDS-room, ana / wa K .teiuS warm