Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-09-28

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would cry the untidy and desolate
man going by with his tinkling hand
bell and his grindstone on his bent
back, and .''Shears TO grind! Shears
to grind" Biddy would scream, while
the scissors-grinder would stop short
and stare in comical, open-mouthed
amazcment at the saucy birds cage,
| had owned Biddy about six months,
and mother said she was "sick and
tired OF having such a s&ucy and USE
less creature around, when something
happened to change mothers opinion
of Biddy's usefulness.
Father came home from a four
weeks trip bringing with him nearly
three thousand dollars that he had col
lected for the firm by which he was
employed. Most Of it had been paid to
him that day, so that he had had no
opportunity of sending it by draft.
1t was after dark when he reached
home, the banks and business houses
We're closed, so hat there was nothing
to do but to bring the money home
with him, and it always made mother
nervous and uneasy to have money in
the house. Father laughed at her
fears.
No ono knows that | have the
money but ourselves he said. 81
would not worry in the least about it
if ! We're you. I'll lockit up in one of
the dressing-case drawers, and it'll be
all right in the morning"
| was almost ten o'clock, and father
was getting ready for bed, when there
came a ring to the door, and a mes
%scnger-boy brought a telegram for
father, telling him of the dangerous
illness of his brother, who lived at
Hyde, ten miles distant, and asking
him to come out on the next train.
1.-The last train for tonight leaves in
twenty-five minutes,' he said, as he
ran up stairs and began putting on his
shoes.
In four minutes he was gone, and
mother and | were alone.
THAT money!" cried mother, as we
listened to fathers fast-rcceding foot
steps on the stone-pavement. II irish
your father had taken it with him, |
never once thought Of it in the excite
mcnt and hurry in getting him off. |
shall not sleep a moment tonight"
When father was away | always
slept on a lounge in my mothers room,
instead of in my own little room over
the hall at the other end Of the house.
Our one servant slept in an attic room,
and mother was too timid to be left
alone in her part of the house.
| was only twelve years old, but
mother said she felt a greater sense of
security and far less lonely when !
| was mean her, and | felt proud Of the
confidence she expressed in my ability
to protect her.
Biddy was given the freedom of my
room at night. Her ladyship's cage
door va left open, the windows and
doors OF the room we're closed, and if
Biddy chose to take a little exercise
by promenading around the room she
was at liberty to do so.
She always ayailed herself of this
privilege, and would go ~waddling
about screaming:
I'm a lady! I'm the mayors lady!
lla, ha, ha, the mayors Lady,
But she always retired 10 the cross
bar of the cage for the night. | nearly
always found her perched on a chair
back or on the head-board of the bed
when | entered the room in the morn
ing, and the only way to get her back
to her cage was to put her breakfast
in it. To all my coaXing and threat
cning she would simply say;
al won't! | won't! | Won'tr
And she wouldn't. And it was not
always safe for any person but myself
to enter the room.
Once she flew at Jane, our Irish do
nestle, who came screaming down
stairs with Biddy clinging by her
claws to James skirt and screaming
almost as loudly AS Jane herself.
On the night of which | write,
Biddy was in her cage in my room,
When father had gone mother came
to my room to ask me to como and
sleep on the lounge, as usual, and |
opened the door of Biddy's cage before
left the room, that she might enjoy
her promenade when daylight came.
Although mother had said she was
sure she "should not sleep a wink !
heard her breathing in that heavy,
measured way common to sound sleep
ers when | awakened a few moments
before the clock struck one. was
not a very timid boy, but as ! lay
there in the darkness, trying to go to
sleep again, | could think of nothing
but the large sun of money locked in
the upper drawer of the dressing-case
at my feet,
| thought of all the robbcries and
burglaries | had ever heard OF, and
while my nerves we're becoming keen
ly sensitive under the influence of
these pleasing reflections | heard a
sound as of some one moving at the
end OF the hall.
sat up, excited and trembling, and
the next instance Biddy broke out in
shrill, sharp screams and cries of:
81 won't! won't! wonU
! heard the sound of smOthered i'm
precautions, and then my mother woke
with an alarmed cry, and | could feel
her trembling in every limb and her
breath coming in quick gasps as she
came and knelt by my bed, with her
arms around me.
With the first sound Of Biddy's voice
my cowardice gave place to a boyish
pride in her valor, and to satisfaction,
in the reflection that she would be
able to hold her own against the in
vade..
Hell get it, whoever he ism
whispered to mother. 'Biddy'll girt
it to him!'
Then there came The sound of q
chair or table being overturned, and
again Biddy shriekcd:
II won't! | WonW Ha, ha, ha'
Get out! Get ont! Out, ont, ont