The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-01
The Startling Story of a
Lady's Experience with
a Burglar.
SERVANTS ON THE CONTINENT.
Items for Fair Readers--Personal
Paragraphs About Jersey City
Women.

Yer, and was just lapsing into the cOn-
%valescent state when one day / met
with quite a serious adventure which
| will relate.
My husband had been summoned
away on urgent professional business,
and | was left alone in Southern
country home with my old darby
nurse, Aunt Chloe.
Ours was rather a lonely station, as
Southern plantations always are-our
nearest neighbor, DR.. Parker, being
probably half a mile away.
Absorbed in my dreamy meditations
| vas fast straying into the region of
sleep and dreams.
| lay like a lotus eater, in q half un-
conscious langour, when from behind
the head of my bedstead there came
the sound of a suppressed sneeze In
an instant my senses were aroused,
and, in a voice which | fain would
have made courageous, l demanded
boldly
who's there ~
Silence-deep and profound. But I
determined to investigate; so, pushing
aside the mosquito bar, / peered be-
hind it and the carved scroll work 0fs
therosewood bedstead.
A cry of horror escaped my lips as a
rough hand grasped my fingers, a dark
bearded face with ferocious black eyes
glared into mine, while a hoarse voice
muttered =
sNone O that, now! Jest you lay
down again, missis. or I'll give We a
dose o'this p
He drew a long steel knife from his
belt as he spoke. / sank upon the pill
low powerless to utter a word.
Slowly the ruffian pushed aside the
bedstead and stepped cautiously from
his hiding place. | saw then that he
was stout and muscular, to all appear
ances a Mexican, and probably of
the daring murderous cattle thieves of
the border. He had undoubtedly en-
tered at the open window and con-
cealed himself behind my bed.
Weak and feeble as l was / was
bound to resist. I arose to a sitting
posture and confronted the burglar.
His malignant eyes were full upon me.
IF you make a noise,n he Kissed, II
will cut your throat!n He paused a
moment, then went on roughly
Where's the chink your husband
brought home this morning2n
He knew it then; | felt a cold shud-
der of despair creeping over my body.
There was a faint noise outside my
room-the sound of heavy footsteps on
the stairs.
Somebody's comingln he muttered.
"See here, madame, if you dare to tell
I'll kill you and the old niger and
burn the house down.
He seized both my hands in his iron
like grip, and bent his dreadful face
close to mine. There was murder in
his eyes.
Promise me that you'll hold your
tongue. If you don't
He drew the knife closer to me;
nearer nearer came Aunt Chloe's
shutting step.
81 promise!n I gasped.
The door of the opened and
old Aunt Chloe entered with a cup of
chocolate.
why, whatever is de matter wild
yer, honey? Sure de poor chile is get
tin worse.n
She placed the cup upon a table be-
side me. and bent anXiously over me.
What should | do? just then my
eyes fell upon a little note book with
a pencil attached which lay at my
side and upon which in my stronger
moments | had amused myself and
beguiled the time with f~ragmentary
scraps of composition. A sudden in
SEPARATION flashed across my mind. |
thanked God then that long ago /
had taught Aunt Chloe to read and
write. / drew the note book toward
me, enforcing silence ON my garrulous
old nurse by a warning gesture. With
quick intuition she perceived at C
that something was amiss and stood
quietly by until, with trembling hand.
l hurriedly scrawled these words
AUNT CHLOE
There is a robber hidden behind my bed.
Do not scream when you read this: our
lives depend upon you. Go at once to
DIR. Parker's and tell him to send help
or we shall be robbed and murdered. Be
quiett
As the dim eyes of the old woman
glanced slowly over these words /
grasped her arm to enforce silence.
But there was no need, for Aunt
Chloe was shrewd and sensible. I had
Just begun to fancy that she had not
ullNCISbCOd tlAV Ah1RQIU VI lily NOTllS.
when she managed to Whisper
San right, missy, I'll go in a minute.
Don't you be afeard.n
l smiled by way Of reassuring the
good old soul.
She vanished as she spoke, and with
a strange feeling of terror l lay shiver-
ing, trembling, half insensible.
In a short time / felt my bed pushed
softly aside and again the ruflan
stepped forth. This time he held his
pistol in his hand.
well, you're a cool one, sure he
said, gazing at me half admiringly.
Now" he continued roughly, turn
ing the pistol toward me as he spoke,
Il want the chink-where is it?n
/ did not answer.
stCome now, you'd better look sharp;
well, neye mind, I'm blamed If | don't
believe it's here
His hand was on the door Of the
wardrobe. My heart sank like lead in
my bosom. He laid his weapon upon
the table and unlocked the wardrobe,
for the key had been carelessly left in
the lock. 1t was a huge piece6f furni-
ture, without shelves, the garments
hanging from hooks. and in d small
box concealed at the bottom themoneys
was hidden. | watched the villain
thrust his head into the wardrobe.