Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-09-27

wrong winder. Parlor door'sshut i!
"By this time we were on the
attic stairs, and the door at the
foot Of the stalrs-a solid, old fash
ioned, country dOor-was safely
bOlted behind US.
"That door was the only means
of access to attic, aud on the head
OF the stairs we all sat down to
take breath. Then 10 mother the
anxious housewife began to reap
pear.
what was that the horrid
brute broke III the parlOr, Susan 2
she querred.
"'Must a'been them dishes on
the little table by the winder, ma
am,' responded the girl.
"And then we heard = clatter
again, as the beast in springing
out of the window knocked the
fragment of pottery aide.
"In few moments he found
another entrance. The soft pat
pat of his great furry feet could be
beard on the lower stairs. He was
evidently hungry aud much puzzled
at our sudden disapdearance.
ave could hear him smiling
around 10 and out of the bedrooms,
and at last that soft, persistent
tread found its way to the attic
door.
"How he did sniff about the bot
tom OF that door, till the blood of
his prisoners ran cold with horror !
Then he began to scratch, which
was more than they could stand.
"Terror lent them invention, and
mother put me into a basket ofold
clothes, while she helped Susan
drag a heavy bedstead to the head
of the stairs. This bedstead effec.
tually blocked the narrow stairway
and when they had piled a chest
of drawers on top of it they once
more felt secure.
"All this trouble was unneeded,
however as that door, opening out
ward was an InsurmoUntable barrier
to the panther.
ain a few minutes he stole away
restlessly. Then We heard some
flower pots, which stood on the
window ledge of the front bedroom,
go crash on the steps below. The
Indian devil was getting out of the
window below.
"NOw. the attic in which we had
taken refuge was lighted by two
windows-a small one in the gable
looking out upon the barn yard,
and the other, a very small sky
light, reached by sort of stpe lad
der from the attic.hOOr.
"As soon as mother heard the
animals claw on the side OF the
house she thought of the skylight
and cried TO Susan to shut it.
"The skylight had an outer shut
ter of wood, which was closed IN
winter time to keep the heavy
snowfall from breaking the glass.
"Thls shutter was now thrown
back upon the roof, aud the inner
sash was raised a few inches for
the sake of ventilation. Susan
fairly flew up the ladder and pulled
out the little stick that supported
the sash
"She had barely got the hook
slipped into the staple when the
panther's round head aud big, light
eyes appeared within foot Of -
face. She gave startling shrek
and fell down the ladder.
"At this juncture the two women
gave themselves up for lost, apd
mother, selziug an old curtain pole
which lay among the attic timber,
prepared to sell my infant lif9 at a
pretty high figure.
"All escape from the attic was
blocked by articles they had so
carefully wedged into the stairway.
This it would take them some time
to clear.
"They never imagined that 80
fierce a brute as the panther could
be stopped by an ordinary sash
and glass, however strong.
"But the Indian devil is wary,
aud this one was suspicious of the
glass. When on attempting to
put head down through the sky
light, he met with an obstacle
when he did not see any, he thonght
he detected trap.
"He snl fled all ever each pane,
stopping every moment to eye as
hungrily, at the sash, and only
tore away some splinters. The
sash was stout and new"
'At last he thrust his muzzlt
over roughly against the pane
and his nose went through the
glass. Susan sank 10 a heap, while
mother, with deadly purpose, grasp
ed her curtain pole, expecting in
= slant attack.
at was not to be 80, O,however-io
b which the world is much TO be con
p, graduated. The panther cut hi
., nose pretty severely on the broker
glass, and shrank back, snarllnl
+ viclOusly.
J. "He was moro than ever convin
- 49, A. a,Ir,,ItOhf xuau q frQ1