Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-06-06
am awake and vigilant. There is man
In the room, and he is armed.


have used and been familiar with fire.
arms since was mere boy-accus-
toned to the use of rifle, shot gun and
revolver
The revolver is necessarily the weapon
which appears in these ARRAYS between
the burglar and the householder. Now,
although | am not what is termed a
"crack" shot with a revolver, it would be
an easy thing for me to put 80 caliber
ball into a man if he were sitting ar stand
ing thirty feet from me.
If had my revolver now, would it be
advisable to begin operations? Let us
see. This man is either sitting or stand
ing in some corner of the room. He would
not stand in the center of the room, for
the tendency is to skulk where the
shadows lie deepest. Surprising my re-
volver was in my hand and fired shot.
That would change the aspect of this
matter into an absolute question of life
Of death. The burglar would return the
shot. He would fire at the flash of my
weapon; perhaps hold dark lantern to
one side and dispose of me at one or at
the most two shots.
AS it is almost impossible to determine
where man is who is merely somewhere
in your bedroom, am led to conclude
that promiscuous firing ON the part of
the occupant of the bed is not wise ac-
lion; further that it is suicidal.
This man in the room is doing one of
Two things. He either believes that
am fully awake and cognizant of his
presence. or that | am restless without
suspicion and may soon be again in
dreamland.
If | adopt the first idea, he has his
hand on his weapon ready at an instant's
notice to fire He may be even anxious
and trihe startled. 1t is within the
bounds of possibility that he may even
believe that | am similarly armed and
watchful, and he may entertain a sort
of fear of me. Ha, ha. If it We're not so
ghastly it might be ludicrous.
On the part of the second theory, if he
thinks me merely drowsy he will wait
for the regular breathing that denotes
sleep before he stirs again. Failing to
hear that he may proceed to stern meas
ures-intimidation or worse. have
given up the idea of his being an assassin.
1t is an Illogical supposition, and the
darkness shall not make me superstitious
or childish.
What if | simply counterfeit sleep and
let him go ON with his scheme of plum
dering? But | cannot sleep. AS alert
and cool as feel myself to be, this ex-
perience has made me wrought up and
nervous. wish it We're light, or, failing
that, wish this prowler would make up
his mind to do something. The darkness
is alarming, but the knowledge that it
envelopes this wretch makes it tenfold
more fearful. Look into dark cave.
1t is not the mere gloom that makes it
seem SO awesome; it is the thought that
in this cave hides-what? You do not
know, but observe yon rolling thunder
cloud it is black, lowering and tremen-
dous Perhaps it is tornado charged.
AT least, what it may hold renders it
more an object of fear than its mere out
ward form.
How doubly and quadruply sickening,
then, when we feel that the darkness
surrounding us is hiding that most terri
BILE of beasts man?
For as the intelligence of man pre-
dominates over the craft of animals so
does the ferocity of man surpass that of
the tiger and shark.
cannot go to sleep. This man must
be the first to make a move on the chess
board. Does he intend to wait? So will
It'll the rumble of the early wagons
shall resound along the paved street.
Till the watchful stars have dotted their
gray uniform and the faint, ashen dawn
shall pry with tremulous fingers in the
crevices of my window shutters
But will he wait?
Now that is fallacious conjecture.
He must fulfill his object and depart. He
must obtain something for the extreme
risk taken. 1t is no light thing to come
into home on an errand of this nature.
Staying him under most circumstances
would be perfectly justifiable even in the
eyes of the law. And in the eyes of the
juror it would require extraordinary cir
cumstances indeed to make you liable to
punishment.
Besides, if convicted for burglary, the
punishment is extremely severe in some
states and under some statutes the death
penalty may be given.
Therefore this man in my room will
shortly commence operations. Where
will he begin and how? Will he first
ascertain if am asleep or will he con-
clude that am awake and proceed to
the pleasing task of terrorizing me? And
what, after all, will be his reward:
have no money, my watch is key
winder and a cheap one, and my other
jewelry is of the plainest possible kind.
Why do not these fellows select IA resi-
dence more likely to afford better oppor-
tunities for riches than my humble
rooms? They usually do. Do they not
always? Almost invariably.
1t is long past midnight. lam awake
appeal to logic and calm common
sense. 1t is |, myself | am the man i'll
the room. 1t was even so. turned to
my pillow and slept.-Ernest McGatfey
in Chicago Times.
To produce sufficient silk to make a