Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-01-10

myself beside her, I began to read
aloud some wild old tale of super
natural horrors, upon which had
stumbled. Before l had half finished
had worked myself into a state OF
nervousness, and as noticed the paling
face of my mother, I tossed the book
upon the table, with a contemptuous
expression, and arose to make her tea.
At that mon ut the gate latch
clicked, and as tt ned in its direction
l could not repress cry of alarm.
My eyes fell upon a strange sight.
| The figure of a woman-a very dwarf
in size and stature-clad in a faded
black dress, with battered bonnet
upon her head, and torn shawl about
her tiny, STOPPING shoulders.
Slowly and hesitatingly the creature
moved up the walk, until she had
reached the gallery.
| Here she paused to gaze curiously
upon us, with pair of round, bead
like black eyes.
Then she spoke, in voice clear and
we'll modulated:
81 have lost my way, ladies'" she
said, beseechingly, ''may l crave a
nights shelters"
Iglanced at my mother. She was
pale and trembed violently.
I had conceived an unaccountable
aversion to the small stranger; but who
could have the heart to turn a woman
away into the painless forest, with night
coming down, dark and threatening,
for the sky was overcast, and there
were signs of an approaching thunder
storm, and the wind moane1 dTearily in
the boughs of the pine trees.
So l told her that she might remain;
but | resolved to know no slumber that
night, but to watch the long hours
through.
My mother must not be alarmed; so
sending the stranger to the kitchen with
Aunt Dinah to get some refreshments,
coaxed mother to take her tea, and
carried her off to bed in triumph.
1t was 10 o'clock before l left her
sound asleep and stole off to the kitchen
to take an observation. On the thresh-
old paused, my heart beat wildly, my
brain seemed on fire; l trembled so that
/ could scarcely stand; l pushed the
door ajar and glanced in. What
sight met my astonished eyesi The
dwarf was standing erect, and young,
and 1.-the; the woman's garments had
been discarded, and l saw before me
man, small, but muscular, and with
diabolical face. He was stopping over
the form of Aunt Dnah, in one hand a
vial, which he held to her nostrils. l
comprehended the situation at glance.
Aunt Dinah was drugged; even the frail
protection of her presence was gone
and the next step would be robbery
perhaps murder.
The villain replaced the vial in his
pocket, with a grin on his ugly face.
"There!" he calculated, "that will
work. With the old woman out of the
way, the rest is easy. Lucky that l
know where to look for the money; it's
in the old woman's room, saw the gal
put it there. Let me see, right hand
corner, top drawer in dressing table"
1t flashed over me then, my own
carelcssness, when father had given the
pockctbooll into my keeping; the open
window near us, and some gay words
that had uttered, all came back to me.
I was so frightened, it seemed as if
l should die. Then calmer thoughts
succeeded; and / resolved to fight for
that money to the death. Softly stole
away, and re-entered my mothers
apartment. Taking the pockctbook
from the drawer, hid it in my bosom;
and then, pausing, to assure myself
that she still slept, turned to the hall
where our small provision of fire. arms
were stored. Oh, heavens! They were
gonel A low, horrible chuckle fell
upon my ears. The robber stood at
my side, look of triumph on his hate
full face.
"Well, he sneered boldly, "where
is it2'
'EWhat do you meana" gasped.
"The money, of course. I've just
been to the old woman's room, but /
find you've been too many for me.
Now, girl" he stepped closer to
me and raised one hand threateningly;
his awful eyes glared into mine; his
lips, as they opened, resembed those of