The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-06-11


violence against this nocturnal prowler
the truest valor is the deliberative and
discreet kind.
am broad awake now, and no excuse
can be made for me if yield to rash i'm
pulses against my better Judgment. The
situation is plain. The circle Of contem-
plation is small one.
AS to the problem, it represents but
three important factors, and they are as
follows: 1t is midnight am awake
there is man in the room.
Although my ears had not caught the
sound of his entrance into my sleeping
apartments | feel confident that he has
been there but Il few moments. am Of
an exceedingly wakeful disposition and
the vicinity Of any one in my room at
night, or of even an animal, is almost
Immediately followed by my waking up.
The back door had been securely fas-
tened before | went to bed, and the win
dows of the house We're too high to be
reached except by means Of Il ladder. AT
the front door a midnight marauder
would have been too conspicuous. Be-
sides the alley which led into two other
byways afforded dark and various
mode of retreat in case Of either hurried
or leisurely flight. He must have en-
tered by way of the back door To cross
the kitchen floor without arousing me he
must have walked either in his stocking
feet or worn stockings over his shoes.
Now. | cannot say truthfully whether
| WI ic l7TO n
brave man if you judge me by a certain
standard. have read Of just such &C.
currences as this that am experiencing,
where men have leaped from their
touches at dead of night, grappled with
the thief and overpowered him. They
were, we will say, brave men. Ger
tainly they were reckless men. | adj
mire their dash, but am not inclined to
follow in their footsteps. They either
did not think of or did not care for the
questions Of arms or advantage, but
boldly risked their lives, regardless OF
these differences.
am, to be perfectly frank, afraid to
attempt this sort Of an exploit. If this
devil in my room, whom | hate with a
would not hesitate to try conclusions
with him, even in the darkness, relying
on my natural strength, grip, quickness,
and the intensity Of my anger at being
awakened from an honest slumber to
solve such demoniacal puzzle. IF by
any possibility should have found this
fellow unprepared and could have killed
him like dog, without giving him the
slightest opportunity, would have done
so instantly and without the least com
Function.
But the possibilities even of his ven
turing here at midnight unar1ned are
not to be thought Of Such theory is
against human experience, against rea-
soning, and is absolutely illogical. /
refuse to entertain it.
To recur to the proposition of attack
ing Il burglar in midnight darkness. It
has sometimes proved a complete sue
cess, sometimes partial one; but often
it has turned out disastrous failure.
If you are wounded, and secure the
burglar, you are Il hero, and the intruder
will doubtless be fifty punished. Mean
while you suffer more or less pain, in
convenience and trouble before you can
return to your business. However, the
admiring comments of your friends are
very sweet.
But supposing you were crippled for
life. That is not pleasant to contem-
plate. is it? You are IL hero it is true,