The Portland daily press., 1890-05-31


standard. have read of just such oc.
currences as this that I am experiencing,
where men have leaped from Their
couches at dead of night, grappled with
the thief and overpowered him. They
were, we will say, brave men. Ger
tainly they were reckless men. l ad.
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 O
deadly hatred, were unar1ned then
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
junction.
But the possibilities even of his ven-
turing here at midnight unar1ned are
not to be thought Of Such a theory is
against human experience, against rea-
soning, and is absolutely illogical l
refuse to entertain it.
To recur to the proposition of attack.
ing burglar in midnight darkness. 1t
has sometimes proved complete sue
cess, sometimes partial one; but often
it has turned out disastrous failure.
If you are wounded, and secure the
burglar, you are 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 hero, it is true,
but cannot run, dance, skate, hunt and
the like. You are. we will venture, not
yet 80 years of age, and will live till So
Twenty years or more of limping through
life simply for an impulse
1t will not do.
Again, it might be death; lingering or
sudden. Will the fact that justice takes
the life Of the murderer give you any
recompense? The seasons = the green
carpet of spring, the half blown roses of
summer, autumn's mellowed glory, and
the feathery signals of winter-these will
come to You and find you all unrespon-
sive.
Men and women you will heed not, for
your feet shall have dipped in the tide
Ct the unknown and vorr Inns will he CT
No; this positively will not do.
It is probably o'clock at night /
am awake and vigilant. There is man
In the room, and he is armed.
Surprising, now, that were armed. ]
have used and been familiar with fire.
arms since was a 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 l am not what is termed
''crack" shot with a revolver, it would be
an easy thing for me to put 3s caliber
ball into man if he were sitting or 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 a shot.
That would change the aspect of this
matter into an absolute question of life
or death. The burglar would return the
shot. He would fire at the fash 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-
ton; 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 trife startled. 1t is within the
bounds of possibility that he may even
believe that / am similarly armed and
watchful, and he may entertain sort
of fear of me. Ha, ha. If it were notso
CHASTITY 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. I 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 l cannot sleep. AS alert
and cool as feel myself to be, this ex-
perience has made me wrought up and
nervous. wish it were light, or, failing
that, wish this prowler would make up
his mind to do something. The darkness
is alarming, but the knowledge that it
envelops this wretch makes it tenfold
more fearful. Look into a 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; 1t 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 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 doffed 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 a fallacious conjecture
He must fulfill his object and depart. He