St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1891-06-27
A MIDNIGHT STRUGGLE.
TWO Girls Encounter with q
Treacherous Intruder.

TWO Girls Encounter with q
Treacherous Intruder.
My sister Julia was always very
courageous. In our youth the country
was wilder than now; but it might
truly be said Of her that she was not
brought up in the woods to be scared
Dy an owl. She would traverse the
most unfrequented paths, wondering at
my timidity. -
There vas nothing masculine, how
ever, in Iulia's appearance; she was
simply sweet, joyous child, with an
absence of fear in her character and a
consequent clearness of perception in
all cases I6f supposed or real danger.
When was sixteen and Julia eight
-seh, my father hired laborer named
Hans S5nmidt, Hessian, who had been
in the British service, and who, at the
close of the war, had deserted from his
regiment. He was a powerful man,
with a heavy imbruted countenanee;
and both Julia and myself were struck
at the very first with an intuitive dread
took the character of fear, but was
one rather of loathing; yet, if she could
have feared any thing, think it would
have been that man, for she had an in
tuitive perception that he was demon
like, even beyond what his looks dem
onstrated. One evening she read Of a
horrible murder that thrilled our blood,
and upon turning her eyes from the
paper they encountered those of Hans
Schmidt. There was something terri
BILE in his glance, and from that mo-
ment she resolved that the villain
should be turned away. AS her wishes
and opinions were always of much
weight with my father, the latter gave
the Hessian his discharge. Soon after
this, Julia and were left alone in the
house, both our father and mother be-
ing absent o. visit until the following
day, and we happened to be without
female servant at the moment (for 1e
only kept one). So Julia and / had
been remarkably busy since early morn
ing making various household arrange
ments with which we intended to sur
prise and please the old people upon
their return, and being unusually weary
proceeded to our chamber at an early
hour in the evening. We had partially
disrobed ourselves when Julia turned
hastily to the window.
II declare she said, ''the evening is
so opleasant that it is a pity to remain
indoors. don't feel a bit sleepy; let's
go down upon the lawn"
I.,I ! 4os,.
imagined what was in Julia's heart!
Harry Irving came up just as we
reached the lawn. He was only casual
ly passing the house. Julia engaged
him in conversation and he came and
Joined us. My sister was more than
usually lively and engaging.
'Where are Tom and Edgar, and
WHIP" she asked, alluding to his
brothers.
''Oh," replied Harry, ''they are over
at uncle's- They will be coming back
soon"
His uncle's farm was q mile off, and
his own house was about half that dis
tance. The three young men soon ap-
peared upon the road; and, to my sur
prise, Julia arose and proceeded to meet
them. Then she returned to Harry and
me, and called us aside from the door.
''Now, Mary, you need not be nerv-
Gus, = she said. keep quiet and do not
speak above your breath. There is a
man under our bed-there-there" and
she clapped her hands over my mouth
.--a man under our bed, and the young
Irvings are going up to secure him!'
They all provided themselves with
heavy sticks; and then, guided by Ju-
liza, ascersded the stairs.
As to myself, could not follow them.
but reclaimed. trembling and moaning
upon be doorstep. Never did expe-
riencct greater sense of relief than
when}the assaulting party descended,
looking partly ashamed and partly
ann b, having found nothing to justify
their udden armament Julia was in
M = bny of modification and wept
,iteo, kly, for, although but half con-
inca, that her apprehension had been
ronn1 less, the idea that she, who had
avar till now feared any thing, had
aca5 herself in light so ludicrous in
! - res of those young men, was in
M sirortable. The man, she said, must
= SA taken the alarm and fed out of
the back door, for she could not have
been SO deceived. Our young friends,
more in pity for her modification than
from any belief in the reality of the
night intruder, offered to remain in the
vicinity till morning, but she would not
listen to the proposal. and they thus
took their departure.
I was very sorry to see. them go, and
watched their forms TIL they were out
of sight, for the affair of the evening
had almost frightened me into Mysteries.
Julia, however, at once rushed to the
chamber, and finging herself on the
bed, continued bitterly weeping. She
had exhibited herself in a character
which she despised, and her man under
the bed would be the talk of the neigh
borhood I followed her, but neither
OF us could compose ourselves snei-
ciently to sleep.