The Colfax chronicle., 1891-05-09

false movement made to pounce out
and kill me.
Judged at least several hours of that
torture must be endured ere the blessed
daylight came and fervently prayed
| that both of us could or would hold out
| till then.
Long / sat there forcing myself to be
calm and planning how was TO get my
door opened without causing suspicion,
which would bring on an attack at
once. l must communicate in some
way unknown to the villain in the
closet In my trunk was paper and
pencil. I got them and going to my
bed where could be unseen managed
to scrawl in the dark as follows:
''Help. but be careful! Man under the
bed-now hiding in closet watching
me. Hall door locked. / can't get out.
Be quick"
! Then / slipped the note under the
door trusting it would be found by
some one and went back to my chair
by the fire and waited.
Would daylight ever come? Looking
out of the corners of my eyes / could
see that awful closet door keep softly
moving, as the burglar was observing
got back glimpse in the glass of his
black face and shining eyes. ! almost
screamed, and thought it was all up
with me, for the demon seemed coming
out, but when l turned prepared to
meet him with my hot poker the door
quickly closed, and breathed again.
BY and by l heard rooster crow,
and my courage was renewed. The
gray of the welcomed dawn began to
appear. Soon came footsteps through
the hall, nearer-to my door-past it,
gone. My letter wasn't noticed
| Now was my greatest danger, for,
may be, the robber would fear to wait
for daylight and folks to be about be-
fore making dash to get out, by the
window, if necessary, and kill me in
the attempt. There had been and was
no use for me to call assistance. Before
it could come ! would have been slashed
with the black fiend's razor or throttled
by his long, wiry fingers. Hark! More
footsteps outside. Coming-passing-
going-No! thank Heaven, they stopped
and heard the rustic of the letter as
it was picked up. o, would the finder
! have sense to understand it? The foot
steps left me and in worse suspense
than before waited and watched the
closet. After what seemed an age Of
agonizing fear, again came the sounds
of advancing feet in the hall and a key
was inserted gently in the lock. Then
praise the Lord-the door swung open
and in bounded my nephew with a re-
volver, the hired man with pitchfork
and Bridget with an axe, all followed
at safe distance by the rest of the
family. Up / jumped and shouted:
| Come out, you black rascal and sur
renderr' No reply or sound came from
the closet. Then, when we all were in
position, i in the van with my glowing,
| fiery poker for good jab at the villain,
and the rest with weapons appraised,
my nephew sent bullet, bang! through
the closet door. Like fash it burst
wide open, and out leaped the biggest,
| ugliest. blackest-CAT l ever laid eyes
on, and that, as we plainly saw, was
the only burglar in there.
Quicker than / can tell, the knowl-
edge came to me in all its horror that I
was still in night-cap and gown, with
my side curls and other feminine ap-
pendages lying around for them all to
see. With blood-curdling shrek,
dropped the hot poker on the cooks
feet, sprang in the closet, pulled tight
the door, and yelled: $50 away! Shut
your eyes! Go outr' Their laughter,
on doing 81, nearly gave me fit, it was
SO heartle Nsly provoking.
And nov my story is done, for there
wasn't any burglar at all-not even a
stuffed one, as had foolishly supposed.
| The whole thing was nightmare
| first and vivid imagination after, all
the result of my looking for forty years
under the bed for horrid man and
finding only an innocent cat.
But it cured me forever of that nom
sense, and although never hear the
end of the jokes about it I'm happier
and sleep better than before. Now who
wants to buy a good poker with blue
ribbon attachment?
1t will be sold cheap.-H. c. Dodge,
in Goodalfs Sun.