Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-01-17

were ScaJtered ABOUT, turned out inc
light and with an effort slowly walked
past the window to the hall, where-I
confcss-I ran upstairs as fast as my
trembling legs would carry me.
This happened on Thursday night
in October. and on the Saturday night
following the robbery took place.
was entirely alone in the house, for
my brother and his wife, taking advan-
tage of the midnight train, had gone to
the city and had not returned, owing,
as / learned afterward, to their missing
the train. The upstairs servant was at
her mothers, sick, and the cook was off
visiting q friend, who, treating her too
well, made it impossible for her to walk
home before the next day. Our hired
man, after bringing in the milk, had
started for his barn-room, where
supposed he was sound asleep.
/ sat up in the parlor with the cat till
one o'clock, heard the train arrive and
after vainly waiting for the sound OF
the village hack bringing my brother
home, opened the front door to listen.
o. how black the night was. / quickly
closed and bolted the door, and, brave
as / naturally was, when l locked my
self in my bedroom l shivered at the
thought that the burglars might have
chosen that time to visit me.
i couldn't sleep-only lay there hop
ing and praying they wouldn't. After
awhile felt calmer, and then-just as
l was losing myself in n doze-down
fell on my face that awful towel, token
of danger. Tile thread, which 1 had
never failed to set, was snapped, and
the robbers, and, perhaps, murderers,
were in the house, knowing most likely
that | was alone.
AT first was SO overcome with fright
that couldn't help trying to scream;
but, luckily, only emitted u noiseless
gasp.
Alone, with burglars in the house,
with no neighbors near enough to hear
or help, / realized, perhaps too late, the
extent of my girlish folly in playing
amateur detective. Then, somehow, my
vanity and the fear of ridicule got the
uppcrhand, and / thought of the glory
of success, the five thousand dollars re-
ward, how the papers would praise me
and print my pictures till, flushed with
conceit, 1 slipped out of bed and donned
Ey gymnasium suit which had kept
handy for my purpose.
Then 1 cautiously opened the peep
hole in the floor and peered through it
to the dining-room below.
For awhile could see nothing in the
darkness; soon / heard whispering
and stealthy footsteps and then when
match was struck I'made out two forms
oy the safe.
| held in my trembling hand the
wire leading to the trap, ready to pull
when both the rascals were surely in
position.
had cunningly placed an obstruction
in the key-hole of the safe, SO while
one robber attempted to open it the
other would have to stand close by him
to give light.
1t worked exactly as planned. One
fellow was on his knees trying the key,
the other burning matches and both
squarely on the trap. Now was my
time. Click! went the spring in.answer
to my nervous pull and down disap-
peared my two gentlemen before either
could say Jack Robinson" l heard
the dull splash made in the molasscs,
then the trap, swinging back to its
place, left them for the present, at
least, securely entombed.
Not even climbing one on the other
could release them, even when they had
recovered from their confusion and de-
and rubbed the sickness
out of their eyes.
Now to get the assistance ""essary
to complcte their capture.
But-hov and WI g My b ovher,
being away just yh, '~deu him,
upset this part of my L--eme.
must go out in the black night my
self, run other and unthought-of risks,
and find help.
Again the horror of my situation over
came me and / nearly tainted.
Forcing courage that will confess
| did not feel, ! stole down the back
stairs, and thinking to rouse Michael
in the barn, softly unlocked the kitchen
door and looked out A low
whistle from the shrubbery at the COR
ner of the house turned me to ice.
There was another burglar watching
from without.
had not reckoned on that. Evident
ly he took me for one of his pals.
Hoping so. returned his whistle, and
with what little strength / had left,
to fasten the door and make
my way along the hall, past that awful
to the front of the house,
leaving him ut the back. Through
parlor window / gained the piazza,
trusting to escape to the road before dis
covery and there run for my life.
AS was feeling for the steps my hand
touched something cold.
1t was my brothers bicycle which 1
could ride as good rs he and, in my
gymnasium dress, even better. His
safety" seemed put there by Provi-
dence to be my safety. Quickly and
lifted it on to the grass,
trusting to get it across our three-acre
lawn and out ON the road before the
burglar on guard knew what was going
on. Then, unless he had n horse,
could laugh at him.
I had uanp over the ora sc and thrauUh |