The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1892-10-11

silence of night Suddenly another
sound caught my ear-very slight,
scarcely perceptible, but l heard it.
Something inside the room had moved.
Without looking round or otherwise
stirring / raised my eyes to an opposite
mirror and watched the girl Sally.
When making her bed for the night
she had spread it close to the back door
of my room. That door 1 had myself
locked when securing the house for tho
night. yet l now saw it slowly and
cautiously open and the girl slip quiet
ly through
This door did not open on tho yard.
but into sort of inclosed gallery that
ran back of my room and the dining
room. What could she want in therel
was on the point of calling to ask
her when Aunt Sukey's warning flashed
across my mind
Could it be possible that her hus-
band, the negro desperate she had so
determined to marry, lay hidden therel
The place was seldom entered at night.
being used as q linen and china closet.
She could easily have slipped him in
there at dusk and concealed him in one
of the numerous presses.
And with what objectl That ques-
ton was easily answered. There were
quantities of silver plate stored there.
much oft handed down by distant for
bears from colonial times, and not vet
become the spoil of war. This was in
deed tempting prize. If they could
escape with it to the Yankee lines riches
and freedom would reward their sue
cessful robbery and evasion.
But would robbery be oil? Would
not murder be sure to follow9
There was no outdoor to the gallery,
no window, nothing but solid walIs
lined with presses. The door leading
into tho dining room was locked within.
Their only egress was through my room.
and IL they intended memo harm would
not they have waited until was asleep
and tired to slip off with their. plunder
without my knowledgel
Yes. they meant me mischief; 1 was
sure of it. The man was one of the
very worst types of his race; he owed
me grudgc for having opposed his
marriage, and my father bitter hatred
for severe though well merited punish
ment My life and perhaps my child's
would be taken. Even sudden and
violent death might not be the worst
fate in store for me.
And what could / do2 Alone in the
house, incumbered with an infant, at
the mercy of those two miscreants, not
even a closed door between me and
them! Well, something must do. II
perished it should not be through my
own cowardice. My nerves steadied,
and my old bold spirit rose to the emer-
gency.
1t has taken long to tell these
thoughts. but they whirled through my
brain with the velocity of light, and in
less than two minutes after Sally crept
from the room was ready to act.
folded up my boys little frock de-
liberately-ah would he ever wear it2
placed work, scissors and thimble in
my sewing basket, yawning aloud as /
did so, set back the basket against the
wall, and with another yawn sauntered
leisureIy across the room to the bureau
and commenced taking down my hair.
The bureau was on the same side of
the room as the back door, and not
two yards from it. With every sense
on the alert, distinguished low,
shuffiing noise in the gallery, not, as it
seemed to me, very near the door. but
coming from the middle of the floor.
My treacherous maid had released her
husband from his hiding place, and
they were steaIthiIy approaching my
room.
With one bound was at the door.
1t was slammed, locked and bolted in
a breath Not moment too soon. As
the bolt shot a heavy weight dashed
against it, and a volley of cursee
poured out in the unmistakable lingo
of a plantation darky
had not a second to lose. How
long the door would resist their attack
was a question of minutes. Even now
it was quivering and creaking under
Sans powerful blows. snatched up
my baby, wrapped him hurriedly in n
blanket from the bed, and dashed out
into the wet, dark night.
oh, il could only reach the over
seer's house before that door gave wayi
But the quarters were half mile off,
the night as black as pitch, the road
slough of mud and water. On fioun-
dered, straining my babe desperately to
my bosom, sinking ankle deep at every
step. my. slippers dropping of, my
clothes saturated with wet, clinging
tight to my limbs and impeding every
motion
All at once / stumbled over some
thing lying in the path. and nearly fell
forward ON my face. In the pitchy
darkness could see nothing, but 1
heard moan. and STOPPING down
passed my hand over prostrate form
that by the turbaned head and hand
kerchief crossed on the breast 1 knew
to be a negress.
Aunt sukeyp / exclaimed at a
venture.
dat you, Miss Nanf Bress de
Lawdl 1 fraught yer Aunt Sukey,s
time done come, deed did l. child.
Dat owdacious runaway nigger, Sam
Halter, come 'crost me des when /
gwine after de oberseer, N, he des top
Piled me ober wild he fist m knock my
po' old haid 'gin er stump N mex me
seed starsl 1 ben layin' we're eber sence