Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-10-30
A Marine Burglary.

house OH it, but l laughed and said
quiet was what 1 sought, and there
would have it, far from the maddina
crowds ignoble strife. Being a bach
elor, with few wants, I took with me
only my man Henry, who was an ex-
cellent housekeeper and cook.
Idon't think ever enjoyed myself
more than the first four weeks spent
on the island. In the morning took
TO the water, or took a walk for an
hour or so; then [ wrote for three
hours, and the afternoons I read and
Ioafed, and at night I slept. Some
days 1 would row over to the main
land and every day Henry went over
after tho mail, unless it was stormy
Sometimes had friend Or two to
drive with me, but no woman was al
lowed to come ashore there.
was rigid in my determination on
this point, for had not one Isabella
Ventor told me two weeks before I
bought the island that she did not
think l was the kind of man any
woman ought to marry?
She had, and for that I had fore
sworn ali women.
AS say, I was supremely happy all
by myself, excepting of course, the
hurt Isabella had done me, and I
think that was healing slowly, when
one night the entire scheme was over
thrown.
That night was a dark one, but
quite still, and went to bed feeling
fairly comfortable, as couple of my
friends had been with me until
O'Clock and were to return early in
the morning with a sail boat for a
fishing trip out to deep water. About
4 O'Clock, or perhaps later, l was
awakened by hearingsa disturbance of
some sort down stairs, and before
had my eyes fully opened Henry
rushed into the room, slammed the
door and locked it.
3sWhat's the matter?" 1 exclaimed
4'For Gods sake, major" he gasped,
S'get up and help me. There's burg
lars in the house and Pm done for"
Then Henry went down on the floor
In heap, and I lit a lamp, as there
came a terrified hammering on the
door
The light showed me Henry covered
with blood, his throat slashed, lying
there dead or dying, as I sup opposed.
What to do I did not know, for the
only arms in the house were across
the hall and the burglars had me shut
off from that. direction and rapidly
demolishing my door:
They swore and pounded, entirely
regardless of the ordinary rules of
burglary, for they knew that so far
away from the shore they were per-
fectly safe.
SEQ ownstairs and get that ax,n I
heard one of them say, ''and we'll
have this door out Of the way
In minute. We've done one of 'em,
and now we've got to do up the other;
SO there won't be any tellin' tales out
of school,"
Then he laughed, and heard foot
L knew there was no help for me
there, and only a chance anywhere,
and took that. One window of my
room opened out on back roof, and
from that it was only short distance
to the ground. Once out of the house
L had one chance in million of es-
cape In minute ] was out of the
window, over the shed on the ground.
L had on only my pajamas, and the
sharp stones cut my feet cruelty, but
did not think of that. It was life,
and life is very sweet to us, even
though some fair Isabella may have
slipped drop of bitter into it.
Over the rocks and stones I flew,
going | knew not where, thinking of
nothing but escape.
What brought me to my senses
somewhat was my rushing into the
water, and at first 1 thought of swim
ming out and trying to reach the
but I was only poor swim
ner, and I knew I should be drowned
Dr. caught and knocked on the head in
he water by the burglars as hunter
night knock a muskrat in tie head,
ind the horror of it drove me back.
Then thought of my own boat, but
before l started that way, I remem-
Dered that my friends had moved it
over to the mainland to return at day
light with the sailboat, leaving me
only my rockets to signal the shore in