Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-03-06

The intruder was tall, powerfully
built man. He entered the closet, and
could hea r him stealthily crouch down
in the corner, probably pulling over
him some of the articles on the floor.
II dared not move Alone, a weak
girl, far fro m the other inmates Of the
house, 1 was afraid he would murder
me if l tried to get to the door. / lay
shivering one minute, hot the next, my
heart beating so hard 1 was afraid tho
burglar would hear it. 1 cannot tell
how long it was before I heard Mollie's
voice at the end of the long entry, bid
ding some one good night. Even then
1 was terrified What were two girls
in the grasp of a man presumably
armed to resist arrest?
''As Molhe entered my room, dears,
the private theatricals commenced, ono
actress for an audience of two. She
spoke to me, and moved my head I'M
easily, muttering like person waking
suddenly in delirium. Her fears at
once took the alarm.
"'Oh, Matte. Matte, DEAR she
cried, i had no idea you were so sick!
Fanny! she called, going to the door,
Fanny
'One of the maids, who was, 1
learned later, making up a bed at the
| other end of the long entry, for an I'M
eXpe ctedly detained guest, answered
| the call.
Fanny, Miss Matte Is very SICK
] Mollie said Can you stay hero while
| call Mrs. Burlze?'
''All this time l had been murmuring
| any nonsense that came first to my
| lips, but now I said in French:
"'Wait! must speak to you before
you send for Mrs. Burke. 1 am not
sick
"'oh. marm,' cried Fanny, what
awful gibberish she do talk, to be
surev
"'Yes, she has fcver,' said Mollie,
coming to the bedside, Get some cold
water, Fannie, and battle her head
| "'Don't start or scream I muttered,
still in French, in low tone, keeping
my head in motion; There is a man
hiding in the closet who has designs on
the plato and wedding presents, am
sure. Can you ring the alarm bell in
Mrs. Burke's room and get the man
| servants here?
"'Oh! you poor, poor darling!' said
Mollie, caressing me. TO think you
have been lying here suffering while
we were dancing and enjoying our
| selves! But you must have something
to take. Fanny as the maid came with
| a pitcher of water, battle Miss Mattie's
head, while l see what medicines are in
the closet
81 said there was one actress, and
! was wrong. MolIie walked coolly to
the closet, knowing the thief was
I crouched down in the far corner behind
| some bundles, and took from a narrow
shelf few bottles, crossing the room
to read the labels by the candle on
table beside the bed, and, returning
again, two or three times, while l
moaned and muttered, and Fanny
pitied and soothed me.
REALLY, my dears," said Aunt Mar
tina, complaccntly, considered as a
first appearance, without study or re-
hearsal, l must say that it was very
we'll done. The last bottle Mollie took
back was put upon the shelf, and with
out hurry, but quito naturally, she
closed the closet door and locked it.
81 knew then, what l had almost
doubted, that she had understood me.
"'Thcrc is nothing here that will do
Fanny she said, quietly. 4 must sec
if Mrs. Burke has anything. Don't
leave Miss Matte until I come back
"Thcn 1 heard her go lightly and
swiftly down the long entry, and my
heart throbbed almost to suffocation al
l wondered if the wretch in the closet
would burst out upon us. And all the
time 1 was keeping up tho deliriouS
moaning and muttcring. Oh, how long
the time seemed! But at last heard
the sound Of heavy feet, the confusion
of many voices, and, while Fanny stood
in open-mouthcd wonder, splitting over
me tho cup of water she held in one
hand, five sturdy men walked into my
room, headed by tho upper gardener,
and all armed with pollers, sticks or
other weapons. The head gardener
alono held pistol.
Cooking this, he opened the closet
door and saidi
Suppose you come out! If you've
got pistol, perhaps you'd better not
shoot, cause what you'll get for
burglary what amt actually done amt
nothin' to hangin', if you murder me.
And there's five OF US, SO you can't get
away
"Then he came out, sullen and ugly.
His first look was at the bed. but had
added to Fanny's amazement by sud
denly recovering and joining Mollie and
Mrs. Burke. who had followed the men
into the room.
"'Ohv said the rufian; that's 1t, is
it? Gibberish as was giving informa.
ton. If I'd a knowed there was a gal
on that bed when I came in I'd q
stopped her clack. I'd q strangled her,
that's what I'd done
"And then, my dears, finished ur
my private theatricals by falling to the
floor in q fainting fit in which there
was no acting at all.''-Anna Shields,
in n. Y. Ledger.