The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-10-27
A MARINE BURGLAR.

People said I was very foolish when l
bought 10 acre island three miles from
the shore and built my summer house on
it, but laughed and said quiet was what
sought, and there l would have it, far from
the madding's crowd ignoble strife. Being
a bachelor, with few wants, took with
me only my man Henry, who was an excel
lent housekeeper and cook.
don't think l ever enjoyed myself mere
than the first four weeks spent on the
island. In the morning l took to the
water or took walk for an hour or so;
then wrote for three hours, and the after
moons | read and loafed, and at night |
slept. Some days would row over to the
mainland, and every day Henry went over
after the mail, unless 1t was stormy. Some
times had friend or two to drive with
me, but no woman was allowed to come
ashore there.
was rigid In my determination on this
point, for had not one Isabella Ventnor told
me two weeks before | bought the island
that she did not think was the kind of a
man any woman ought to marry?
She had, and for that l had forsworn all
women.
AS say, was supremely happy all by
myself, excepting of course the hurt 1sa-
bella had done me, and | think that was
healing slowly, when one night the entire
scheme was overthrown.
That night was a dark one, but quite
still, and went to bed feeling fairly COM
Portable, as a couple of my friends had
been with me until o'clock and were to
return early In the morning with a sail
hoo Auhipcy twin 10 IaarN
About l o'clock, or perhaps later, was
awakened by hearings disturbance of some
sort down stairs, and before had my eyes
fully opened Henry rushed into the room,
slammed the door and locked 1t.
whats the matter?" l exclaimed.
For Gods sake, major" he gasped, get
up and help me. There's burglars in the
house, and I'm done for"
Then Henry went down on the floor In a
heap, and lit lamp, as there came ter
rife banging on the door.
The light showed me Henry covered with
blood, his throat slashed, lying there dead
or dying, as l supposed.
What to do did not know, for the only
arms in the house were across the hall, and
the burglars had me shut Off from that di-
rection and were rapidly demolishing my
door.
They swore and pounded, entirely regard
less of the ordinary rules of burglary, for
they knew that so far away from the shore
they were perfectly safe.
$50 down stairs and get that AK" heard
one Of them say, land we'll have this
DID door out of the way in minute
We've done up 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 footsteps
down the hall and stairs.
l knew there was no help for me there
and only chance anywhere, and took
that One window of my room opened out
on back roof and from that it was only
q short distance to the ground. Once out
Of the house had one chance In million
of escape. In a minute was out of the
window, over the shed and on the ground.
had on only my pajamas, and the sharp
stones cut my feet cruelty, but did not
think of that 1t was life, and life is very
sweet to us, even though some fair Isabella
may have slipped drop of bitter into 1t.
Over the rocks and stones flew, going /
know not where, thinking of nothing but
escape
What brought me to my senses some
what was my rushing into the water, and
at first | thought Of swimming out and
| trying to reach the mainland, but was
only poor swimmer, and knew should
be drowned or caught and knocked on the
head in the water by the burglars as a
| hunter might knock a muskrat on the
head, and the horror Of it drove me back.
| Then / thought Of my boat, but before
started that way l remembered that my
friends had moved it over to the mainland
to return at daylight with the sailboat,
leaving me only my rockets to signal the
shore in case Of need, and what were sig
| nails nowi Only a means whereby the muir
derers might discover me.
One thinks rapidly at such moments, !
fancy, and all this took place in much less
time than 1t requires to tell it, but there
was time enough for the burglars to learn
| was not in the room and with their quick
eyes see the window through which had
escaped, and heard some Of them coming
along the course | had taken, and one go
ing down toward my boat landing to cut
me off there.
Then aimlessly again and utterly dazed
began to circle the little island, running
on the beach. They could not see me, and
my bare feet made no noise in the sand,
and rushed madly ahead, when all at
once went down with terrible crash over
something on the beach. They were near
enough to hear my fall, and one Of them
shouted:
Here he is, Bill We've got him. D.
him for giving us 50 much trouble, Well fix
him now"
thought about as the burglar did, but
as l tried to get up found was in boat
drawn half way up on the sand.
l almost shouted with Joy when / made
this discovery. 1t was their boat, and once
in it and on the water was safe. BY this
time could hear their footsteps along the
shore, which was quite rocky and rough
here, except the little bit Of beach where
the boat lay, and they could not make such
Children CFV for