The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-29
MY GRIM VISITOR.

city, but as the thermometer mad marx
ed above the nineties for several days
and I had little of value in my room
I preferred to risk that little and leave
my windows open, although of easy
access, rather than undergo partia
suffocation. If an unlimited guest
made his appearance, and if I did
awake, 1 could feign sleep, and lei
him take whatever he might find.
"This class Of visitors" | reasoned
with myself, 'tdo not generally commit
personal violence if they can accom-
plish theft and make good their escape
without it.
These were my reflections every
night as I undressed and threw myself
on my bed, leaving my castle open tt
the enemy. I Lad been asleep one
night about an hour, vhen I was awak
ened by the falling Of a small china
ornament. Starting slightly and open
ing my eyes, I saw the gas burning
and tall, broad-shouldered man, with
his back turned toward me, his face
looking over his shoulder to see i
the noise had awakened me. My self.
possession, however, did not forsake
me. What followed illustrates the
value Of presence Of mind.
Opposite the side of my bed ane
about eight feet from it, was the dool
| of my room, two or three feet from
which were the stairs leading to tht
hall. The burglar must have used
ladder in ascending the roof, from
which he entered the window. It wa.
some thirty feet from the ground, ane
isolated. Ny plan was not only to es
cape harm myself, but to effect hi
capture. I knew the policeman's beat
and he would pass in short time
Sitting bolt upright, then, as | open
ed my eyes and saw the burglar look
ing very unpleasantly at me, said
rubbing my eyes drowsily-althoug
to tell the truth, | never was more
wide awake in my life:
"Hello, John, what are you looking
for? CAM t you come into my room
without making so much noise r
The fellow, taken somewhat back a
being addressed in this way, said, il
low, but menacing voice, and point
ing a revolver atme:
"Shut upl What do you take me-
for ?"
1T took you for JOHN I replied
with well assumed nonchalance
"But T didn't suppose he was aftel
anything valuable in my room, le1cep
one thing, and-by the way, you ART
| the unluckiest fellow in the world"
elbows that p growled my visitor
''Well, I have very good watch
| but if you want to get it you must pay
visit to the. watchmaker's after 20,
leave here, for I had what l considered
the bad, but what now seems the goot
fortune, to break the springyesterday,
and left it for repairs. .
"You're a precious cool one" n
| said, evidently astonished at my in
difference.
"What's the use Of my getting ex
cited or attempting to resist you
You are armed, and you see l am not
And if you had no weapon, your fight
| ing weight must be at least thirteer
stone, while mine is not more thar
| nine and half. I have no idea OF in
terfering with you. IF the room were
filled with diamonds, I would not lift
nv hand to save them. Take all you
can find; I am going to sleep-so dc
not make any more noise"
"Hold on r. said thefellow, "whert
is your keys ?"
much Of a haul as you can" l said
$50 look in my pants hanging over ths
bedpost there, and you will find my
pocket book with few stamps in it.
It was nearly time for the policeman
to pass and I paused to listen. mus
| in few moments put my plan int
execution.
A glance, quick as lightning, show
ed me that the key of the door was OF
the outside.
NV listening expression did not es
cape the sharp and practiced ear o:
| my grim visitor. It was curiou!
scene, no doubt {; I sitting in my bee
in my nightclothes, unarmed, and thl'
stalwart rufian, pistolin hand, glarinl
half suspiciously, half ferociously a
| me, and almost in the crouching atti
tude of tiger about to spring upol
his prey. But there I sat, coolly con
yersing with him, the necessities Q 2
the moment keeping my wits too Wild
awake to allow my fears to get the up
per hand for an instant.
"What are you listening to = ask
ed the burglar.
IT thought I heard a cry Of fire:
In that instant, and in the dea'
stiffness of the night, / heard tn
tramp of the policeman. 1t was still
some distance off.
"You uwill fnd," I said, "som
clothes of mine in the press the!
will, however, be too small for you
Good night; the Keys are in the mid
die drawer"
He turned to the drawer indicated
and, as he did so, with one tremendou
bound I cleared the space between m!
bed and the door, slammed the doc
and locked it upon him. Oblivious o
nv dishabille, sprang to the steps
I had two fights to descend and opel
the door before could reach tb yard
but it was hardly possible for him tt
descend more quickly. Bounding
rather than running down stairs,
flung back the bolt and rushed into tn
ward. He was half way down the lad
der. Shouting "police T. Justify, :;
seized the ladder at the bottom, and
using all my power, brought it and tn
burglar to the ground with crash
The pistol he held in his hand fel
from his grasp; I made d dash for it
and he, springing to his feet like
cat, rushed at me, and as [ stoope'
Selling me by the nape of the neck
I turned the pistol upward and pulled
the trigger. Itmerely snapped-ther
were no more charges in it. With
terrible oath the baffled william wrench
ed the weapon from my grasp, ant
raised it aloft to deal me what ma.
| L