The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1894-08-11

hands soon swelled: and l saw some
droI,s OF blood trckIe slowly down
the panes, the rings he wore on his
dirty fingers having been forced
through the flesh. The piercing air,
which rushed in freely through the
wide aperture must have greatly ag'
eravated his suffering. know l was
nearly frozen. And all this time
the American clock on the mantle
piece kept ticking Off the moments
TRANQUILITY as though to assure lie
that time c3uld not be hurried into
quicker pace by any consideration OF
human distress.
Imagine what two hours in such a
situation meant for both OF u.s. Two
hours l think the poor wretch at
the window tainted; but the horrible
dragg ng OF his body on his POOR
maimed hands rou-ed him directly.
Trembling with cold and commisera.
tlon, sat watching him, the tears
rolling down my cheeks. Oh, why
had l refused Ted's kind proposal TO
send cousin Mllly to ME? Why had
l been so captious ahont her dear lit.
tie baby? Better room tu OF
babies, all doing their rst, than
But here l swooned and fell, chair
and all, on the rug before the cold
crate, the fire hay.ng died out long
since.
Just on the hour OF three l became
consc Gus Of dull thud below, which
l knew to lie a knock at the street.
door. l lay listening, but rather
wondering vaguely what would hap
pen next than taking any interest IN
the things Of this life, from which l
seemed in a mann to have tioated
away.
After an interval, heard steps
ploddlng up the stairs, and loud
cherry voice. which l recognized as
that OF our Old friend, Mr: Joy, the
carpenter. called out:
"Hilloa! AnybodySat home?"
Coming to cur room door, he
knocked, then turned the handle,
but, Of course, found it locked. Be-
ing unable to speak, | yet tried tc
groan, and made some inarticulate
noises; but 1 could hardly nope the
old man heard them, as he was some.
what deaf AS for my companion in
misfortune. one would suppose he
would gladly have hailed a prison as
an escape ON such a plight as he
was in; and So nc doubt, he would,
only be had no choice at that mo-
ment having gone of again in a
heavy sWoon.
heard the carpenter 60 down.
stairs, and hopes Of relief died away
in my breast Oh, Joy, 10Y, why did
you come to mock me thus? Two
more hours probably before Ted " II
be home Shal l be alive by then:
- Ny bound and aching -1TmEs- we're on
-sha-raoa--of--f1atu ray and sobDed
miserably. Bit hark. 4 shout from
the back garden
"Wnat the dickens Is all this?"
Again heard the voice OF Joy.
IL appeared that the carpenter, on
trying our room door, and finding 1t
fastened, concluded we were all out,
but went rouud to the back Of the
house "to have look al that there
winder" VIII ch nay brother had sent
him to mend--of course not eXpect3
ing to lind it converted into a man
trap He had noticed, while knock.
ing at the street door. that the par
lor window was unfastened, and,
thinking it unsafe, especially as Mrs.
Brown was out. he had used his priv
ilege as our o d friend and hers to get
through and fasten it before coming
upstairs. No doubt the THE had en-;
tered the house in that way
1t was not long be ore help came,
and the door was broken open: when
our misery was ended. / dare say,
since prisons were fist built, there
never was culprit who walked into
gaol more meekly than did the one
who had intended to rob my brother.
They say the poor fellow hands viii
never be right again; amputati0n
may be necessary, as erys pelas is set
ting tn. Well, all l can >ay is, |
freely forgive him lor the suffering,
mental and bodily, he caused me.
l was in bed for fortnight, but
eventually got all right again. lear
Ted says | am a lick, hut that may
be his partiality. Anyhow, my foot
stool proved to be very effective
safe TO this hour no one knows
about it bu: v,u, Ted, and myself!-
YANKEE Blade