The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1894-10-02


Showing him gently by the shoulder
1 whispered, Turn over"
Half opening his eyes, enough to
see my white robe, he gave the usual
grunt and obeyed. In a moment his
interrupted snore began louder than
before, and tue ticker was mine.
To the next room went and as
easily helped myself.
The third room, which was the
guest chamber, visited with equal
success, and then, not intending to
upset the electrical arrangement on
the first floor, / sneaked out in the
hall to find Bill and skip. out for good
the way we had come.
A dimly burning gaslight made the
darkness visible, and shortly saw
Bills noble ghostlike figure emerge
from a room, and without looking in
my direction walk toward the far
end of the hall.
In one instant l noiselessly reach
ed him, and, touching his arm, whis-
pered, Come, Bill, it's time to git"
The form turned around, but it
wasn't Bill. The fierce mother-in
law of the establishment stood DO
fore me, burning me with her eyes.
Ere / could hide my surprised face
and modestly retreat-so she might
do the same-she got onto my night
gown racket, and like tigress she
grabbed my whiskers with both
hands aud shrieked bloody murder
and '"Thievesl" Robbers" Help
etc., till she made me tired. i never
felt 50 queer in all my life.
At once yellS and screams and
bowls Of fear came from all over in
mad chorus. OF went the burglar
alarm bells and the rattles, and up
dashed the gas till the whole lower
part of the house was brilliant. Luck
ly / had captured the pillowed PTS
tolls, or they'd have gone off too.
AT the instant a stalwart figure in
white bounded out of another room
and flew to my assistance. BILL" l
gasped. Quick For your lifel Pull
u0I away
He gently but firmly embraced the
old lady's waist and pulled, while l
tried to bite her worse than tigers
claws. Tickle her, Bill !" / groaned,
seeing the pull didn't Aork. That
fetched her. She lost her grip-re-
Gaining, however, half my beard-and
went for Bill. But he was too quick
TO be caught. Neatly lodging her
terrible talons, he pushed her in a
room, and before the terrified house
hold dared show themselves we had
escaped through the scuttle and were
IN the roof.
A slide down the rope and our safe
Cy was assured, but we had not sec
md to lose.
Hastily we tried to find our only
means of fight. Like great lizards
we crawled about in the darkness,
but our efforts were vain. The rope
was gone.
Whats up now, BllT 1 whis-
pered.
1--WE are, Tom, p" he answered grim
ly. We've been Swallowed from
outside, and they've cut the rope.
Nice trap for two old rats like we."
In spite of myself l shivered.
well, what's to be done, Billl No
use praying for a balloon, is therel"
Mot much, pard," said William
as cheerfully as he could, land no
use trying the front door. There
amt lightning rod, either, to slide
down on, and we can't reach the wa
ter leader wish / was bird"
well, we'll both be birds-jail-
birds-Bill, if we don't do something.
Think quick.
Now guns were beginning to shoot
from the windows, and we heard an
swering shouts from without. Evi-
IDENTIFY the house was being sur
rounded.
Tom" whispered Bill, 1--WE
thought. We must jump"
up or downl" says ], mot relishing
the job.
Down, of course" grinned brave
William, Into the big evergreen
tree by that chimney. Now, Tom,
come on"
Bill skinned to the roofs edge like
a monkey, l after him. When over,
he leaped into the blackness, and /
heard the branches break, but no
sickening thud, as l feared. Giving
him time to get out Of my way, l fol
lowed him and also held on the bend
ing boughs. In a trice both of us
reached the grass, and before we
could start to run a dozen excited
men with pitchforks and guns were
around us, the light from the win
dows showing us to advantage.
But luckily we had forgotten to
remove our nightgowns. "Quick,
now" cried Bill, with wonderful
presence of mind. "Save our folks
in the house. The robbers are muir
dering them. They chased us out
the windows. Smash in the front
door and save their lives Don't you
hear them screamW
Off rushed our captors, and with
oyac thav brnla the dOO1, and antarad