Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-29

1 did slip off and noiselessly poke away
| down to the foot of the bed But was in
| stantly aware that the burglar knew had
stirred, for the light disappeared and he
| stood stock still.
II must act as If were asleep"
| thought, and turning slightly on my side
| L began breathing, slowly and regularly, in
the cadence l knew by heart from listening
] to George so often. AS 1 breathed that
| muffied motion at the other side of the
| room bel gan again; the stealthy step, the
tinkling rings, the shadowy light, shining
! row on this and Eow on that familiar OBJ
| ject. Just now the tall clock in the hall
struck two loud strokes that resourded
| through the whole house. Under cover of
| this sound the rCbber tried the drawers
more vigorously. They We're not locked,
but resisted enough 10 set all the handles
| jangling, and he stopped again instantly
| and cut went the light.
During these moments of intense excite
| ment my hand had wandered again and
again toward the silk tassel above my pill
| low, touch on which would ring the silver
| bell at my husbands bedside and bring him
| to my side. But, as often as my hand made
| this automatic move, as often i desiSted
determined that my darlings should be ex-
| posed to no peril that / could prevent. But
| a grave alarm assaied me. l had up to
| this moment commanded my breathing
| completely; no baby could have seemed in
| softer, more perfect slumber than l as
| sumed but L gradually felt myself growing
unable to control this longer. 1t seemed to
me that my very breath would burst out in
|
| prowling fiend, with his CHASTITY, ignus fatu-
| us light, and siCkening smell, never go? A
| sigh, turned into the semblance of ashore,
| escaped my heart, and turned a little
| more on my side, nearer to the line OF the
| electric buttons. Thoughts and impulses
| now throbbed through my brain so loudly
| that / feared he must hear the beats. 1t
was hard to submit so tamely.
| But to ring for the servants, the coach
| men or the farmer would bring them pell
| nell. George and the boys, suddenly
aroused, would come stumbling in. That
| pistol! those rifles! No, come what would,
| that should not happen.
Creak, creak, sounded the quick, stealthy
| tread; tinkle, tinkle, the juggling brass.
| and then the blush light fell on skinny
| brown hand, with long, grabbing fingers,
| reaching out toward the casket where MY
| bridal pearls were kept. This scrawny,
| strange hand, showing Itself out OF the
/ darkness, greedily lingering my most pre-
| cious treasures, had the effect, oddly
| enough, of benumbing my fears, and the
| thought darted through my mind that as
| the servants so seldom answer the first bell
| by day, so now, by night, in my dire
| emergency, might also be trusted not 10
| hear; and with careful determination i
stretched my hand straight out, In the
| dark ana as steadily and noiseessly as the
| burglar himself, L found the electric but
| ton that rings furthest off, in the butler
| pantry.
The blush, purplish haze had now reach
| ed the handles Of the drawers at the tcp
| of the cabinet, where the children's things
/ were and / saw those brown, thievish Tin
gers close on the box that held my babies
| ccrals and little gold sleeve clasps; then
| pressed the button-not so very hard, but
enough to ring the distant bell-sllghtly;
! The light dropped, like a shot, and the
! room became awfully still; l dared rot
| even breathe now for / knew that the
| robber had heard the. bell.
| But in those movements L passed from
the benumbed state to the desperate. DC
| termined to ring the bell unit! he was
| gone, and pressed the button down with eli
my might and main. There was no mstak-
| ing the shrili, clear ring that resounded
| through the house, like spirit clarion.
| For one instant the burglar stood as still
| as a rock, no doubt recognizing the alarm
| and trying to make out the direction II
| came from. 90" thought l, If he Only
| knew" keeping my finger on the button,
| and the bell sounded on and on.
| The barglar had dropped his light, and
| with no farther attempt at disguise, fed,
two steps at bound down the creaxing
| stairs
| swing ing hinge then a heavy thud in
| the gallery told me when he fairly
! outside, and at last / grasped the silk
| cord, with both hands, screaming, burg
| lar, stop thief" etc, at the top OF my voice.
| The cord broke in my hands, but / flung
| myself against the double row of electric
| buttons. Every bell in the place responded,
and my three protectors rushed in more
| less awake, but kind and solicitous The
! usual soothing, reassuring words We're
| forthcoming, Lie down, darling and go to
| sleep, Wen take care of the burglar" and
! so on. George, go down and barricade the
! house. he'll come again." L screamed, at
! the top of my voice, and Just to quiet
mother" the three men did walk down the
| stairs Before they had reached the lower
! landing. however, their tranquility was dis
| turbed by quick rush of cold, night air
! and little examination was necessary TO
/ disclose great state of affairs. The front
| drawing room window was open, evidently
raised with small jimmy. and the long
windows in the library were faring wide
| apart, plainly left for escape 4 vain at
tempt had been made TO break open the
new safe in the dining room, where the
precious, old plate is stored and the small
silver and everything locked up in the eide
board was missing. In library smoking
room, drawing room and parlor every thing
was ransached: every silver ornament or
decoration was gone. Dickie's watch, left
care!ess!y on the card table, and Harry
gold watch case were not to be found.
The servants all came down. trembling
and excited, added to the general con-
fusion, and the men, of course. were Wild
10 chase the thief and bring him to Justice
had thought of this when they first
went down stairs, and from nv most
anCrg my pillows turned on the electric
lights that make our galleries as light as
day and illuminate the avenue to the turn
pike.
George scolded me, for turning on the
light made their pursuit impossible for
while he and the boys could be seen dis
tinctly by the robbers those brigands had
TO get away IN the dark
shadow of the trees.
Georges own room in state OF
chaos twice confounded; the pistol had
been carefully removed from under his
pillow with his watch; his pockets emptied
and. alas. that package of money hidden
among his fiannels in the under drawer
was gone with the rest. The same con-
fusion reigned in the boys room: they
fortunately had little to lose: but 1t was
mortifying to their pride to see the repeat
ing rifles carefully stacked" In the corner
of the room.
The dogs had disappeared mysteriously.
but they came to light the next morning
behind the coach house, evidently sleeping
of the effects of a composing draught'
l was really the only one who ESCAPED
all loss. The burglar had gathered up the
little trinkets and toilet things on. the
dressing table and put them in a bag but
in his hurried flight dropped the bag on
the stairs, where my Dick found il, the
contents safe.
We passed a wild night, for my husband
and the boys were so wrought up and ex-
cited that L had the greatest difficulty in
getting them Gained down. and indeed, did
rot succeed until Aunt Rachel came ND
with a pot of hot coffee, which they drank
and then caught short morning nap
after.
The twins We're furious to think of the
burglars escaping, and have reproached me