The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-08-18


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, i sneaked out in the
hall to find Bill and skip out fol
good the way he had come.
A dimly-burning gaslight made the
darkness visible, and shortly / saw
Bil's noble ghostlike figure emerge
from a room and, without looking in
my direction, walk toward the far
end of the hall.
In one instant noiselessly reached
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 be-
fore me, burning Inc with her eyes.
Ere could hide my surprised face
and mode tly retreat-so she might
do the same-she got onto my night
gown racket and like a tigress she
grabbed my whiskers with both
hands and shrieked murder"
and "thieves - robbers - help"
ETC., till she made me tired. / never
felt so queer in all my life.
At once yells and screams and
howls OF fear came from all over in a
mad chorus; off went the burglar
alarm bells and the rattles and up
flashed the gas till the whole lower
part OF the house was brilliant.
Luckily had captured the pillowed
pistols, or they'd have gone off too.
At the instant stalwart figure in
white bounded out Of another room
and flew to my assistance. "Bill -
/ gasped, "Quick For your life
Pull her aNay!"
lie gently but firmly embraced the
old lady's waist and pulled while /
tried to bite her worse than tigers
claws. Tickle her, Billv groan-
ed, since the pull didn't work. That
fetched her. She lost her grip-re-
tanning, 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 dare show themselves we had
escaped through the scuttle and were
on the roof.
Aside down the rope and our safe
ty was secured, but we had not a sec
ond to lose.
Hastily we tried to find our only
means of flight Like great lizards
we crawled about in the darkness, but
our efforts were vain. The rope was
gone.
What's up now, Bill?" whis-
pered.
1--WE are, Tom," he answered grim
ly, we've been shadowed from out
side 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, Bill? No
use praying for balloon, is there?"
Not much, pard," said William
as cheerfully as he could, "and no
use trying the front door. There
amt Il lightning rod, either, to slide
down on, and we can't reach the
water leader. | wish | was n bird.
"Well, we'll both be brds-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. Evil
IDENTIFY the house was being sur
rounded.
"Tom," whispered Bill, "I've
thought. We must jump"
''Up or DOWN. says l, not relish
ing the job.
Down, OF course" grinned brave
William. Into the big evergreen
tree by that chimney. Now, Tom
come on.
BM skinned to the roofs edge like
a monkey, after him. When over
he leaped into the blackness and l
heard the branches break, but no
sickening thud on the ground, as l
feared. Giving him time to get out
of my way, followed, and also held
on the bending boughs. In a trice
both of us reached the grass, and be-
fore we could start to run dozen ex-
cited men with pitchforks and guns
were around us, the light from the
windows showing us to advantage.
But luckily we had forgot to re-
move our nightgowns. "Quick now"
cried Bill, with wonderful presence
Of mind. Save our folks in the
house. The robbers are numbering
them. They chased us out the win
dows. Smash in the front door and
save their lives. Don't you hear
them scream?"
or rushed our captors and with
axes they broke the door and entered
to the rescue.
Bill and l dropping our robes de
mutt, took the opposite direction,
gained the road, and laughed all the
way home. Detroit Free Press.