Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-08-08
My Grim Visitor.
AN EXCITING STORY.

city, but as the thermometer had
marked above the nineties for sew
eral days, and l had little Of value
in my room preferred to risk that
little and leave my windows open,
although of easy access, rather than
undergo partial suffocation. IF an
uninvited guest made his appearance,
and did awake, could feign sleep,
and let him take whatever he might
find.
"This class of visitors" I reas-
oned with myself, edo not gener-
ally commit personal violence, if
they can accomplish theft and make
good their escape without it,"
These were my reflections every
night as | undressed and threw nv
self on my bed, leaving my castle
open to the enemy. | had been
asleep one night about an hour,
when l was awakened by the falling
of small china ornament. Start
ing slightly and opening my eyes, /
saw the gas burning, and tall,
broad-shOuldered man with his back
turned toward me, his face looking
over his shoulder to see whether the
noise had awakened me. NV self
possession did not, however, forsake
me. What followed illustrates the
value of presence of mind.
Opposite the side of my bed, and
about eight feet from it, was the
door of my room, two or three feet
from which were the stairs leading
to the hall. The burglar must have
used ladder in ascending the roof,
from which he entered the window.
1t was some thirty feet from the
the ground, and isolated. NV plan
was not only to escape harm myself,
but to effect his capture. knew
the policeman's beat, and he
would pass in short time. Sitting
bolt upright, then, as / opened nv
eyes and saw the burglar looking
very unpleasantiy at me, / said, rub
hing my eyes drowsily-although, to
tell the truth, l never was more
wide awake in my life:
Hello, John, what are you look
ing for? Can't you come into NV
room without making such con-
founded noise ?"
The fellow, taken somewhat aback
at being addressed in this way, said,
in low but menacing voice, and
pointing revolver at me:
"Shut up! what do you take me
for?"
-" took you for JOHN" 1 replied,
with a well-assumed nonchalance.
But / didn't suppose he was after
anything valuable in my room, ex-
cept one thing, and-by the way,
you are the unluckiest fellow in the
world"
How's that?" growled my visi-
| tor.
Well, l have very good watch,
but If you want it you must pay a
visit to the watchmaker's after
you leave here, for / had what I
considered the bad, but what now
seems the good fortune, to break the
spring yesterday, and left it for re-
pairs"
You're precious cool one" he
said, evidently astonished at my in
difference.
What's the use of my getting
excited or attempting to resist you /?
You are armed, and you see l am
not. If you had no weapon, your
lighting weight must be at least thir-
teen stone, while mine is not more
than nine and half. 1 haye no
idea Of interfering with you. If
the room were filed with diamonds,
l would not lift my finger to save
them. Take all you can find; am
going to sleep-so don't make any
more noise."
Hold on!" said the fellow,
where's your keys?n
1 suppose you want to make as
much of haul as you can," / said
so look in my pants hanging over
the bedpost there, and you'll find my
pocket-book with few stamps in
it.n
1t was nearly time for the police.
man to pass, and 1 paused to listen.
must in few moments put my
plan into execution.
/ A glance, quick as lightning,
showed me that the key of the door
was on the outside.
My listening expression did not
escape the sharp and practical ear OF
my grim visitor. 1t was curious
scene, no doubt, sitting in my bed
In my nightclOthes, unarmed, and
this stalwart rutfian, pistol in hand
glaring half suspiciously, half fero
ciously at me, and almost i'm the
crouching attitude of tiger about
to spring upon his prey. But there
l sat, coolly conversing with him,
} the necessities of the moment keep
ing my wits too wide awake to allow
. my fears to get the upper hand for
an instant.
"What are you listening to?'
asked the burglar.
!: &C thought heard cry Of fire. ,
In that instant, and in the dead
stiffness Of the night, l heard the
tramp of the policeman. 1t wa.
still some distance off.
You will fnd," l said, "som,
: clothes of mine in the press; they
Will, however, be too small for you
,, Goodnight; the keys are In the mid
> die drawer"
He turned to the drawer indicated
and, as he did so, with one tremen
dous bound l cleared the space be
tween my bed and the door, slammed
9 the door and locked it upon him
Oblivious of my dishabille, Ispran,
to the steps. l had two flights t,
t descend and open the door before
0 | could reach the yard, but 1t wa.
hardly possible for him to descent
the ladder more quickly. Boundin,
3 rather than running down stairs,
8 flung back the bolt and rushed int
the yard. He was halfway dow
the ladder Shnufipn &C nnIioo .,