The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-12-09


>uUGrull la u,>VI a!.Nl
by her WINDOW.
Who's ihere?' IL, . AGUed.
quaNering toni,
"il H. |" reEiIeu Doc, ~.Jua muiher. a.
a whisper. Il hraru 500 sound a.
whistliug. aud sIu,, q, acre to pee.
out on this side OF III. house aud here
is a man walking up and dow Il he road
lie Is trying. perhaps. To ilrd Out II
there is a man about. or else wishes 70
signal to some accomplice. There. do
you hear him"
Elizabeth was AT the window in
trice. and she could plainly discern
tall figure creeping stcallhily in
through the gate.
"Ob. why was | so foolish ns to stay
here without mani" said grand
mother, catching her breath. I'VE can
not protect ourselves, and there is one
shutter in the parlor that is No, closed.
because the white rose bush has grown
in so far that it holds il open There.
he is at the other window now and will
soon make an attempt at the one behind
the rose BUSH"
Grandmother had in her hand small
ralico bag. which she tucked beneath
the mattress of the bed. and then she
began to push some of the heavy. old.
fashioned mahogany furniture against
the door of the room.
"Woolly is safe enough in her corner
in the attic" said grandmother. but
wc must have something that the rascal
is after | will iling up the window.
and we must scream for help. David
must have returned by this time. and
mayhap he will hear us and come TO our
rescue. You spoke to Susan of this
matter. did you not. Elizabcth?"
Elizabeth flushed scarlet. and lie, her
head fall upon her breast. like rose
bending on its stalk.
II did truly forget to do so. grand.
mother" she faliered.
"Then your heedlessness may have
cost you your trip" replied the grand
mother more severely than was her
wont. land it may be we shall lose
our lives. The villain may intend to
murder us. for all that we can tell"
finished the poor lady. in desperation.
"But now for as loud shout rs we can
raise"
Help! hclp!' The words rang out
upon the night air. but the creek went
babb!ing on its noisy course. with no
consideration for the frightened. de.
fenseless beings who wexe endeavoring
to drown its clatter with their own.
The robber shrnnk back from the house
at sound of the outcry. but as no re-
sponse came to the appeal he returned
the more boldly to the attack. Again
arose the cries, louder and more be-
seechng than before. The intruder
had found the unfastened shutter. and
had made his way through the window
into the parlor. Oh. would no aid
come!
All at once. from across the water.
came an answer. II was the shrill
scream Of the miller's geese. Elizabeth
thought that she could recognize Tap
py's peculiar note above the other
shrieks. Something was awake. Some
thing had heard the supplcations of
the besieged, even were i, only flock
OF stupid geese. Again grandmother
and Elizabeth shouted. and again came
the squawk, squawk, in reply. The in
vader had evidently no, failed to note
the clamor in the distance. for his foot
falls could no longer be heard on the
floor below. Oh, would David be
aroused?
Yes, there was n halloo from the op.
positc shore. and once more the voices
at the window pleaded for succor. Then
there was the report OF n shot. The
man in the parlor Of the disturbed
household had his ears on the alert. He
waited for no parley or plunder. He
scuttled across the room, jumped from
the open window, and tore off for the
woods. An instant later David came
flying up to the house, with his gun
over his shoulder. and there were eX-
plantations. thanks and congratulations
then. David had found Tappy alone by
his doorstep when he reached home
that night. and he had hunted up the
other geese and locked them into the
pen under his bedroom window. Soon
afterward he had fallen into a heavy
slumber, from which he had been awak-
cned by the cackling of his geese.
Thinking that fox was among them.
he had gone out to attend TO him with
little powder and shot; andehen, catch
ing the sounds of distress from the
other sides of the creek. lie had the sat
isfaction of chasing away more willy
and more wicked old fox from more val
liable prey.
The miller stayed on guard between
the two houses for the remainder of the
night, but there was no further annoy
ance. and the following evening grand
father was again with his family, lis
tening to thrilling account of the mid
night adventure.
THE scamp must have had sumo sus-
picion Of the extra money in the house."
said grandfather. shrewdly shaking his
head. But, heydcy, lass, so the geese
were ahead of you for ouce!"
Eliza beth gave her grandfather n shy.