Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-07-01

hN ~ Va INC peu WHEN the SOUNDS
beneath me suddenly stopped. In
mortal terror now OF consequences
became desperate, and gave one
ECadlong plunge forward toward the
door at the same time uttering a
piercing shrek. Then tainted.
When | came to myself my head
vas very wet and l was stitf all over.
| heard voices. two of which | recog-
niTed as those OF Nat and Kate. There
was also a third voice, which soon
made out to be the doctors. | was now
very partial TO medical mon, perhaps
because had seen so many OF them |
heard Nat say:
1T was great wonder that he did
rot attack her before. | suppose he
must have stolen in when | went there
to get my things in the evening"
1T was mercy that you came,
Nat" said Kate.
The doctor added
She is coming to. You must keep
her quiet and try gradually to find out
what led up to the attack. | will call
later"
Soon l opened my eyes to find my
self upon couch in the sitting room
and Mats serious face bending over
mine.
Did you catch him." | asked
Catch who, Fan, dear?" inquired
Nat with a puzzled expression.
"Why, the burglar, to be sure"
There. was no burglar to catch"
We'll, that is calm to say the
least" | remarked sarcastically, ris-
ing to sitting position, and putting
both hands to my drenched head.
After the terrible night that have
put in, why did you let the wretch es-
cape?"
1T was not burglar Fan"
IF he was not a burglar pray what
was he, and why was he secreted un-
der the bed? only wonder that he did
not kill me outright, though | am sure
| could not have suffered more if he
had. First frightening the life nearly
out of me by his snoring and then ac-
tually bouncing upon me at the last
when | tried to call for assistance
And after all this you calmly tell me
there was no burglar, You will tell me
next that there was no mani" ! ex-
claimed savagely.
Neither was there any man, Fanny,
dear" said my brother, with dawn
ing smile. Your burglar was burglar
catcher. My good mastiff, Watch"
What" | exclaimed, Have / en-
dured all the terror of the past dread
! full night because of an old dog"
Certainly, because OF deg, my
dear Fan, though not by any manner
of means an old one. Watch is pos
sibly two years old at the utmost. J
am awfully sorry, FAN, that you vita
| your poor health should have been dis
| tathed. Others have complained of
his ability in the snoring line. !, my
| self, never hear him. But | am thank
| full that he did not injure you, that
| have no room for grief over your dis
comfort for remember that you were a
/
over you in very threatening atti-
tude when Kate found you. Fortu-
nately, | came in just then, as ! was
restless and could not sleep. But |
learned something, my dear sister, of
which | was before doubtful, and that
| is that there is one woman who does
not examine under her bed before re-
firing" This last was said with a
! laugh, in which Kate joined as soon
as she saw me sitting up.
No, but you better believe that |
will after this" | made answer, as |
fell back on the couch.
was not seriously hurt by my fall.
though | had cut my head | little |
caught a bad cold from the drenchins
tho old doctor administered to bring
nc around. | did not hear the last
OF the burglary during the remainder
OF my visit, nor, indeed, for many a
Icing day afterward Nothing hap
lened to my dear father on the fif-
teenth nor up to this day. But out OF
that night of terror grew the habit in
which 80 many Of my sex indulge of
| looking under the bed. Ny husband
says that If | slept on a single mattress
upon the floor l would raise the edge
tC look under To see if burglar was
fattened out beneath. Hayden In
cram