The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-06-20

| have always taken a deep interest in
stories about detectives and their adyen-
lures. From as early a time as can re-
member, when was quite young chap,
most of my spare change went to buy the
weekly editions OF "0ld Sleuth' or %
Cap Collier" library; and many is the
night | have lain in bed perusing their
pages, and then spent troubled night
dreaming that | was being shot, stabbed,
or thrown in the river by some closely
mutfled man - and as soon as had attain
ed manhood | attempted to Carry out a
long cherished desire | would become a
detective-this Jcation was, in my eyes,
one of the noblest of professions. Finally
after several interviews with the chief OF
the detective service, was appointed spe-
cial officer For some time after my ap-
pontment had very little to do, and gem
orally hung around the busiest portion OF
the city; watching for suspicious charac-
tiers, aud occasionally accompany ing the
police on raids of gambling houses. This
however, was not the kind of work | ham
kered after, there was no glory attached
to it. But my chance came at last Upon
going to headquarters one morning, the
chief sent for me; and upon entering his
office, told me that he wanted me to go at
once to the town of Sharpsubrg, report to
the chief of police there, and receive in
structions, which / was to follow out to
the letter. ! at once returned to my rooms.
packed small satchel, and was soon on
~ 771 1rOc KiIr0
The hour at which the train arrived was
late, and upon going to both of the hotels,
/ found that securing room at either Of
them was impossible. The night clerk
Informed me, that owing to large polit-
icai convention being held IN The city the
hotels were all full. He gave me the adj
dress of a lodging house at the other end
of town; and seeing no help for it, start
ed out to find a3commoda tions of so r
sort for the night.
After going several squares through IL e
dim and almost unlighted streets, small
Illuminated sign, "Rooms to Rent" struck
my eye; and upon coming up to it found
that it was over the door of a small saloon
Being tired, | decided to make trial of
the place, so pushing open the swinging
doors, entered the building
The place in which found myself was
a small one, and was presided over by a
blear-eyed old man and woman, presum-
ably his wife. She was the perfect picture of
an old bag one eye was gone, and her long
gray hair was hanging in matted masses
around her head. The fumes of cheap
liquor were S rong in the air, and the
whole place was typical of a common dive.
My first impulse was to leave at once, but
being tired from my journey | decided to
remain. Terms were satisfactorily ar
ran Zed, making myself known as col
lector for wholesale house.
AT the mention of collection, the pair
glanced at each other in a significant
manner, but affected not to no. ice their
glance, and followed the old woman. The
way led up rickety staircase, which
groaned and swayed under our weight,
and finally we entered large square
room There my hostess left me with a
hoarse good night and shutll d off down
the rickety staircase.
The room in which | was to s2end the
nighJ was not very handsomely furnished,
the entire contents We're washstand,
with broken mirror, two chairs, three
legged table. and bed. This latter ar.
ticle Of furniture attr acted my attention
at once, from its b ing en- irely out of
place in the midst of its surroundings 1t
was of the old fashioned type seldom seen
nowadays. Four large corner posts sup
ported large canopy of padded silk, and
around the edges were hangings at least
two feet wide. "This is evidently some
old heirloom said |, land It should be in
a museum y but as it locke conf )rtable,
| proceeded to dtsrobe, and was soon lying
between the bedcovers.
In spite of WEAKNESS, sleep would not
come to me, and for at least an hour lay
thinking over the events of the day; and
of the case on which was to start work
il the morning. Finally began to doze
off into Inconsistencies when | came to
my full senses wi tn an abrupt start. A
slight creaking sound assailed my ears
and then silence. Again came the sound
as of unoiled wheels, or rollers.
As | lay upon my back gazing upon the
canoIy above me, became aware of a
startling fact. When | had gotten into
the bed, the canopy was at least five feet
above me- and now the distance was
scarcely four. | could notice this by the
light of street lamp that stood on an op
posite corner
Immediately the remembrance OF that
significant glance between my host and
hostess, came int my mind, and in an in
slant | became fully aroused. Again |
glanced upward and could now plainly
see that the canopy was slowly but stead
lily creeping downward almost noiselessly
but every once in while would hear
the squeak of wheels. The sound was not
loud enough to arouse sleeper, at per
fectly audible to a wide awake man, such
as then was
When the canopy was within two feet
of my face. Elided quietly out of the bed
secured my revolver and watched the
canopy until twas entirely covering the
ma 'tress. Where it remained firmly fixed
and / could see That it was heavily
weighted down. Then the full realization