The Van Buren press., 1897-12-04

not protect ourselves, ana there is enc
shutter in the parlor that is not closed
because the white rose bush has grow
in so far that it holds il open. There
he is at the other window now. and vii
soon make an attempt at the one behind
the rose BUSH"
Grandmother had in her hand small
calico 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
we must have something that the raseaI
is after. | will fling 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. Elizabeth ~
Elizabeth flushed scarlet, aud let her
head fall upon her breast, like rose
bending on its stalk.
Il did truly forget to do so. grand
mother" she faltered.
Then your heedlessness may have
cost you your trip" replied the grand
mother, more severely than was her
wont, and 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 as we can
raise"
Help! help" The words rang out
upon the night air, but the creek went
hahhling on lis noisy course. with no
consideration fer the frightened. de-
fenseless beings who were endeavoring
to drown its elatter with their own.
The robber shrank back from the house
at sound Of the outery, but Us no re-
spense came to the appeal he returned
the more boldly to the attack. Again
arose the cries. louder and more be-
seeehng 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. 1t 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 supplications of
the besieged. even were it only flock
of stupid geese. Again grandmother
and Elizabeth shouted, and again came
the squawk, squawk, in reply. The in
vader had evidently not failed TO note
+ the elamor in the distance, for his foot
/ falls could no longer be heard on the
f floor below. Oh, would David be
aroused?
Yes. there was haloo from the op-
/ posite shore, and once more the voices
at the window pleaded for suceor. Then
there was the report of shot. The
man in the parlor of the disturbed
household had his ears on the alert. He
waited for no parley or plunder. He
seuttled 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-
ened by the eackling of his geese.
Thinking that a fox was among them,
he had gone out to attend TO him with a
little powder and shot; and then, CATCH
ing the sounds of distress from the
other sides of the creek, he had the sat
isfaetion of chasing away more willy
aud more wicked old fox from more val.
=. o.e prey.
The miller stayed on guard between
the two houses for the remainder of the
night, but there was no .urther annoy
ance, and the following evening grand
father was again with his family, lis.
tening to n thrilling account of the mid
night adventure.
The scamp must have had sumo sus-
picion of the extra money in the house, 4"
said grandfather, shrewdly shaking his
head. But, heydey, lass, so the geese
were ahead Of you for oncelr
Elizabeth gave her grandfather n shy.
arch little glance from under her eye
laShes.
The geese had more Wit than
thought. she said, and ! will never de-
spiSe them again. ."-Leslie's Monthly.
The Last Queue.
The story Is told that there has re-
Gently died I'm the East end Of London