Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-12-21
THE FACE AY TEE WINDOW.
BY ELLEN n. WALKER

When l was nineteen years old the
death Of my mother made me the mis-.
tress of my fathers house, q post Of
no small Importance, when you know
that there We're six younger children
10 look after, and quite number Of
servants to oversee and manage. We
lived upon large fruit farm in Mich.
gan, which my father had bought
after the close of the civil war,
through which he had served as Z
colonel in the northern army. Neigh.
bors were not plentiful-the nearest
house was a half mile away, and tn,
nearest town eight miles-but there
were so many Of us that we were
never lonesome.
| shared the same room with my
sister Fsnny-a great lofty apartment
with three windows. One hot summer
night could not sleep for ages. Al
last fell of" and dreamt--thougf
all the time, even in my dream, SAID
to myself, this is not a dream, it il
real
1t seemed as il the house, for soma
unexplained reason, was empty; was
absolutely alone, sitting reading in
the parlor, with my back to one of the
windows. Suddenly dark shadow
came between me and the light and
turning round, saw a tall, powerful
man, With lis head pressed closely
against the glass; his face was shaded
by a weather beaten slouch hat, he
was dressed like tramp, and the only
thing ! particularly noticed about him
was a pair of very large, dizzy hands,
and red worsted neckte.
He remained for some seconds lean.
ing against the sash and gazing in.
tently into the room; then started to
my feet, and called out, What do you
want?'
rs the colonel wlthin?' he asked,
in hoarse voice.
mo, he is cut" screamed in reply.
81 want to see him badly" said he;
II served in his regiment during the
war. I'm dying of hunger"
go to the front door," | called. and
fastened >there intent on supplying
him with all the food he could hold.
The tramp was there ahead of me.
us everybody away from home,
miss?" he asked hoarsely,
"All," | replied, and ! vas about to
add Excerpt myself" but ere | could
utter another syllable he had sprung
at me, seized me by the throat with
brutal ferocity, and pressing me hard
against a stone pillar he proceeded to
strangle me. I could not move. strug.
gle or scream. | felt his foul breath
on nv face, his savage, wolfsh eyes
fastened on mine. Everything was be.
coming black. the world reeled. a
strange sound of the sea roared in my
ears; | was suffocating, diving, dead!
No, for here | awokc. and found nv.
self sitting up and shriekipp-shriek.
Ing like a maniac.
/ / saw Fanny iump out OF bed by
the lipht of a pale summer nght and
come running over to me. She held
me tightly. while gasped and painted,
precisely as if | had been really
choked. Meantime all my relatives
poured into the room, believing that
murder was being done,
! Presently | recovered my voice, and
in faint, broken sentences stammered
out nv tragic tale, which tale was
received with angry derison by father,
and wells of laughter by nv kindred.
George nv eldest brother, who had
been the first to arrive upon the
scene. armed with an ancient horse
pistol, was particularly indignant.
"If YOU are taken like this again,
Nell, YOU will have to sleep in the corn
crib. or in the back ward: YOUR wells
sounded for all the world like q pig
being killed"
Then with as much dignity as was
compatible with a pair of long bare
legs, he made his exit.
"Nell's friend with the red necktie"
became family Joke which the boys
did not forget for many months. At
last, however, they ceased to twit me
about nv horrible dream and N.Y.
self never thought Of it.
Two wears passed Fanny was away
on her HONEYMOON. George was in
business with a fruit merchant across
the lake in Chicago, and except my
father there were only five Of us in
the household besides the servants.
One September day father, the boys
and most Of the hired help went to
the county fair show, or fair, in a dis
tant town. They had set out before
sunrise and were not expected home
until after dark.