Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-11-21
The Trappers Trapped

TT was o'clock on an autumn even
Ing. The streets Of Birmingham
were swept with rain. had had
tolerably successful day, and there re
posed In my pockets the sum Of EGO
which l had collected from my firm.
customers. Having nothing particular
to do, and the torrents of rain abso
lutely prohibiting all open-air enjoy
ments, l went TO the hotel was staying
at and called for some brandy, anG
while slipping it was Joined by a stran
ger, who seemed eager to enter into
conversation with me.
Nothing backward, and with tongue
fairly set a-wagging, l talked too. and
i believe that before many moments he
had ascertained that had money be
longing to my employer in my posses
sion.
The brandy finished. nothing would
satisfy my new-found friend but that
he should take me to a music hall.
where there were more brandies, espe-
cfally one with a flavor that was un-
usual to ME, and then-forgetfulness.
The next thing l knew was this: The
rain clouds had strolled away, and fitful
CLEANS Of moonlight revealed to me the
fact that l was in a strange room,
lying on strange bed. Two O'Clock
chimed out from neighboring steeple.
Sobered with fright. 1 raised myself.
and then, quick as lightning fash,
came the thought-my money. My
clothes We're thrown across the bottom
OF the bed. l searched the trousers
pocket; the gold was there.
Then l heard voices In soft converse.
ton coming up from below. Noiselessly
l opened the bedroom door and list
ened.
Sure he's all sereneY Queried one
voice, to which another responded: He
won't wake till 6, at the earliest"
very good" said the first voice.
Mind, If he wakes while you're doing
II The sentence was punctuated
by the click of pistol, and shivered-
not from cold.
And at or I, or whenever he does
wake" continued the voice, tell him
you picked him up drunk in the stree,
and carried him in here out Of compas $.
sion for safety, and you will easily con.
vince him that he was robbed out OF
DOORS"
Here step on the stairs warned me
to close the door. and l got back to
bed. Hearing the knob Of the door
turn, / began to breathe heavily after
the fashion Of drunken man, and the
next instant, shading the candle with
his hand, there appeared the form of a
strange man, who was soon peering fix.
edly into my face.
Satisfied, apparently, with his exam
ination, my visitor searched my pock-
cts, and took out the gold. He went to
q bird cage, which now for the first
time 1 observed hanging up, drew out
its slide, and-undressed and lay down
beside me.
He was soon asleep, and hope sprang
mp within me; but, alas! Of all the light
sleepers, he was the lightest l ever
knew
Whenever 1 moved he appeared to be
on the alert; 1t was impossible to crawl
out Of bed without his being conscious
Of the fact. Besides, under his pillow
knew was the pistol, and In despair
had reluctantly to rest on as calm and
unconcerned as possibly could.
All wakeful. 1 passed that horrible
night, and the slow hours dragged on
interminably. But at length . project
presented itself to my own sharpened
senses, which project put into execu-
tion when 6 O'Clock struck.
Failure" said I to myself, means
simply death; success means a saved
reputation with my employers and q
VOW of strictest sobr1ety."
Everything being perfectly quiet l
simulated a gradual waking up, and
my first yawn opened the eyes Of my
bedfellow The second had the effect
Of raising him from his recumbent po-
sition in the bed, and when / slowly
and painfully awoke he was bending
ever me. all solicitude.
Daylight was now stealing into the
room.
My poor fellow" exclaimed the as
siduOus one, how do you feel now
You will wonder, no doubt, at being In
my bed, but the fact is you were i'll last
night, were you not?'
"Ill?" l said; Zip" and put my hand
mechanically to my head. well,
think must have been; my head does
ache so"'
He smiled, and replied: "Well, my
dear fellow, not to put too fine point
upon it, found you late last night in
the gutter, just little bit the worse for
liquor, and two somewhat disreputable-
looking men who were with you asked
me If l could manage to look after you
for the night"
1 expressed my profound thanks to
my good friend for his unselfish kind
ness, but he modestly waved them
aside, saying deprecatingly:
DUTY, sir, duty! l cannot neglect q
genuine case of human suffering or dan
ger without some attempt however
slight, at succOr."
thanked him again.
Il am ILL.," 1 said. II had too much
brandy yesterday. I must have a haiH
of the dog that bit me: must have .
nip now. It IL the only thing which