The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-02-09

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plain matters to their bewildered lit
tie ears.
Come, children-come" 1 painted.
"Oh, do make haste. We must get
back to the house Immediately"
But I've left my fishing hook.
mamma" pleaded Donald, with a
longing, lingering look over his shoul-
der
Cant we stop in the barn. mamma
cried Tommy, Ito see if Mr. Jones has
sent the cosset lamb he promised u.s.
"Children," said |, pausing to regain
my breath. lat your peril keep away
from the barn, There is a crazy man
there. Heaven only knows what VIC
lence he may attempt to perpetrate-
Run to the house-run as fast as you
can"
And. pausing only to see them flying.
like swift little autelopes. up the ter
raced slopes Of the lawn. l fastened,
with blanchcd cheeks and wildly
beating heart, to the barn. and WAS
fortunate enough to secure both doors
by wooden bars and outside buttons,
only before the attention OF a broad
faced. bristly- haired ruttian WAS suf-
ticiently attracted to induce him to pre-
sent his moOn-like countenance at one
Of the stable windows.
Without heed to his frantic gestures
and loudly shouted words. l fed back
to the house. and sank. nearly faint
ing. on the chintz sofa. with both
hands clasped over my eyes.
Il declare fort. though. that was
real gritty" was Betsey's admiring
comment, as she hurried to bring the
camphor and red lavender to my
rescue.
Mamma. will he kill us?' whispered
Donald, who was q timid child and
clung close to me.
Shall cut off his head with my tin
sword. mamma?" bawled Tommy. the
irrept 1ssible.
"Betsey," l cried. rousing myself to
the paramount necessity Of not faint
ing" place yourself at the window.
W II lok PaSSSio ~
Like Sister Anne, in the story OF
'Bluebeard.' mamma" wistfully inter
polated Donald.
Explain to them our dreadful pre-
dicament," l went on. summon help
the instant 1t appears; and, above all,
keep every door and easement locked
and bolted. lest that flend in human
shape should break loose and attack
US There's an old rifle upstairs In
the garret, isn't there. Betsey" l
added. with a sudden inspiration.
"Yes, 'um," said Betsy; but 1t amt
lust in frst-rate workin' order. cal
culate."
There isn't either stock nor lock to
1t, mamma" chimed in Tommy. Il
loaded it with ashes last week, and
put in pebbles for bullets. and it would
not fire Off worth a cent
But there's the carving knife and
the potato-pounder. mamma" sug-
gested Donald.
l looked at the clock. Only eleven!
1t would be six hours, at the very
nearest, before my husband would re
turn from the city. Suppose-this was
a lonely and seldom-traveled neigh
borhood, a mere branch from the main
thoroughfare which trayersed the val
ley like n gigantic artery, and the
hypothesis was by no means so very
unlikely as it might seem-that there
should be absolutely no passers-by be-
tween that time and this1
"Betsey,' said l. this won't do. l
believe my hair will turn white with
this terrible agony of suspense"'
"Ma'am:' said Betsey.
Either you or / must 60 for help"
uttered, very distinctly.
IF it wasn't for goin' right past the
barn door, l wouldn't mind" said
Betsey.
Its fastened, Betsey.' pleaded.
but them there wooden buttons
doesn't amount to nothin'," said Bet
sey. And only s'pose he jumps out
at me?'
I was just about to reproach Betsey
with having none of the elements OF
the heroine in her composition, when
little Donald, who had posted himself
in the garret window to watch. came
tumbling head over heels into the
room with Tommy close behind.
Mamma. mammal" they shouted, in
chorus; there's somebody coming
and we guess it's Deacon Gadsley. on
horseback. riding back from the train. y
stop him. l gasped-'for mercy s
sake. stop him.
Hes a-makin' straight for the barn
ma am" said Betsey. who h" |
stretched the skinny length o. .lah
neck further out Of the wi~'p.' lei
7 dared to do. Hes aparrln the
ler's hollerin'. y i'oer'v with
hta aoars, ere comes the poor,
nls doors: % ..r out, with a hor, skip
s .ip" Wal. if Deacon Gadsley
3 to risk it, | wouldn't"
Il have heard of instances" 7 said,
aintly, where some one particular in
ividual exercises unbounded inference
yer the mind Of the insane, and"
At this moment. however, Deacon
Iadsley himself knocked briskly at
le door l made haste to open is.
BE We all crazy here:' said the dea-