The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-11-17
A Message
Through the Air
by r. :. TACCARD


st WAS a lovely night In the month Of
August tlarI sat on the porch Of Old
Uncle Taby's honsn. rot yet entirely re-
covered from the Impressions made by
3 glorious sunset wGiah even then lait
stE footprints upon the clouds that hoy
erred In the w,stera rsv.
NV horse stood az the gate already
.addlcd. aNa5ttuE me, but I wa deter
u4lnni n1, ~ leave uucIe Tohy's house
1ntil { hna carried my point. ana. Being
rIg apghuv. / had enough OF the same
old blood tA ny vplHs to MAKE me as per-
ErrgrlHa aa he WAS obstinate
"trua'e Toby. ! must have that Bird
WAL. HeGy, ask me for anything
else in the house except that, and n is
,olrs."
Il don't want anything else, Uncle
Toby. but thlCyou must give me
WAL. now, netfy. you krow that ere
carrier pigeon. took the first prile At the
county fair"
which fact will only make me prize
~ dearer. Come, now, Uncle Toby, be
generous"
WAL, boy, the bird is yourD, You
always had your own way with Uncle
7oby."
10 say that | was delighted would but
ralntfy express my feelings. The bird
-gaE d beauty. as may easily be mag
ned. and as | bid old Uncle Toby good
ni.hl AMI mounted my pony. with the
cage in my hand containing the prize
3 so dearly coveted, | drove home with
a Hight heart aud a brain filled to over
soWing with plans In which the birds
Rprpa would be tested. Numerous yalu,
able prizes seemed already 70 be within
sny grasp rs | reached home. and, hav.
fng etabled my horse, assembled to my
5slk and lonely room.
j was but lG years Of age at the time,
and on the night In question was the
only occupant of my fathers mansion,
rhe other members Of the family having
zone on a summer trip to the mountains,
ssnvipg me in charge. My room was
,gr The second floor, overlooking the road
.,pt thilher | had taken my bird. where
an my solitude | could quietly admire
it's beautiful proportions.
E~xtipgulshirg my lamp | SAT nv the
omen window cnnteutedly smoking my
pine and enjoying the cool breezes that
gwapl across the lawn laden with the
rich odors OF the flowers. when NV at,
tcailop was attracted to some dark oh.
jccts that gpuoared TO he approachine
by thc road that led past our house.
FIistcncd inicntly, and above the whis
pers Of the summer breeze | thought
.could detect the hum of WHISPERED con
s~versatlon.
n was no unusual occurrence 70
tramrs 10 pass our Mace at that hour
and the circumstance caused only n rim
ro,r of curiosity TO arise in my bosom
vlpfII I heard n latch of our gate lifted
and distinctly the tread of many fee
fell upon NV car.
was so surprised and startled at thi
~rlarxpecte0 intrusion that | was momen
aarllv dayed. and before | could decid
ON a plan of action, they had ascende,
shs door steps, and | knew from tn
splintering of wood that they had al
ready commenced operations to fore
an entrance into the hoursc.
BY the light of a dark lantern, whic
ehry carried. / discovered that they wer
six in number, and all wore heavy blac
tpagks. the more efrectually to preyeu
rccognillon in case of discovery. The
any voice came back to me, aud. thiukts
So make up for my youthful years in tn
volume of my voice, | yelled out, iu'thuI
dcring tones;
Hello! What are you doing there?
The dark lantern was closed like
flash, but yet | could distinctly defr
the dim outline Of the robbers as the