The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-06-30

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IN a very pretty frame cottage. painted
white. with green shutters, according
TO the prevailing fashion in New Eng
land. Around the house are about two
acres OF ground. which. being some
thing CT n florist. horticulturist and
other similar lists. he has planted and
cultivated in q very pretty manner. He
has an especial penchant for trees
particularly fruit trees-and his house
is entirely surrounded by a grove of
pear. apple. peach and cherry trees.
The first night OF my visit | was as
signed to very prettily furnished bed
chamber in a wing OF the house separ-
ated by hall OF perhaps twenty feet
in length from the other sleeping
apartments. There were two windows
in the room, and. as it was very
warm June evening they were both
open. The boughs of a large pear tree
brushed against the sides Of one, and
from the other one might easily have
leaped into the branches OF fine
cherry tree. laden with the most deli
cious fruit. However, as the hour was
somewhat late and had just arrived
from quite long journey. / concluded
TO postpone the jumping until the
morning, and so speedily tumbled into
bed, not, however, before placing a
small revolver under my pillow-a pre-
caution which | always take when
sleeping in strange places.
The bed was an old fashoned. high
posted one, which | had some difficulty
In climbing into, so high was it from
The floor. Directly opposite 10 it was
The only Goor TO the room. which
opened out into the aforementioned
hall.
Fatigue soon closed my eyes iE slum-
ber, and for considerable time | slept
sOundly. but awakened suddenly, with
start, and peculiar feeling OF uneas-
mess. L opened my eyes, but the room
was so dark that | could see nothing
whatever starlight there might have
been was effectually concealed by the
foliage of the trees.
But If could not see in the darkness
| could at least hear, and | did dis
tinctly hear soft footsteps moving
about the room. from one part to the
other, now approaching the bed and
then stealthily moving away. If any
of my readers have ever been in a sim.
liar position they can. perhaps. fancy
my feelings. From being half asleep
became thoroughly aroused. | lay.
bathed in a cold perspiration. intently
listening; still. the footsteps were aud
ible
l debated in my mind what to do.
was lying with my head on the eX-
treme front edge of the bed: my pisto.
was under n pillow OH the other side,
just beyond arms length. | lay for
some time wondering what action to
take. Still the footsteps sounded at in
tervals. | could hear my clothes being
moved, the rattle OF the keys, knife
etc. in my pocket, and then a stealthy
creep to another part Of the room.
could endure it no longer Turning as
though in my sleep | rolled across the
Led. flung out my arm and grasped my
beloved pistol
oh, what a thrill of satisfaction ran
through my veins rs MY grasp tight
enai about the hiit, What an invalu.
able travelling companion revolver
seemed to be! And yet the feeling Of
safety and satisfaction proved only OF
momentary duration, and vanished ell
tiraly when the question what to do
next presented itself
As mentioned before the bed was q
considerable height from the door aEd
therefore | did not care to risk jump
ing down into unknown dangers. And
still, ever ana anon sounded those foot
steps. | did nos fancy shooting i'm the
direction of the uoiSe-that was too un-
certain. So | resolved TO lie perfectly
quiet, unless I should be personally
molested, until either the intruder de-
parted or day broke
The night seemed Of intcrmnablc
length. The minutes were hours, the
hours Of months duration.
Now all would he as silent as the
tomb, and then those exasperating
footsteps would be heard again. accom-
panied by light breathing. seemingly
suppressed. l grew desperate and was
meditatiDg ali s)rts OF daring feats.
when | fell into troubled sleep
Lreamed that the most terrible demon.
with flaming eyes. had arisen from the
foot Of the bed and was approaching
me. He came nearer and nearer
felt his hot breath on my cheek.
struggled, screamed-and awoke The
fresh morning sunbeams were dancing
on the wall, the cool morning breeze
famed my cheek, and beside me, on
the bed. stood large, gray Maltest cat.
a pet OF my friend's-the intruder who
had caused me so much alarm during
the night-New York Weekly.