The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-07-07
gelett Mistellany>
Pluck and Adventure.
A SCARE IN THE NIGH I.

In the month of June a few years
ago spent few days with my friend
NJ, at his home in Boston. M. lives
out in the highlands, in very pretty
frame cottage, painted white with
green shutters, according to the pre-
vailing fashion in New England.
Around the house are about two acres
of ground, which, being something OF
florist, horticulturist and other SINH
lar lists, he has planted and cultivated
in very pretty manner. He has an
especial penchant for trees-particu
larly fruit trees-and his house is en-
tirely surrounded by grove Of pear,
apple, peach and cherry trees.
The first night of my visit l was as
signed to a very prettily furnished
bed.chamber in wing OF the house
separated by hall Of perhaps twenty
feet in length from the other sleeping
apartments. There were two windows
in the room, and, as it was a very
warm June evening they were both
open. The boughs of large pear
tree brushed against the sides of one,
and from the other one might easily
have leaped into the branches OF a 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, 1 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
precaution which always take when
sleeping in strange places.
The bed was an old-fashioned, high
posted one, which l had some difficulty
in climbing into, so high was it from
the floor. Directly opposite to it was
the only door in the room, which open
ed out into the afore- mentioned
hall.
Fatigue soon closed my eyes in
slumber, and for considerable time l
slept soundly, but awakened suddenly,
with start, and peculiar feeling of
uneasiness. l opened my eyes, but
the room was so dark that could see
nothing; whatever starlight there
might have been was effectually con-
cealed by the foliage of the trees.
But il could not see in the dark
ness l could at least hear, and l did
distinctly hear soft footsteps moving
about the room, from one part to the
other, now approaching the bed and
then stealthily moving away. If any
one Of my readers have ever been in
similar position they can, perhaps,
fancy my feelings. From being half
asleep became thoroughly aroused.
l lay bathed in cold perspiration, in
tently listening: still the footsteps
were audible.
debated in my mind what to do. l
was lying with my head on the ex-
IRENE front edge of the bed; my pistol
was under pillow on the other side,
just beyond arms length. lay for
some time wondering what action to
take. Still the footsteps sounded at
intervals. l 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 roll
ed across the bed, flung out my arm
and grasped my beloved pistol.
Oh, what thrill of satisfaction ran
through my veins as my grasp tight
ened about the hilt! What an inval-
liable travelling companion a revolver
seemed to b.! And yet the feeling OF
safety and satisfaction proved only Of
momentary duration, and vanished en-
tirely when the question what to do
next presented itself.
A mentioned before the bed was
considerable height from the floor, land