The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-09-19
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OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CHAPTER III,
Continued.

wrong to kill people, because, as she
illogically added, you would get hanged
for it. The killing business was there
fore set aside, the consequences being
too awful to contemplate, and we de-
cided instead that we would run away
tomorrow when the clock struck ~
Where we should run to was not de-
cided; why we should take our fight in
broad daylight was not explained; how
we should exist was not considered.
We were placidly satisfied that the
! mere fact of running away when the
! clock struck II would be crushing
blow to the hard-hearted stepmother
and from that moment Elsies life and
mine would be a life of happiness.
On that night it was that my little
sweetheart's cries pierced my mind
while | was sleeping, and / uncon-
sciously rose with the intention of go
ing to her rescue. 1t happened that
those about me were less watchful
than usual, and thus / succeeded in
| creeping unobseryed to the top Of our
| house, where a short ladder reaching
to trap door in the roof enabled me
to reach similar door in the adjoin-
ing house, which l found unlocked.
| 1t was a dark night and my enterprise
4 was full of dangers, but sleep-walkers
are like cats and can walk safely on
the edge of precipice. succeeded
4 in raising the door in the roof and in
total darkness felt my way down the
stairs, guided doubtless by the little
maids cries for help and mercy. Dash
| ing into the room in which the torture
was being inflicted, ! sprang upon the
cruel woman and tore at her and beat
he SO that she in turn, probably more
frightened than hurt, screamed loudly
for assistance. By this time my own
people We're aroused and, obtaining
entrance into the adjoining house, bore
me away to my room.
When l awoke in the morning had
no knowledge or recollection of what
had occurred, and 1 gathered the par
ticulars from those who Were interest
ed in them. My bedroom door was
found open and not in bed; the two
| trap doors in the roof were open, pro-
claiming the means by which I left
! one house and obtained entrance to the
other; Elsie drew vivid pictures of my
actions when / rushed in.o her bedroom
and sprang upon her stepmother; and
my own people supplied the rest. The
| adventure made a great impression and
was long remembered and spoken of,
and from the day OF its occurrence
was more carefully watched ait home.
When l asked the good woman
married to become my wife, related
| this incident Of my child-life to her.
She made light of it, and think it was
chiefly through her encouragement that
the adventure was known in my house
hold MY daughter, it appears, de-
scribed it to Mile. Rosalie as divert
| ing incident, and the woman Of multi
farious accomplishments treasured it
in her mind. During manhood my SOM
nambulistic pr0pensities occasionally
broke out, but they were always of the
most harmless kind, and / grew to re-
gard them as of small moment. Short
ly, however, after the engagement of
Eunice and Harry ] was greatly dis
turbed by an incident to which could
| attach no satisfactory explanation. My
wife told me that she woke in the night
1 and ] was not by her side. She was
about to rise and seek me, when 1 en-
tered the room, undressed myself and
lay down in bed, being all the time in
a sound sleep.
II have no remembrance" said, 'of
going anywhere or doing anything"
"You never have remarked my wife.
"It is very annoying" observed. Il
wish to Heaven they had thrown a
bucket of cold water over me when
was child. 1t might have cured me-"
1T might have killed you" said my
wife, gravely sit is too late now TO
fret over it, Richard"
II should not mind,' ] said, eff
could remember where go to, or what
/ do; but it is ell blank"
We spoke Of other matters, and went
down to breakfast. After the meal
my wife and l strolied in the garden
snd spent an idle hour there. My
daughter and Mile. Rosalie were in the
grounds, and Samuel Fleetwood made
his appearance to give me a report of
some task / had set him to do. When
he came toward nue. ] was conversing
with Mile. Resale, my wife and Eu-
nice being at a little distance, and 1
left my daughters governess to join
him. Certainly my mood was a pc
culiar one on this morning, for the
short conversation / had with Mile.
,Rosalie left an uncomfortable impress
sion upon me, And yet nothing was
spoken by her or me to account for it;
we had conversed on ordinary matters,
but there was in her manner q confid-
ing tenderness can think vS no other
words in which to describe (which
was new and strange to me.
after hearing Fleetwood's report
seferrvd to something had observed
as he approached me and Mile Resale.
She had nodded to him, with pleas
ant smile on her lips, and he had re-
turned neither the nod nor the smile.
[ inquired the reason.
II do not like her, sir" he said. after
pause.
For any particular reasons' ! asked.
mo, sir" he replied, after another
short pause. "NIy feelings toward her
may spring from prejudice"
SPEAK more plainly, Fleetwood"
! urged
"Well, SIR be said, @in the first