Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-03-15

| touhu the noise mad been made by a
piece Of boys kite that had caught
on the window shutter, and she erept
back 10 bed, thanking her lucky stars
she had not been compelled to shoot
a burglar, no matter how bold and bad
be might be.
II was seldom that Mrs. Fisher went
away from home, but one afternoon
she went to call on an old friend she
had known down in the state. Sally
was at school, and before the little
woman left the house she gathered up
the few pieces Of jewelry belonging
70 herself and her daughter and also
the silyerware and put il away.
! must hide 1t in some place where
the burglars will not be able to find
II, she said to herself as she looked
about the little fiat.
Finally her eyes alighted on the
coy corner. That was just the place.
she thought. So she put the stuff I'M
der the numerous sofa pillows and
after locking all the doors and win
dows went away.
When she came home she found
some one had been in the house. The
dresser drawers were open and there
were other evidences that some one
had been through the fat hurriedly.
Trembling in every limb, she hurried
to the sideboard to see if the silver
was there. Ii was gone. Then she
rushed 70 the dresser to find the jewel.
~, and II had vanished. The poor
little woman had forgotten that she
had put It safely away before she left
the fiat and she was in a terrible state
when her daughter arrived.
oh Sally. we've been robbed; we've
been robbed" she walled. as she ran
sobbing into the arms of the young
teacher.
Are you sure, mother?" asked the
girl, soothingly is there anything
missing?n
The knives and forks and spoons
are all gone, and the brooch your ia
Their gave me when we were married
is also gone. oh, dear, and thought
so much Of Il, too, and we've nothing
left but wooden-handled knives and
forks and your pretty ruby ring is
gone. wish we had never come to
this town know we will all be killed
in our beds some night and everything
We have will be stolen from us
But, mother, was home this after
noon. ] came after some examination
papers had forgotten and | was in
such hurry that | left the dresser
drawers open. Are you sure you didn't
hide the silyerware before you went
away?"
And then the little mother remem-
bered. She hurried to the coy corner.
and. turning over the pillows, found
all the stun just where she had placed
ii.
Sally threw her arms about her
mother and kissed her tenderly and
that was all.
These two false alarms served to in
crease Sally's courage. She began TO
feel quite brave and imagined herself
ready for any emergency, but little
thought how soon her new-found oour-
age would be pat 10 the test.
1t was few days after the last scare
that she was detained at the school
house much later than usual in order
to make out certain papers due at the
end OF the week.
II was dusk and getting nearly dark
when she left the schoolhouse with her
little handbag on her arm. She walked
briskly to the car line, for she decided
that II would not be safe TO walk home
at that hour OF the night.
She had TO wait some time for
car, for it was al that time of the
night when all Chicago seems to be
climbing onto the street cars, and those
that passed where she stood on the
corner were packed from top TO bot
tom and people were sticking all over
the outside like burs TO a tramp's coat
She waited and waited, thinking she
might discover a car in which she
could find seat, as she was tired and
did not like the idea of hanging to a
strap all the rough way home.
She was thinking Of the days work
and a little bit worried over one of ner
pupils who did not seem to be doing
Just as she thought he ought, so she
did not think so much about the car
as she might have under other circum-
stances.
But she was rudely awakened from
her preooCupation by gruff voice:
Il will trouble you for your pocket
book" were the startling words she
heard.
She started violently and turned TO
look into the eyes of a roughly dressed
man. She glanced about to see II there
was anyone near to whom she might
turn for assistance, but the streets for
the moment were deserted The man
had evidently been waiting for the
time when she would be alone before |
he approached her
Seeing II was useless to make an
outcry. Sally handed him the handbag
and as she did so looked up at him
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