The Washington times., 1906-04-15
The Last Hiqht.

On the last night Of my imp-isoa-
ment was resting in my chair in ths
kitchen. sitting on my feet. for il was
quite cold Adele was sitting in my
lap. Frank came in suddenly. and
there was a noise as OF some heavy
falling object IN the bedroom I could
not see what had happened. for Ia
had pasted paper over the kitchen
door keyhole that morning 70 keep
me from looking out. and would not
have dared 10 break through the
paper, for that would have destroyed
one OF his marks" I called out and
asked what was the matter. and he
replied that I knew very well vi =
the trouble was. 7 said did not, and
then he told me that he had placed z
bricklayer's plumb rule against the
door that morning, and that he had
found IL two ana h.lf inches out Oe
line when il fell to the floor He said
one Of the men in the house must
have been Up there ! tried TO argl6
with him. but il did no good ] then
asked him 70 go down stairs and ask
the people in the house If any one had
been Up 20 see ne he said he would
do this but II they denied IL down
stairs he would know that had seen
some one anyway He went OOUlA
stairs and returned in a few moments.
saying that they had denied II, but II
didn't make any difference. he knew
the plumb rule was out Of position
be seized The kitchen bucket and
struck me over the head with Il, Du-
Il did not hurt nearly as bad as bib
fists lie pounded me N the l2Ca
until 7 could not stand up
The next morning he walked me up
unusually early, and while I was get
ting breakfast he became enraged at
something and began hitting me u the
face Finally I told him I could not
continue 10 work unless he stopped
Then he sat down IN q kitchen chair
with his back 10 the bedroom door,
He had been across the hall TO get
water that morning. and when h9
came back in the room ne foTgot 20
put the paddock on the door. saw
this out OF the corner OF my eye and
I realized that my one chance had
come. I started into the bedroom
Immediately he asked me where 7
was going. 7 said ! was going 10 get
a handkerchief SO 1 could wipe the
blood out Of my eyes This answer
satisfied him. and while ne was sitting
with his back 70 the door 1 crept up
and turned the knob as softly as pos
sib @. for I knew that II he caught
me II would mean my death
As the latch yielded made q dash
for the stairs I had not put on my
shoes that morning so I suppose he
did not hear me at first ! ran down
the steps and tried the first door, 1C
was locked Ny knees gave way and
my heart jumped into my throat so
that I could not breathe I ran TO 1he
second door on the ground floor. IG
was unlocked, and burst n SDon a
man and his wife who had not yet
risen. ] fell in heap on the floor as
! heard Frank hurrying down the
back stairs. he thought I had gone
down that way as II was the nearest
stairway 10 our door. I heard him
ask the landlady Tor me. and then he
began searching in the wOodShed and
coal bin All this time the lady IN
the room was trying 10 quiet ns
while her husband was dressing 70 go
for a policeman They could not
doubt my story for my face was black
and bloody and my hand was feSter-
ed with the wound of the knife
I heard Frank so up stairs, and then
they told me that he had taken my
child out with him In a short tins
he returned with the baby, and after
staying IN the room for a few no
ments- he came down. alone BY this
time 1 had dressed IN some clothes
that the people OF the house had loan
ed me, and went down TO swear out q
warrant.
When we came back with an officer
We found that the door of the bed
in we found my baby, and she was
all right in spite OF the fact that
Frank had turned the gas on before
he left the room I suppose II we
had been gone an hour longer nv
little girl would have been dead
Is she concluded her story. Mrs
Dement, pressed her passionately 20
her breast While she had been ten-
ing this story little Adele an unv
usually pretty child with golden hair
and blue eyes. had been playing
around the room. too young 10 real
ize that she had been an eyewitness
Of the most tragic six months OF suf-
fering that ever ranspired n tha
heart Of q. ciyilized coIrrnlInsfv