The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-01-17

GHE GOT DOWN CLOSE TO KISS HIN.
chargers neck. His mamma had pu
them round her neck. and they haC
looked very fine there, and they woult
look fine round the speck!ed charger
neck, even IL his neck wasn't as roun(
aud white and pretty as mammals. 81
for a moment Robbie was just bii
enyious. Then he had looked back a
Sambo, maufully scraping at the tddi,
and dancing TO It's silent time, and his
envy slipped away Sambo was wortl
a hundred strings Of beads, and papa
had given Sambo to him Instead Of {;
mamma, SO mamma ought TO have the
! beads, and he was glad she'd got them
but little sorry for her that she hadn'
got Sambo instead Sambos must
cost great deal OF money. though. and
I papa, rich as he was, couldn't be ex.
I pected to buy two Sambos for the same
\ Christmas SO II had been only pass
ing shadow for Robbie, so light and
fieeting that II had scarcely dlmmed
I the brilliancy of the Christmas tree nj
4 all
1 But now Robbie was more certain
than ever that the beads must be some
thing very choice, else his mamma
would not be so particular about hid
ing them away from robbers.
Il know where I'll put them" he
U hau rI hnr Ea nG
down and shut In the beautiful beads
''ln the fireplace right down in this cor.
ner. Therel And this spray Of holly
thrown over 1t quite hides the box. No
burglar would think of looking there
for It, And tomorrow, Robert, you
must put them in the safe deposit
vault. It's too valuable a necklace to
keep here In the house
Just look at Robbie He's taken his
sword and gun TO bed with him" she
added, coming nearer the cot. Why
you're awake, dearle, aren't your she
smiled Then she bent over and kissed
him q second good nlght-such beat
tiful, beautiful mamma she was whol
-
after they had smiled into each others
eyes and she had laid her soft cheek
against his for one delicious moment
she and papa went out, and it was
dark again But the dark was very
nice and nothing whatever to be afraid
Of. Afraid. Why, there was his faith
full gun right where he could lay his
hand on I'll 1t was on 1t this very
minute! And just beyond was his
trusty sword And right there by the
bedpost waited the speckled charger
ready to fee with him If necessary.
And over there by the chimney, stand
ing guard, was Sambo, as true SEN
tinel as ever scraped noiseess fiddle!
So there was nothing ut all TO be afraid
of, even If II was dark. And there
were such sweet thoughts in his mind
now that there would have been no
room for fear even II there had been
anything to be afraid of-thoughts
wherein the speckled charger the
faithful gun and trusty sword and
even the genial Sambo himself re
treated into the background, while In
the foreground, very near, was the
vision of Il lovely face with the ten
derest and most beautiful eyes looking
into his. SO had be dropped to dreams
again, forgetting the dear toys In the
dearer love for his mamma.
He awakened second time to be
hold a very different vision. At fiji
be almost believed IT was one of those
horrible Nightmares of which he had
bad not more than one or two during
his short life. But even while almost
believing 1t was one he knew quite
well that II wasn't, He knew II was
mana real, live, dreadful man
standing there within foot OF the
bed and flashing queer little beam
OF light around the room. The light
behind the lantern was 80 dim thai
Robbie could scarcely make out the
face of a man at all, but that only
added TO his conviction that the face
was truly horrible, and he knew very
well what the man was and what be
was there for.
Robbie hadn't lived all his little III
In n city house without knowing wha
a burglar was. True, he had never seen
one before, but Charlie Stuart had told
mamma said particularly that one
woudnii Still he might. and they
were such pretty beads. and his NAM
ma had seemed 10 like them so much.
II would be a shame II he should find
them and carry them off and mamma
should never see them agalnl
Robbie reached softly for bis gun.
Yes. there II vast And there. just be
yond IL, was the sword. And then sud
denly he couldn't see the beam creep
Ing up aud down and round the room,
but In place of II quite small but
dazzling light was right ia front OF his
wide staring eyes, and he heard q voice
not at oil pleasant or kind, though i
was low, saying: Don't yer make
noise. kid Not sound, or III The
unfinished threat was quite as terrible
as II the burglar had gone into minute
particulars Of what be would do. But
that unusual light In front OF bis eyes
and the voice had completely unnerved
Robbie, and be had no Intention OF
making a nolse-in fact he couldn't
have made one IL he had tried. 80
when the burglar whispered hoarseiy,
Where's them sparkiers hidg Robbie
was speeehiess. For another instant
ihe bright light stared him 10 the face
and then wayered away and wandered
on over The room
4 don't s'p0se the hid knows" Rob
tie heard the man mut,er. Now was
the time for him 10 reach for his gun
and send the burglar scainpering. but
sword and gun were quite forgotten In
he fearful fascination Of watching t'e
wandering beam of Fight and The am
fgare behind II. Into this corner ana