Norwich bulletin., 1914-08-14

Mrs. Gray opened the door and look ed out. The wind roared and .howled, and almost threw her back Into the room; the rain whipped around the corner of the house with such force that 1t stung her face like hail. and she closed the door and bolted it and returned to the cosy living room with Mrs. Gray was alone, as she had been for the last year, with no one but the cat for company and she was realizing at last that it was a state not without its serious drawbacks. 1t had not always been like this, for but ten years ago she had been a happy bride. with no shadows to darken the future, but alas, for the plans of brides and bridegrooms, about two years previous to this stormy night burglar scare had happened Tn broken into. and the best silver, only used on state occasions, stolen. MT, Gray had shown some uneaSineSs about their own bridal silver and his other valuable lying about. but Mrs. Gray, strange to say. declared that she certainly was not afraid of any burglar that ever walked, and further more that if any of that guild ever entered her home and she knew 1t, they would bitterly regret their folly.
 This show of bravado greatly irri- tated NIT. Gray, who replied with some heat about the bravery of women in general; and, as is usually the case. one word led to another until this hitherto loving couple retired with An- ger in their hearts.
 In the morning instead of making up, as any right minded couple should have done. some perverse fate made them more disagreeable than ever; and so matters went on with little or no change for almost a year, until af- ter an unusually nagging time Of 1t, John arranged his affairs so that his wife should be well cared for. and packed his trunk and left for parts unknown.
 At first a scandal was caused in the village by such unheard of pro- ceedings: but Mrs. Gray declared de- fiantly that she was glad of it, and that she could now begin to enjoy her life. as she had not been able to do when living with a cranky man.
 But after awhile time begun to hang heavy on her hands after she had scrubbed and cleaned until there was no longer any dirt to clean, and all the mild .dissipations of village life had been exhausted, she sometimes found herself wondering if after all they had not been foolish. Then she, for such strong minded woman. began to have attacks of nerves" and was haunted In her dreams Dy burglars breaking into the house. and taking the best silver. So disturbed did she become that she hid the silver in the attic and went to sleep with Johns revolver under the pillow.
 About this time more rumors begun to circulate about a masked man seen on the outskirts of the town ana at tempted robberies in adjoining towns and Mrs. Gray's nerves became worn so thin that the cat hardly dared purT in the house. It is quite certain that if John had but returned at this time he would have been received with open arms, but he did not come, and night ly the doors were bolted and barri- caded with heavy furniture and pans hung about them, while the windows were carefully nailed down. The poor woman worked herself into a panic and on the stormy night we speak ot she huddled herself into the big chaiI by the fire. and every time the wind shook the big maple by the corner oi the\house she would shake with terror
 About 10 o'clock she made every thing secure, put the cat in his bed and went upstairs. For long time she lay listening to the rain and wind