The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-02
A Woman's Eye
For a Defensive
Position
By SADIE oLcoTT.


great deal and our house being Ia
the country. he proposed that ! keep
pistol within reach | told him that |
| would be more afraid Of the pistol
than an enemy. but he said that quite /
likely If | were cornered ! would sur |
prise myself. He had been soldier
In the Spanish-American war and had
learned by experience that under the
excitement of battle one forgets danger
He bought me a revolver. first show
ed me how il worked with empty
chambers, then filled them. We had
an old fashioned hatrack in the hall.
with a little box on 1t for hat brush
Tom said the box would be good
place to keep the revolver. There was
a lid to it with hinges. and the weapon
would be concealed there. If any one
came 10 the house with evil intent he
would come TO the door and could
take up the revolver before opening
it. All of which was very fine. but !
was sure that | would never have the
nerve to shoot any one.
The thing remained in the box for
three years. | never passed II without
a shudder. One day q tramp came
along and asked for food. didn't like
his looks aud would have told him to
move on. but | was afraid of him.
gave him something to eat. and while
eating he was taking in the situation
When he had finished the meal, which
| it was plain he didn't want. be arose
| from the table and. instead of leaving.
| deliberately walked upstairs.
| was frightened out of my wits |
was willing that he should take every
| thing in the house if he would only
let me alone | heard him rummaging
upstairs and knew that he was help,
ins himself to my valuables. Ii did
not take long for my mind TO be turn
ed from fear 10 Indignation at the
mans appropriating my belongings
There were some articles of value
among them. but what excited my an
ger was the thought that he would
take my engagement ring. which bad
left ON the bureau in my bedroom
Tom had given it to me when he was
poor. and it had cost very little money,
! L
had
Listening TO the man rummaging,
became more and moye indignant til
at last | got mad, not angry, but mad
That's the only word to express my
feelings
Then thought a bit The MAI
would come down the staircase afte
taking what be wanted. 1t occurred
to me that with revolver in my hanC
| would have a great advantage Owe
him. | lifted the lid of the box. bu
drew back. The pistol looked so dead
is. Then | put my hand on it ant
took it out. holding it from me.
At that moment l heard the man il
the hall above. and concluded tina
if L were going to save my prop
erty | had better be up and doing
The thought of his going away wit
my engagement ring put nerve int
me. and fixed my attention o.
enough of it for my purpose-on tn
revolver. but. still holding 1t ava
from me. cooked it
The living room door was hung i
such IA way that when it was open
5 could stand in the angle it made wit
1 the wall and through the space lei
e between door and wall see up the stat
+ case and be largely protected. | "a
into the living room, took up a pos
: ton behind my improvised fortres
and put the muZzle of the revolvC
through the opening. When the ma
/ a ~. 1..s,.
thought ! was going TO faint. but I'll
e sight of lot of my things he had
his hands and his buging pocke
made me forget fright in a desire I
save them
You just drop those things Gale
! in an angry voice.
S The man stopped and looked abol
t him for the person who had spoke
G | ratified the revolver against the doc
5 He saw it. and a change came ov
e him.
l. Drop them | shouted
d He dropped what he had in his ham
y on the steps
n Now empty your pockets"
d He did as | directed
d Turn them inside out
r, He obeyed
l. Now walk out the front door"
II He obeyed with alacrity.
d BY this time | was brave as a Ii
d and was seized with a desire to pu
J. ish him. After he had passed O
through the door | followed him a
pointed the revolver at him. In my {
element | unintentionally pulled [
trigger. He started to run.
:, At the moment a man in a bug
- drove by and. hearing the shot a
- seeing the man run, took after him.
= the pursued turned. pulled a piS
= and fired at his pursuer, who. bel
d unarmed. gave up the chase
al Tom came home before my protec
J" left. He told Tom that | had fired
"a the man and missed him | was a N
III vel of courage. and he was sure thai
IT | bad not been hampered by skirt