Year: 1868

said nothing about leaving us, and
began to fear that her courage would
outlast my powder, when on the third
night of the campaign fortune came to
my support IN an unexpected and de
clslve manner.


In spite of the continuous state
mentS that | read from the paper de
falling horrible murders committed
by desperate burglars, q rose an hour
before my accustomed time each NOR
ming, in order to obtain possession of
the paper.) [ need not say that to-
tally disbelieved in the existence of
robbers in our neighborhood. On the
night in question, however, I was sud
denly awakened by the explosion of
an alarm apparently in the lower part
of the house. "Robbers at last" |
whispered to my wife, and rising hur-
riedly, threw on few clothes, aud
taking my revolver stole softly to the
head of the stairs. 1t was perfectly
dark, and | could see absolutely moth.
ing, but tcould distinctly hear some one
cropping his way along the lower hall
Convinced that it was in reality a case
OF burglary, | suddenly called to the
fellow to surrender at once, or he was
a dead man. There was no reply
but the steps began hurriedly to re.
cede, ard in another moment the bur.
glar fell over chair with a loud crash.
Almost at the same instant | fired in
the direction Of the sound. A ghast
| ly groan answered the discharge of
the pistol, and then all was still.
went back to my room and pro.
curing a light returned to the hall
What was my horror at finding aunt
Jane living senseleSs on the floor


| rushed to her side, and picked
her up just as consciousness returned
and she began to cry out that she
was killed. | was really afraid al
first that | had shot her, but sOor
found though badly frightened she
was uninjured. Ny ball had entered
the wall at some distance from where
she was lying, and had done no dam
age except to the plaster.


| gradually leaned that my unfor
tunate relative had risen during the
night in search of water, aud that in
endeavoring to reach the ice-pitchel
the dining room, she had exploded
the alarm which | had placed over
the dining room door. The noise
frightened her so badly that she was
returning to her room without the
water when she heard my demand foI
her surrender. In her fright she did
not recognize me; out in her turn
mistook me for burglar, and was
trying to escape from the house when
| fired upon her.


Nothing would convince her that
had not tried - shoot her and thoupt
she did not directly accuse me OF al
attempt at murder, she snIned lnCred
ulously at my explanation. She sale
she would 90 as soon as daylight ap
peared, for her life was not safe il
my house. | am inclined to think
that she was right. To be continual
| ly shifted at, will render the mildest
man desperate in time.


She kept her word and left US il
the morning, vowing that she woulC
never return. The next day reaC
to my wife an imaginary account of
the arrest of the entire gang of bur
glars infesting our neighborhOOd, anC
Immediately thereafter discontinued
the use of the alarms. As Aunt Jant
will never pay US another visit, | d
not know that have any further uS
for them, and will therefore disp0s
of them at half price to any one a
ficted with undesirable relations
Judiciously used in such cases the
cannot fail to drive out the most dc
termined visitor.