Year: 1869

short time. concluded to accept the
accommodations. as they were much
cheaper than could be had elsewhere.


entered the bar-room, and after reg
istering my name and eating light sup
per l asked to be shown to my room,
and was conducted up flight of rick
erty old stairs to small, square room,
where my guide left me. Proceeding to
examine the apartment, / found that it
contained one small window which look
ed on dark back alley. The furniture
consisted of a bed, q coulpe of chairs,
stand, and heavy oaken cupboard,
some three feet high and about six feet
long, with strong side doors. The ap-
pearance of the room did not disperse
the gloomy feelings Of distrust that ex
perienced when first saw the building
However, 1 determined to make the best
of it, now I was there.


1 noticed, before coming TO the room
that thick masses Of clouds were grad
ually gathering over the city, and the
quick flashes of lightning, that quiver-
ed across the western horizen denoted
an approaching storm.


Being very tired, 1 Immediately dis
robed and jumped into bed, and was
fast falling into dreamless slumher,
when low scratching sound attracted
my attention. It seemed to come from
some place in the room, but could not
tell exactly where. My nervousness in
creased rs the sound continued, till / de-
termined to ferret out tue cause Of the
disturbance. I jumped from the bed,
and looked cautiously around the room
for some time, but could discover moth
ing. The sound had entirely subsidized
and nothing could be heard save the
wind, which whistled mournfully by the
windows Or the distant rumbling Of the
thunder which denoted the approaching
storm.


At last concluded it must be the win
dow blind, or some such object driven
by the force of the wind against the
house. Arriving ut this conclu sion, l
again jumped into bed, and laid for
time, yainly endeavoring to sleep; it was
impossible; l busted myself watching
the expiring flames of the taper, till
stray gust of wind whistled through the
broken window and extinguished to OBJ
ject Of my attention.


The storm, which long had been
threatening. now bust forth in all its
wild grandeur The rolling thunder
grew louder at each successive report,
vivid flashes Of lightning dartel across
the heavens. Illuminating the room with
the lurid flame; so that every object was
plainly visible; the next moment pitch
darkness followed. SO impenetrable that
the most prominent objects were per
| fectly hidden to the eye. While lying
there, looking out from under the bed
clothes4 trembling with fear, the scratch
| ing sound commenced with renewed
vigor, maxim the room sound with the
peculiar noise which had long before an
noyed me.


I Large drops of Precipitation stood
upon my brow, and. rising to sitting
posture. I tremblingly gazed out into
the darkness, trying to discern the OBJ
jects, the lightning flashes penetrated
the room.


At that moment a livid sheet of radi-
ance passed before me, and in an instant
[ beheld a mans arm protruding from
the cupboard, while the hand grasped
as if for support. the strong oaken door.
l realized my situation Immediately,
and springing from the bed, grasped
heavy boot which lay near, and brand
ishing it over my head, breathlessly
awaited for the lightning again to ap.
pear. It was but moment ere q living
flash Of flame quivered through the air
revealing the head and shoulders of as
villainous a looking man as / ever be-
fore beheld. The left hand supported
the creeping form, while the other clutch
ed tightly large revolver The hand
was uplifted and our eyes met AS quick
as thought 1 bounded staight for the
rascal, yelling


You internal villain!


The only answer 1 received was the
sharp crack of a pistol, the ball whizing
by and lodging in the wall near me-
The next moment the heavy boot came
down with terrible crash on the ras-
calls facing, making him yell something |
that / was unable to understand, for q |
loud peal OF thunder drowned the SEN
tence


He iercely struggled to free himself
from the cupboard but by my repeating
the blow, he was obliged to push back
into his hiding place.


With movement certainly commend |
able, closed the heavy doors, grssped |
the onken structure by the top and pull
ed it over Oh his face and sprang upon
it, while the cursing which came from
within could scarcely be heard above
the raging Of the storm, which kept up
an incessant roar.


Undressed and trembling with fear,
for one long hour I sat yelling at the
top of my voice for assistance, but was
unheard on account of the ragin ele-
ments without.


At last the storm gradually abated,
and my cries were heard by the Irish
chambermaid who came running into
the room, but on seeing me in such an
unenviable position, she frantically ran
down stairs yelling 'murder!' with all
the vehemence her vigorous lungs would
permit. This brought to my room
crowd of excited individuals, all eager
to find out the cause of the disturbance


/ explained the case as wei. as my
shattered faculties would permit, but
was frequently interrupted by the
hlasnhemous harangue which the rob