Year: 1866

STbe ,ioor was locked when got home,
said Tom, "and how to get in without
waking the governor, was the diiheulty'
7 knew he would give me particular fts
if he knew was out after ten, and the
clock had Just struck one. The back
ward was an impossibility, and but one
cbance remained. There was porch
over the front door, the roof of which was
but n few feet below two windows One
of them knew was fastened down, and
the other one opened from bedroom
which might or might not be occupied
An old maiden sister Of the governor
wife had arrived on the same day, and II
was very probable that she was IN that
roam but knew the bed was in the cor
ner furthest from the window, and | hored
I should be able to get through the room
without awakening her, and then l would
have a comparatively easy thing OF IT.


80, getting plank from neighbor-
ing board pile, l rested it against the caves
of the porch, pulled off my Shoes pu.
them in my pocket, and 'cooned. All
right so far, but thought 1T nee 'ssary,
in order not to arouse suspicion in the
morning, to remove the plank. So l
dragged it up and threw it off the end.
Down it went, with an awful clatter, and
struck stray dog that had followed me
two or three squares, and who Immediately
set ND the most awful howl that hound
ever gave tongue to. This started half
a dozen dogs in the neighborhood to bark


ing; mocking bird in the window above
commenced whistling as if he intended
to split his throat at it and an old wo-
man, in her night clothes, with candle
in her hand, appeared at a window across
the street. knew that | was safe as far
as she was concerned, but if any one came
to our windows, the candle gave enough
light to have probably discovered me
Nobody did come, however, and the old
lady, after peering up and down the
street for minute or two, popped IN her
head and retired. The mockmg bird still
kept up his eternal whistle, and 1T was
full half an hour before it and the dogs
settled down and gave chance to move


Il then crept slowly along the wall
until | reached the window, when put
nv hand on the sill, sprang up, and with
my legs hanging down, stopped to listen
Yes. she was in that room, for l was sure
I could hear her breathing. After wait
ing fol a minute, cautiously drew up
one leg and then the other, drew them
around, put them down to the floor, and
was Just conscious that l had stepped on
something soft and yielding, and was
about Withdrawing them. when wild
veil broke out at my feet. The old maid
Jumped from her bed, crying, Murder !!
And the mocking bird started again. A
little darkey was lying on her back under
the window, and had put my foot on her
face, and, of course, woke her up.


"I decided in a moment what to do
The house would be aroused, and was
caught to certainty. If l could only
get to my room before the governor was
up but l hadn't moment to lose, for
the little darkey was screaming away; SO
l started for the door, made three steps
struck chair, tumbled it over, of course
making the greatest racket that ever you
heard in the dead hour of night in 9
peaceable house: The darkey and the
old maid screamed louder than ever, and
it seemed to me that the mocking birG
whistled louder than steam whistle, and
together they made noise as loud al
Julien's full orchestra.


at reached the door, however, and qui
etly and quickly opened it, and just go
into the hall in time to see the old gen
tleman open his door, and with a candl
in his hand, come hurrying up the stairs
Now was the critical time. There was


wardrobe near where stood, and spran,
behind it. Up came the governor, h
reached the door, opened it, and went in
and in the meantime there we're all sort
of confusion and inquiries down stairs a
to what was the matter. Nobody els
came up, and from where | stood hear
every word of the inquiries and explana
tions in the room. Of course they coul
not make much out of it. The little dal
key was too much frightened and to
sound asleep at the time to understan
: the truth, and the result was they cam
to the conclusion that she had bee


dreaming, and the governor, after givin