Year: 1870




A RObber Under the Bed.


"You know, my dear, I was living in
the country at the time, my little grand.
daughter being my only companion. We
had two female servants and man ser
want, but he did not sleep in the house,
but in loft over the stable. One night,
late in autumn, went to bed at the usual
hour-nine o'clock. / was early, you see,
for fanny was only seven years old, and I
did net care to sit up alone after she was
in bed; besides, by the. time read my
chapter and said my prayers and undress-
ed myself, it was fully ten o'clock. Well,
on this particular night l went up as usu-
al. l first undressed the child and put her
to-bed then I made myself comfortable,
and got my bible, sat by the fre-it was
very cold for the season, and ! kept fire
in my room--and after had fnisned nv
chapter knelt to say my prayers my po-
sition as l -knelt was with my back to the
fire, and my face toward the bed. l had
scarcely got on my knees when l caught
sight Of something unusual under the bed;
on looking more attentively l could see it
was mans foot. My first impulse was
to scream, bat fortunately restrained my
self, and, the first shock over, was able
to think. l had no doubt that it was a
ro5ber, and that if he found he was dis
covered he might not stop short of murder.
dared not 60 to bed and pretend l did
not know he was there; and yet how to
get myself and child out of the room,
without exciting suspicion, I could not i'm
agine. These thoughts passed through
my brain in half the time 1 have taken to
tell you and was about to rise from my
knees, when suddenly recollected that by
doing so at once might in itself excite sus-
picion for aught l knew, it might be soma
one who knew my habits, perhaps even
my own servant, though ! had no reason
to suspect him. At all events, I determin-
ed to remain some time longer as if en-
gagged in my devotions. I need not tell
you that I could not give much heed to my
prayers, bat I did ask for protection and
guidance. You know, dear, that am a
slow, methodical old woman, ,and that I sell
aom get through my prayers in less than a
quarter of an hour, SO l now determined
not to stir for at least ten minutes. What
an age that ten minutes seemed never
took my eyes off the foot until just before
arose, when it was slowly Withdrawn
put Of my sight. When ! saw it move, !
felt faint with fright, for feared lest the
man had suspected, and was going to come
out; however he remained quiet, and then
got up from my knees. The next thing
to be done was to get the child out of bed
without causing any alarm. Speaking as
calmly as was able, I asked her if she
were awake; she answered in rather q
sleepy tone, but aroused herself as I con-
tinued speaking. ''Fanny, DEAR" I said
~ have left my keys below stairs'-I fell
q little uneasy at.the falsehood, but hope
it was not wrong-"and l cannot undresl
without them; l don't like going down
myself; would you mind getting up and
coming with me?' She jumped out of bed
in moment, and having wrapped shawl
round her, I pushed her before me; then
when opening the door, I managed to tai
out the key and put it in the other side. =
then shut the door and locked it and then
my dear, I could no longer control myself
| shrieked several times at the top of my
voice and tainted. After all poor Joseph
the coachman was faithful, for one of the
maids called him in, and, armed with q
pitchfork, secured the robber, who was
trying to get out of the window"


Here was an instance of retention oi
presence of mind in the face of apparent
danger, and the loss of self-control when
the danger had passed. Habit had much
to do in the preservation of the cerebral
equilibrium, as we see, for instance, in the
sailor who goes aloft, without feeling any
inclination to come down "by the rum
and in the matador in the bull ring, whose
fate depends on his coolness. Education,
also, no doubt, assists in keeping the brain
in order. Yet here, again, we have nu.
merous instances Of presence of mind in
the humber and less educated ranks in
life.


CHEAP ICE.-The use of ice has become