UNDER THE BED

Dunstan Times, Issue 1058, 28 July 1882, Page 4

UNDER THE BED

The man under the bed does not always prove a myth. Perhaps it is an actual fact that women who pray look for him more regularly than others of a less spiritual turn ot mind ; when the good women kneels at the bedside to offer her devotions, it is the most natural thing in the world for her to first explore territory anti satisfy herself that no concealed burglar is listening. It is also a well authenticated fact that a pious woman in the suburbs of London did discover the legs of a bold, had house-hreaker sticking out just as she began her petition. She did not shriek, but went on with a prayer for that particular sinner that would have melted the heart of a Newgate thief. I wish that it might be added that he was converted on the spot, came out, and was pardoned, and nf:erwards married the petitioner. But truth compels me to add that the good woman was interrupted in th* most solemn part of her prayer by a peal of laughter from the graceless young brother who enacted the part ot a burglar.

More tragic was the story of the lady who, travelling alone, stopped at an inn and mentioned the fact that she had been followed and watched by a villainous-looking man with a shock of red hair, whom she ■feared had designs upon the valuables she carried with her. As nothing was seen ofhim at the inn, she retired for the night, carefully locked the door, and was soon in bed, leaving a light burning in front of a mirror. No sooner was her head on the pillow than she had a distinct view of the man with the red hair onur lag under the bed. She made no sound, lint reached softly for a scarf she had laid near, made it into a running noose, and waited. The next morning when her servants broke open the door, they found the lady sitting up in the bed, giasping with both hands the noose, in which she held the fearful weight of the dead man ; she had strangled Irim, but was herself a raving maniac, from whom reason had forever flown.

Some time ago a prominent judgedn Birmingham, N H., was found murdered in his own house, and no eluo to the innrderei. It was immediately after an adverse decision he had made in a case i f great importance, and the murder was supposed to have been instigated by a desire for revenge, but all the parties were respectable people, it was imuossible to fasten the guilt on any one. The judge was a widower, and lived alone, with the exception of a youug daughter and tire servants. This daughter was beautiful ; and on the evening in question had returned home from a ball at a late hour and gone directly to her own room, where she stood before her mirror taking off her jewels As she did so, she held her white and rounded arm above her head, and, conscious of its beauty, said aloud: “What a beautiful arm!” little thinking the idle remark of such consequence as it pro-ed to be in the tragedy that followed. The girl both saw and heard her father’s murderer, but as he was masked, failed to distinguish his features, but always declared she should know his voice if ever she heard it. Several years passed, and in another city she was standing in a crowd observing some passing sight, when she was conscious of the curious regard of a stranger who stood near. Looking at her with a singular intensity. he made his remarks : “ Oh, the beautiful arm !” She knew the voice in an instant, and throwing herself bodily on the man, denounced him as her father’s murderer. Ho was arrested, tried, and convicted, and told how he had lain hidden under the bed and heard the idle remark of the young girl which she herself had been scarcely conscious of. Ho had recognised her on meeting her, and involuntarily betrayed himself, as he had been a stranger and an unsuspected party.