Mrs,Dercg's Deril.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 295, 25 September 1873, Page 7

Mrs,Dercg's Deril.

(From " London Society.") Though I am a soldier's wife, I fear I can lay claim to but a small portion of the, courage which is usually attributed to them. Arthur Percy, captain in her Majesty's dragoons, is my husband, and the adventure I am about to relate befell me about eighteen months after our marriage, when the | regiment was quartered in Ireland. A detachment was stationed in one of the most unquiet parts of that country, which I refrain, from obvious reasons, from naming. Arthur was ordered to take command of it, and so I, of course, accompanied him with our baby, an infant of about five months. We thought ourselves very fortunate in having secured a small, but extremely pretty cottage at an almost nominal rent, distant about a mile from the barracks. I cannot better describe the cottage than by telling you that it was called "The Bungalow," and, like its namesake, was a long onestoried building, with a verandah in front of the principal windows. A small entrance hall, in which were two doors, was the first thing observed on entering; one led to the drawingroom, dining-room, and three bedrooms, while the other led directly to the kitchen, servants' rooms, and into a passage leading to the outer offices. Our establishment consisted of two women servants and one man ; tbe latter, being a soldier, returned every night to the barracks, which happened to be the nearest habitation to us, not even the humblest dwelling breaking the loneliness of the way between them and bhe Bungalow. I have already said that the distance from them was about a mile, and the road, which was partly grass grown, lay through a narrow sort of lane, enclosed on each side by very high hedges. These hedges were a continual horror to me. Scarcely ever did I see Arthur start in the morning without visions arising of desperadoes behind them, dressed in the inevitably long-tailed, narrow brimmed hat, and the murderous weapon, all of which things I invariably associated with an Irish ruffian. The dragoons had been sent to quell some risings, and to support the authorities, consequently they were not regarded by the natives in any very friendly light. As the weeks went on, and every afternoon brought Arthur safely back to me, my fears were somewhat allayed, and occasionally I walked through the lane towards the town to meet him — always, however, feeling glad when I got safely past any chance passer-by whom I might encounter. Arthur used to laugh at my fears, and, as I knew I was a desperate coward, I tried to think they were groundless, and merely the result of my own natural timidity. The year was drawing to a close, and on the 10th of January, we were told to bid adieu to the Bungalow, Ireland, and the Irish. The regiment was under orders for England, in spring, and till then Arthur was to go on leave. I was in raptures at the prospect of being settled in my own part of the world again, and, best of all, leaving Ireland, against which I entertained so profound a prejudice. It was Christmas Eve ; Arthur was obliged, most unwillingly, io spend it at the barracks, as the few officers there wished to have a farewell dinner, and, in addition, there was to be an entertainment for the soldiers at an early hour. It had been snowing heavily all day, and when Arthur left, about half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, darkness was beginning to come on. I had begged of him not to return if the snow continued, as I knew it might be very late ere the party broke up, and I could not bear the idea of his coming home through that dark, narrow road, in the middle of a snowy December nighb. If he did come he was to tap at my window, which would enable me to let him in without disturbing the servants, who slept at the other side of the house. After I had watched his figure disappear, I re-entered the cottage, with 1 a disagreeable sense of solitude and weariness, which I tried to dispel by ringing for the nurse to bring my baby, stirring the fire into a cheerful blaze, and otherwise occupying myself. Though almost quite dark, it was, now only about four o'clock, and the blinds in the little sitting-room were still undrawn. I was sitting on the hearthrug, with baby on my lap, amusing her with my watch and glittering appendages, which were an unfailing source of pleasure to her; and as Bhe stretched out her little hands to grasp them, I waß suddenly attracted to the direction of the window, through which, to my unutterable horror, I distinguished distinctly the face of a, man gleaming upon me. In that swift, momentary glance, I could see that it was a pale, sinister, malevolent countenance, with small hungry eyes. ' My heart beat wildly, but I dissembled my terror well, I suppose, as, had I done otherwise, baby and I might have fared differently. So rapidly had I comprehended the necessity for appearing not to have observed him, that I hardly stopped speaking to my baby ; but a thousand projects for escape from my .present "position revolved themselves through my whirling brain. How could I escape from tnat little room, with its ddartk t unshaded window? Furtively I looked again, and was infinitely relieved to find that the. an*

parition had vanished, for the present at least, from its late close proximity to the window. I got up at lasb, still . Shattering to my unconscious child, and \ moved slowly towards the door, even pausing for an instant at the table, . partly to gather strength to proceed, . as my limbs were tottering beneath ; me ; partly because I dreaded lest the lurker without might still be marking my movements. I had scarcely strength left to turn the' handle of the door, but once on the other side of it, I rushed across the little hall, and gained the kitchen, where I found my two domestics seated at their tea. I briefly told j them of the fright I had got, and was much reassured on finding that both were, if possible, greater cowards than I was myself. The sound of a whistle at no great distance from the cottage roused me to the necessity of instan f ly making every place as secure as possible. Accompanied by two trembling servants, and with baby in my arms, I began my ? tour of inspection. At last, every bolt 'was drawn, every shutter closed, and nothing more remained to be done. I found, on looking at the clock, that it was a little past five, so that a long evening was before me. Not a sound wa.s to be heard, nothing fresh occurred to alarm us in the least, and at last I grew almost ashamed of the panic I had given way to, merely from having seen a man glance through the window. Very probably he was some strolling vagrant who had been attracted by the bright light of the fire to look in, without an idea of doing us any harm. So I reasoned with myself, and so 1 tried to reassure the servants. Under any circumstances, I was glad to feel that wo were safely shut up for the night, and determined to go soon to my room, where I felt less lonely than in the empty drawing-room. Had there not been the chance of Arthur returning, I would have proposed that the servants should sleep in a bed there happened to be in his dressing-room; but as they assured me they were not at all afraid, now that nothing more had been heard of the man, and I knew it would be a great nuisance to Arthur if he did return, I concluded that it was wiser to let them sleep in their own room, though it was at some distance from mine. I went to my room at about halfpast nine, and proceeded to undress ; after which I put on my white flannel dressing-gown, placed my candles behind me, and seating myself in front of the fire, began to read. In spite of all my assurances to myself and my servants, I felt strangely nervous and restless. My book was a very interesting one: but it failed to obliterate from tny mind the horrible remembrance of the face at the window. Perhaps he was there still — perhaps he was watching for Arthur's return to waylay and murder him. All sorts of wild visions presented themselves to my mind. Once bkby moved slightly, and it made me start nearly to my feet with terror. I was thoroughly upset, and the only thought that consoled me was, that I had begged Arthur not to return; so he was, no doubt, safely at the barracks little dreaming of my state of mind. It" was snowing heavily still. I knew it by the dropping that came steadily down the chimney. The atmosphere seemed to choke me, somehow. And ever and anon I found *myself listening intently. The hall clock struck eleven, every stroke vibrating through me, Still I sat on , my fire growing dim, and myself feeling cramped, cold, and almost immovable. What was I so afraid of? I asked myself a hundred times. I could not tell ; it was a vague, shadowy terror that seemed to be chaining me down. I had heard of people's hair turning white in a night from fear. Surely mine would be snowy as the .ground without, if I had to spend the whole night thus. O, for the sound of Arthur' 3 voice — perhaps I should never hear it again ; perhaps he would never know what a night I had spent, as either he or I might be murdered before morning. Half pasteleven — only thirty minutes since the clock struck. In eight hours our servant from the barracks would come, even if Arthur had settled not to return till the morning — eight hours of this ! A quarter from twelve! By a mighty effort I forced myself to get up; glancing at the glass, my own ghostly reflection terrified me. I laid my watch nnder my pillow, and was in the act of lying down beside bady — not to sleep, as till two o'clock I should hope for Arthur — when a sound, awful, wild, unearthly, broke the stillness of the dark December night. It was a scream from a woman's voice in dire distress ; another followed, and it came from somewhere within the house. Not a moment did I hesitate. Springing out of bed, and putting on only my slippers, happily having kept on my dressing-gown, I seized up my child, pausing only to snatch up her little shawl that lay beside her on the bed, I unbarred my shutters, opened the window, and the next moment was on the verandah. It needed not a third wild shriek to impel me to a speed beyond what I had ever dreamt of as possible. In a second or two I was beyond the gate, flying for life, for my own and anothers existence, dearer far, in my arms clasped tightly to me — flying through the Janes, past the dreaded hedges, on, stumbling now a,ud then, but recovering myself only

to resume my race for life with greater desperation. Death surely was behind us, but a refuge was already looming in front of me. If the pale, piercing face of tbe outside watcher overtook me now, what would be my fate ? God was merciful indeed to me, and gave me the power to proceed in my awful extremity. Heaven's portals could hardly have been more rapturously reached than (the barrack-gates, as I flew inside of them. I saw a group of men Btanding in the doorway, and towards them I rushed, recognising, to my unutterable thankfulness, amongst them, my husband. His amazement may be better imagined than described, as he beheld us ; and, as I could do no more than point behind me, I believe poor Arthur must have thought I had gone suddenly raving mad. I only heard their voices murmuring round me, and I felt baby lifted out of my arms, though they told me afterwards, I held her so tightly that they could scarcely separate us. The next thing I knew was, that Arthur had laid me on a sofa in a bright, warm room, and that we were safe — Arthur, baby, and I — and together ! But the servants! I conveyed to Arthur, as coherently as I could, the events of the afternoon and night, and my conviction that nothing short of' murder had been committed. In less than five minutes he was off, with some of the others, to the cottage, where an awful scene presented itself to their view as they entered. In the passage from the kitchen to the entrance hall, lay the dead body of our unfortunate cook. A blow from some heavy weapon had actually smashed in the back of her head, and life was quite [ extinct •, our other servant was found i in an insensible state, but, after some time, recovered sufficiently to be able to give the particulars of the attack, and a description of their assailants, who proved to be no other than the monster who had glared in upon me that very afternoon. It seemed that, after I had seen that everything was secure, the servants had gone out to the coal-house, and during their temporary absence from the kitchen door, the ruffian had slipped in, secreted himself in a cupboard in the passage, and thus been actually locked in the house with ourselves ! Imagining, it was supposed, that Arthur would not return, and knowing that we had a good deal of plate in the house, he had arranged to begin operations after all was quiet, and the first scream I had heard had been elicited from the unfortunate servants, at whose bedside he suddenly appeared. The miscreant had struck down the cook while she attempted to escape, which, happily for herself, the other servant was too paralysed to do. The scream I had heard as I left the bouse must have been the last dying one of the poor cook, whom the murderer had pursued and overtaken before she could gain my door, which was, no doubt, the point to which she was flying for succor. Not a moment too soon had I gone. An accomplice had been admitted by the front door, which was wide open, my bed-room door shattered, but nothing touched, my flight having, doubtless scared them. The tracks of their pursuing footsteps were easily discerned, when the blessed morning light of Christmas day shone. They had evidently gone in pursuit of me, but probably my safety was due greatly to the whiteness of my garments, which must have rendered my flying figure almost invisible against the snowy ground. The police were soon in quest, and ere many hours elapsed the retreat of the assassins was discovered. A dessperate struggle ensued, and recognising in the one man an escaped and notorious convict, and in the conflict feeling his own life was in danger, the constablo fired on him, and the miser- ) able corpse was conveyed to the police station, where our servant identified it as the murderer of the cook, and the assailant of herself. The wretched man bad, with his companion and accomplice, escaped only two days previous from prison, to which the latter was safely escorted back by a couple of ! policeman. The funeral of our poor servant took place a few days afterwards, and the Bungalow was finally deserted by us. The other servant recovered completely, and the policeman, who had been wounded by the convict rather severely, was reported convalescent before our departure. I never saw the Bungalow again ; and very joyfully did I enter the steamer which conveyed us to dear old England. Neither baby nor I suffered any bad effects from our midnight race through the Irish lanes ; but when I , think of its terrors, I lift up my heart in fervent gratitude to God, who preserved us when encompassed by perils so profound, and guided bo graciously my faltering footsteps, as I fled through the snow on my first and last lonely I Christmas-Eve.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ahaura, on Saturday, an inebriate who had disregardpd the majesty of the law. disturbing the solemnity of the Court tbe previous day by falling asleep, snoring, and vociferating to the policeman who awoke him, that he "had paid for all bis drinks, misses," was fined 10s, or twenty-four hours' imprisonment. The fine was piiid. with a donation from the defendant to the poor box*