One Hundred Choice Selections in Poetry and Prose Volume a - 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ...below, for he slept in the room beneath, and the noise had alarmed him. "Who's there? d'ye hear? Speak, or I'll shoot you like a dog " and on the instant the report of a pistol was heard, which in all probability had been fired with the view of convincing all whom it might concern that he had such a thing as a pistol in the house. "Who's there?" he again demanded; "you vagabonds, I'll be at you Beagle " he shouted, after waiting in vain for the street door to bang. "Here " cried Beagle, "come up here It's nothing I'll explain For Heaven's sake," he added, addressing Valentine, " open the door " but Valentine was too much engaged to pay attention to any such request. At this moment the footsteps of Plumplee were heard upon the stairs, and Beagle, who then began to feel somewhat better, cried, "Come in my friend, come in " "What on earth is the matter?" inquired Mr. Plumplee, as he entered the room pale as a ghost, in his night shirt, with a pistol in one hand and a lamp in the other. "It's all right," said Beagle; "'twas I that made the noise. I've been besieged by a cohort of cats. They have been at it here making most healthful music under my bed for the last two hours, and I was trying to make them hold their peace with the bolster, that's all." "Cats " cried Mr. Plumplee, "cats you ate a little too much cucumber, my friend; that and the crabs were too heavy for your stomach You have been dreaming, you've had the nightmare We haven"t a cat in the house; I can't bear them." "You are mistaken," rejoined Beagle; "they're about here in swarms. If I've turned one cat out this night, I'm sure that...