The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-09-20
How MIR. Sparrowgrass went down Stairs.

er green.
How MIR. Sparrowgrass went down Stairs.
One evening Mrs. S. had retired, and |
was busy writing when il struck me glass
of ice water would be palatabe. So took
a candle and pitcher and went down 10 the
pump. Our pump is in The kitchen. A coun-
try pump, in The kitchen, is more convent
ent; but we'll with buckets is certainly
more picturesque. Unfortunately, our we'll
water has not been sweet since il was clean
ed out First had to open 5olted door
that lets you into the basement hall, and
then went 10 the kitchen door which prov
ed to be locked. Then remembered that
our girl always carried the key TO bed with
her, and slept with it under her pillow
Then retraced my steps bolted the base
ment door, and went up into the diningroom.
AS is always the case, found when could
not get any water was lhirstier than sup
posed was. Then thought would wake
up our girl ThenI concluded not to do it.
Then thought OF The well, but gave that up
on account OF its flavor. Then opened the
closet doors--there vas no water there ); and
then thought Of the dumb waiter The
novelty OF the idea made me smile; took
out two of the movable shelves, stood the
pitcher on the bottom of the dumb waiter,
got in myself with the lamp; let myself
down, until supposed l was within foot of
the fioor below, and then lei 60.
We came down SO suddenly, that I was
shot out of the apparatus as if it had been
catapult; it broke the pitcher, extinguished
the lamp. and landed me IN the middle OF
the kitchen at midnight with no fire, and The
air not much above the zero point. The
truth is had miscalculated the distance of
the descent-instead of falling one foot, l
had fallen FIVE. My first impulse was to as
cerd by the way came down, but / found
that impracticable. Then tried the kitchen
door, it was locked tried 10 force 1t open;
it was made of two inch stuff, and held its
own. Then hoisted the window, and there
were the rigid iron bars. If | ever felt an.
cry al anybody, it was al myself for putting
up those bars TO please Mrs Sparowgrass.-
| put them up, not 10 keep people in but 10
keep people out
laid my cheek against the ice-cold bar
riers and looked out at the sky; not star
was visible; ii was as black as ink overhead.
Then thought of Baron Trenck and the pris-
oner of Chillon Then made noise I
shouted until was hoarse, and ruined our
preserving kettle with the poker. That
brought our dogs out in full bark, and be-
tween us We mace night hideous. Then
thought heard voice, and listened-it was
Mrs. Spanowgrass calling TO me from the
top of the staircase. tried 10 make her
hear me, but the dogs united with howl, and
growl and bark, so as TO drown my voice
which is naturally p!arlive and tender.-
Besides there were two bolted doors and
double deafeaed floors between us how
could she recognize my voice even if she did
hear it 4 Mrs. Sparowgrass called me once
or twice, and then got frightened; the next
thing heard was sound as if the roof had
fallen in, by which understood tina. Mrs.
Sparrowgrass was springing the rattle. That
called out our neighbor, already wide awake
He came 10 the rescue with bull-terrier, a
Newfoundland pup, lantern and a revol-
yer. The moment he saw me at the win
dow, he shot at me, but fortunately just miss
ed me. threw myself under the kichen ia
BILE and began to expostulate with him, but
| he would not listen 10 reason. In the excite
ment had forgotten lis name, and that made
matters worse. 1t was not until he had rous-
ed up everybody around, broken 10 the base
ment door with an axe, gotten into the klch-
en- with his savage dogs and shooting iron,
and siezed me by the collar, that he recog-
nized me-and then wanted me 10 explain
it! But what kind of an explanation could
make to him! Itold him he would have
TO wait until my mind was composed, and
then / would let him understand the whole
matter fully. But he never would have had
the particulars from me, for ] do no not ap-
prove of neighbors that shoot at you, break
in your door and treat you in your own
house, as if you were Jail bird. He knows
all about il, however-somebody has told
him somebody tells everybody Everything in
our village.-Putaam for June.
-<~ee<--
=. n Why is poor horse greater than Ma
| poleon1 Becausa in him theye Ia mauv bo-