Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-12-31
A Nocturnal Comedy of Errors.
From the Cincinnati Ennnirer.

Some days since a young couple who had
newly donncd hymenal vestments, came
from their home, II pleasant will ge in this
State, to spend portion of that supposed
to-bc-delicious period known as the honey
moon, and placed themselves under the
charge of the proprietor of the Spencer
House. They then sailed forth to visit the
beauties of the Queen City, and do as bride are
ever wont, quantity of the little business
embraced in the term "shop ing" They
were gone several hours and did not return
to the hotel until near sundown, quite fati-
gued with their exertions. The bride, Mrs.
R., then found that she had forgotten some
articles indispensable to her toilet and un-
willing to disturb her husband, who she
knew must he weary, slipped out while he
was down stairs, and went up to Fourth
street to get the diminutive bundle. She
was successful in her search for the store and
the article, but on her way back, mstook
from her ignorance of the city, Main street
for Broadway. and the Madison for the Spen-
| Ger House, which are situated nearly oppo-
| site to each other.
| Mrs X. went INTO the hotel, and thinking
it looked rather different from the other, ask
cd one of the walters she met in the hall. in
rather II low and indistinct tone, if that was
| the Spencer" to which he, failing to un-
then ordered him to bring her the key of No.
is. which ne did, and she INT red it, and re-
moved her bonnet. shawl an other portions
of her attire, and crept b1twccn the sheets of
the bed to enjoy II little nap after her long
| walk, meyer dreaming she was in the wrong
house, for the reason that the apartment hap
pened to have the same position, and be fur
nished very much like her room at the 'Spen-
c,r."
Instead of taking ''little nap" she fell
into profound sleep, that continued hour
after hour until II O'clock. at which time
she was disturbed by most unexpected Incl
dent.
The rightful occupant of No. 4S, mer-
chant from town in Indiana, who had been
to the theatcr and become little intoxicat-
cd wen, t. the Madison. and wishing No on,
to sec hts condition, wa.kcd ut [, is room
without light, and fortunately or uhior,u-
nately, found the door unlocked. lie eater
ed quietly, and as it was total dardnrs. there,
he removed his garments and crcpt into the
spacious double bed, not disturbing in the
least the fair bride who lay near the wall.
How long the two reposed there, side by
side, with only "a foot of space between them.
all unconscious of the others presence, is
not exactly known, but probably about an
| hour, when tremendous noise was heard
in the apartment from which female screams
issued wildly, piercingly, and ceaselessly.
The hotel was in an uproar; proprctors,
clerks, walters, porters and guests, dressed
and halfdressed, were at the door Of ''forty-
eight" in few minutes, blocking up the
entrance and asking each other eagerly,
"What is the matter ~ "For Gods sake,
tell us what is the trouble ~
| The cause of this outcry may be imagined.
l L. L L. IL.
and putting her hand over her husband it
fell upon the Indianian's face, and the soft.
warm touch aroused him at once. He did
not understand it exactly, though he did not
dislike it, and in a moment more Mrs. r.
said: 'My dearest husband, where have you
been all this while?" Husband" echoed
the merchant, beginning to see, like Lord
Tinsel, that he had .made small mistake
here ~ 81 am nobody's husband. reckon
my dear madam, you re in the wrong bed. y
In the wrong bed-horror of horrors,
thought the brde-what would her liege
lord. what would the curious world say p
And Mrs r. screamed terribly, and sprang
from her couch just lis her companion did
the same. He was fully as much alarmed a.
she, and entreated her to give him time anc
he would leave the apai tiuVrt, although Il
was the one he had engaged-he'd make
Odlu W
Scream, scream, scream was the only re
ply to this kindly proposition.
"My God, Madam, don't yell so ! you'll
wake the house. Be reasonable swear it,
only mistake. Have some thought of th
consequences. | don't want to hurt you.
swear don't. You'll get me shot and your
self-well, | won't say what"
The screams increased, and the poor Indi
anian, expecting every moment to sec pis
tol thrust in his face by a jealous husband
turned pale as death, and resigned himself t.
his fate.
Just at this iuncture, the throng outsid
presented itself at the door, and beheld Mrs
X. covering in one corner. exercising he
lungs magnitcently, with sheet wrappe
over her form and head, and the Indiania
in the middle of the room, enveloped in
coverlct, calculating, "My God, Madam
don't -
The junior proprietor, Mr.. Cahill, say
there must be some mistake. and, requestin
the others to retire, called the merchant ou
with him into another room, and thel
learned the whole story. The Doctor the
sent one of the ladies of the hotel to Mrs. X
and the entire affair was explained, great
to her relef-though she was overwhelme
with confusion at circumstance whc
might have ruined her reputation for ever
Under the escort OF the Doctor she W;
/ conveyed to the Spencer where the hui
band was found pacing the corridors wit
1 frantic mien and halt-crazed with griet at Il
mysterious disappearance of his wife, who
he believed had been spirited away by vi
lain or murdered for her jewels in this :"
, fernal city," where, as he expressed it, "th'
| would kill man for dollar any time"
Fossil Bones FOUND IN New JERSEY
= remarkable exhibition of fossil bones W
e made by Mr.. Foulke and DR.. Leldy, beto
. the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Phil
}, delphia. last week The bones were four
a at Haddonlield, n. j.. in mari pit, abo
e thirty feet below the surrounding surface
d the farm land \ part of the bones ha
e been carried away by the labOrers, but d