Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-08-14
MY ONLY ADVENTURE.
BY A DENTIST,

out of fashion. Fancy a ghost being bOlt
enoueh to venture into one of our vast ho
tells There is not single white robed custo
mer that would have the impudence to do it
Ghosts lived in old coaching days, aud dwell
in the quaint wayside inns ; and | was neve
lucky enough to have my bed curtains dis
turhed by invisible hands, but | am no
ashamed to own that l once got terribl,
fright.
In my early days. Like some of my pro
iession-traveled from place to place, juS'
remaining in each long enough to pocket al
! to eNpend on dental ornaments. Sometimes
made large town the center of my ope
rations, and renamed in it for months, visit
ing the lesser ones in the neighborhood or
stated days. 1t was in one of our large man
ufacturing towns in the west of England that
| met with the adventure | am going to give
you.
had been uncommonly successful, and
had made long stay in the place on that ac
cOunt-Indeed, | had spent some months
there when it happened. | had excellent lodg-
ings, and occupied three apartmcnts-a sit
| ting room, and sort of reception room for
patients, on the ground floor, and first floor
| bedroom all facing the street. L always
worked in the last named apartment, and laid
the no cessary tools and materials on little
bench near the window. Here | generally
took my station, and spent the time from six
to seven in the evening till midnight, as was
less liable to interruption.
NY apartments were all furnished with
gasburners, and before winter set in, | added
eass-stove to n:y bedroom, that my working
there might cause no needless trouble or eX-
penSe to my landlady. One evening, being
very busy sat later than usual, and when at
length my task was done, drew my chair
close to the stove, and sat hall an hour read
ing before extingushng my light.
You are aware that we make use Of gold
plates and wire in fastening artificial teeth !;
and, in consequence of my numerous orders,
| had been particularly well supplied with
the precious metal in this form, ever since [
came to this town. Moreover, l was by no
means deficient in those pieces which bear a
likeness of our most gracious Sovereign
Being particularly weary, and intending to
recommencc my labors early in the morning,
| DID not trouble myself to put away my ma
terials. But was careful to examine the
fastcnings of my door; and this duty dOue
enunguished the fire and light, and got into
bed
fell asleep almost instantly and lad a some
what lndcrous dream. | !ancicd myself a
keeper in the Geological Gardens, which | had
visited few days before, and that whilst
handing some food to my especial charges,
(thc bears, | overbalanced, and was tumbled
the shock awoke me.
I l,+ TO
the bears once more. | thought a tremen-
dous specimen, a perfect Ursa Major, had
Just been purchased, and that to me was en-
entrusted the task Of tanning the monster
No pleasant thing, even in dream, partic-
ularly at that moment, and in the incOmpre-
hen~ible manner only to be accomplished in
sleep, the scene shifted to my bedroom, and
found mysel standing, en- chemise, without
any means of defence against the precious
creature advancing open mouthed. thought
| leaped on my bench, seized the blind roller,
and as he advanced, dealt a tremendous blow
at him.
But, alsa he eludcd it with the dexter:ty
of an accomplished fencer, and [ losing my
balance toppled head first to the ground
The brute sparng upon me. lie tugged-
and so did with might and main. | was
getting the worst of it, when Suddenly rec
collecting that any sort of attack is lawful,
and that one may be permitted to waive GER
mony with hear, | seized the creatures ear
between my teath, and bit the piece COM
pletely ont. He dropped me like a hot po-
tato. The ludicrous, pitiful howl and the
way he applied the paw just taken from my
waist, to the wounded ear, were too much
] burst into a perfect roar of laughter,
and so much noise did make, that it awoke
me.
was still laughing at this whimsical Wis
an apprentice who was to come under my
care on the land who was truly, AS I'M
cOuth looking chap as any gentlemen need
have to lick into shape, when heard, not a
ghost--they make no noise-but sort of
uneasy grunt, then yawn, such as a per-
son emits when disturbed from sound sleep.
| iSened attentivcly, lying perfectly still,
and, in a moment, distinctly felt something
move below my bed. | knew no one could
have entered after laid down, as an a
light sleeper, and the door was too well Sc
cured to be opened without noise. /
therefore felt sure that they had been under
the bed before | commenced working, and
having fallen asleep, been awakened by the
boisterous laughter which had dispelled my
own dream.
What was to do feared the moment
set foot on the floor should be siezed, and
what could Ia little fellow, almost naked,
unarmed-do against one or perhaps more,
doubtless prepared for a stuggle
Oddly enough, the remembrance of my
dream gave me courage. | had loaded p's.
tolls in the room, and once out OF bed, should
be able to seZe them in moment. L re.
solved to leap out and secure the weapons be
fore lighting the gas since /. being, as pre-
sumrd. better acquainted with the arrange
ment of the furniture, might manage in the
dark to elude my antagonist These thoughts
occupied but few seconds, In as many
more. the pistols were in my hand and the
gas lighted. The intruder did not venture
| to appear and the delay gave me courage
| / boldly commanded that individual to ad-
vance and take chance Of a bullet. Some
thing immediately began to move, and soon
saw the cause Of my alarm. What was it,
think you You cannot guess. | will tell
you: 1t was a woman! | see you are all be-
ginning to laugh; and l suppose you think
there Is some long story in the case; and that
a damsel, beautiful as a Houri, or a heroine
which is all the same-whom [ had wooeC
only to betray, had concealed herselfthe t.
reproach me with broken vows etc.
All wrong. The deuce a bit romance il
there in the whole affair. And had you seer
the course, ,sullen, ,ll-favored womanwho stood
before me, wrapped in dingy plain shawl
you would not suspect such thing, espe
cially as you have seen specimen o
my taste in the shape of lady who bear.
my name.
After all, the scene was droll enough
There stood I, sbivering in my night habili
ments, pistol in hand ready to interrogat
nv visitor She looked carving knives in re
turn but not seeming in the least shocked
at scanty garments, ,though III evidently desirou
Of turning her back both on them and on til
wearcr. On looking, thought her feature
seemed familiar, and recoected she had llv
tol a. I, N ynUI n