Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-01-07
A WO MAN OF NE Ry yE
How She Get Out Of a Scrape.


face, clad in long, flowing, dressing gown,
and holding light high above its head, and
looking steadily down at me, as ascended
the stairs-this was what 1 saw as 1 went up
to my room in the Spread Eagle Inn, Grace
church street, on the night of the 18th of Sep
tember, lS4S, as I am Christian. -
stopped short and looked at the figure. as
it was looking at me. had not been drink
ing, was not walking in my sleep, and more
than all, knew the face and form-but what.
IN the name OF common sense, was a Young
lady doing IN the passage Of an old inn at tn at
hour, alone, and in such q dress, She biushed
scarlet as drew near, and wrapped her Dress
Ing gown more closely around her; but the next
moment she was as pale as before, and spoke
to me eagerly and hurriedly, but in a very
low voice.
"Sir, are you the landlord of this inn?"
am not, madam"
Do you know where he ?"
Down stairs in the coffee room I think
But Mnat rs the matter! Are you ill' Has
She stamped her foot slightly with impa-
thence, and looked me full in the face. Fine
eyes she had-blue and soft in general-but
now they were blazing
Don't stop to ask questions, sir Bring
him here at once; and come back with him
yourself. Bring pistols, If you have them; do
you hear? And run for your life-for your
life she added, leaning over the banni.ters,
and speaking in the same low, hurried tone
was away IN an instant, though knew no
more Of my errand than the man in the moon
But L should like to see the man who would
not nave done the same. Apart from the fact
tnat she was claiming my aid and protection
there was something in the ring of the voice
low as 1t was, and the fash of the eve, that
warned me she was not to be trifed with. She
would have made q good general had she been
man, ana 1 wager my head, not a soldier
would have dared to retreat, had she spoken
as she did to me that night But before I fn
ish my story, 1 must begin it, am but a
olunderlng fellow. My wife always SAYS, il a
mistake can be made, L am sure to make il:
and L believe was going to tell you about
the landlords coming, before said what he
nsd come for. Now, then. will commence
the thing rightly.
The Spread Eagle Inn, which is still stand.
ing, and may be seen any day, by the curious
traveller, Is clumsy, ill-lighted house, Sit
uated In the heart Of the city yet keeping all
its oddities, which were just in the fashion
some two or three hundred years ago. 1t is
built around a courtyard, shut in BY gates,
across which galleries are thrown from one
door to the other, with the paved yard below
1t has balsstrades and staircases containing
, sufheient oak to build half a modern house
with, and deep window seats and big, queer
SNAPPED gloomy rooms, and odd little closets
aud landing places and passages, chairs, car
ROeo1 anu ptCbuEco IOdL MIS-. Moan might laya
Kept house with in the ark, to say nothing of
the curious old china on the side-boards. and
the wine glasses and decanters to match To
an Englshman, IL offers the snuggest Of homes,
and the roast beef and mutton there are unex
ceptionaole; while the waiter is as civil ss
II he had been breathing the atmosphere of
the old place for years. 1t makes one feel
resPectable, merely to live there for time;
and |, who had been . wild enough college
lad, found myself SOLDERING down, day by day,
As pored over my manuscripts, or diued
quietly, by myself, under the eye of Charles,
the waiter, on my slice of mutton and baked
potatoes, my pint Of porter, and my apple or
damson tart! Quite like family man felt,
al umes-though my wife and children were
with my ship, that was to come home some
day, and bring me an immense fortune did
not know how long the voyage might take not
knowing even from Whist port the vessel was to
start, and so lived under the wings of the
Spread Eagle, and worked at my manuscript
and waited.
was not, by any means, the only dweller
In the eyre. People were coming and going
all the time, but 1 scarcely ever saw them, or
heard their names The sitting room next
mine, on the second floor, would be tenanted
one month by couple with an indefinite num-
Der OF children; and the next, it may be- by an
Old gentleman, who made no noise, and rarely
spoke, except to tell his servant TO bring more
wine; then would come . travelling artist, with
ms sketch-books, and his great Newfoundland
dog, and they would play at rough and tumble
together, after be had done work, till the
house shook. and the nervous lady above near
~ went into hts; and he would be succeeded
oy musician, who would play all day and a
part OF the night, until the same lady declared
she should be ready for Bsdlam: but she never
was ready, and never wsnt-at least 70 NV
knowledge For my part, L was always salts
ned. when the children were there, and play
f-- rAsas L. n
lay down my pen and wonder what their names
were, and how they looked and IL they were
playing the same games l played in my boy
hood 80 many years ago y with my brother.
and my cousins The great dog used often to
meet me In the passage and give me a riendly
wag Of the tail, if patted bis head, and after
that bis bark was music in my cars: for defy
any one, who has q heart, to make the ac
quaintance Of dog-a newfoundland, espe-
cially-snd not love him And the composer
who played all day the sweet creations of his
soul-God knows what loving tender fancies
came to me now and then, as the melody wove
itself in with what was writing, almost be-
fore 1 knew it. l am happy fellow, natural
ly, and disposed to make the best of every
thing; bat setting this entirely aside, am
sure WAS better and kinder man for the
neighbors had.
One day the room was taken, after ii had
been standing empty for a week, and heard
tuO 'OtOos Vi nun, nls Wlle, ana tue
fresh, clear tones OF q young girl. / often judge
people by their voices before / see them, and
pictured the lady to myself, quite correctly
There was ring In her words, a buoyant, lark
like tone, that gave me the idea of a happy
spirit and perfect health. Now and then the
voice deepened and softened, and deepened,
and knew that her face had lost its smile
and that she was looking gravs-pcrhaps sad
80 knew that she had suffered and as day
after day went on, and the voice grew familiar,
judged that she had suffered deeply. There
was something behind that natural gayety,
known only 70 herself and God IL may be, and
yet il threw gloom over her whole life, and
would always do 30. And thought should
like TO see her, and judge if my surmises were
correct -..-..---
asked the landlord about the party He
looked at the book, and read the names. "Rey
Edward Williams and lady. Mrs. Arnolk, New
York city"
They are Americans, then ?'' exclaimed
30 It seems. They came here three weeks
egO, 0y the Daekst and 0oinO tn Pa ris n