Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-13
DAILY LEADER.
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I, lecture" said our friend b with a n,
T. culiar smile, "and 1 don't think / sha
ever attend another"
@You probably found it dry?p
"Well, yes-but that isn't it. The lee
y ture was well enough, but l got into sue
an awful scrape after it was over, that
] never think of Temperance without a shud
. der. I'll tell you all about it
at was in N where 1 was some
what Of a stranger, and the night was on
, of the worst of the season. Boreas hoy
: it blew 1t was enough to take one's breatl
7 away. Well, the lecture was over, AM
making my way through the crowd, / lin
gered in the doorway, contemplating tn,
awful scene, when somebody suddenly
: thrust an arm within nv own, and clune
to me with a bear-like hug"
Where have you been, said the sweet
: est voice in the world; al have been look.
/, ing for you everywhere"
Very much to my siirprise, 1 turned and
saw-but / can't describe here. 1t makes
, me sad to think how prodigously pretty
she was. With her left hand she leaned
on my arm while with her right she wa.
arranging her veil, and did not notice my
surprise.
"You have been looking for me 2"
"Yes, and now let's be going" was her
reply, pressing my arm.
A thrill went to my heart. What TO
make of my lady's address l did not know
but to accompany her-we started off in
the tempest, the noise of which prevented
any conversation. At length she said
with a scream:
"Put your arm around me, or l shall
blow awayl"
1 need not describe to you my sensation
as I pressed her to my side and hurried
on. 1t was very dark; nobody saw us /;
and, allowing her to guide my steps, 1
followed her motions through two or three
short streets, until she stopped before an
elegant mansion.
"Have you your key? ~ she asked.
"My key" 1 stammered, there must
be some mistake"
As she opened the door, / stood ready to
bid her good night, or to have some ex-
PLANTATION, when, turning quickly, she
said
"How queer you act to-night-ain't you
coming in n -
There was something very tempting in
the suggestion. Was l going in? A
warm house and a pretty woman were
certainly objects Of consideration, and it
was dreary to think of facing the driving
storm, and seeing her no more. 1t took
me three-quarters of a second to make up
my mind, and l went.
There was a dim light in the hall, and
as my guide ran rapidly up stairs, why 1
could do no better than run up too. 1 fol-
lowed her into a very dark room.
"Lock the door, John" she said 1-
Now, as if 1 were the only John in the
world, 1 thought she knew me. 1 felt for
the key, turned it in the lock without hes
i%tation, wondering at the same time what
was coming next. Then an awful suspi-
cion of some horrid trick flashed upon my
mind, 1 had often heard ofinfatuated men
being lured to their destruction by pretty
women, and I was on the point of open
ing the door when my lady struck a light.
Then, to my dismay, 1 discovered / was
in a bedroom alone, with a strange wO-
man. L said something; 1 don't know
what it was, but the lady lighted a lamp,
looked, stared at me an instant, turned as
white as a pillow-case, and screamed
"Who are your How came you here
&c, quick; leave the room; / thought you
were my husband p and covering her face
with her hands, she sobbed Historically.
l was nearly petriied. Of course / was
as anxious to leave as she was to have me;
but, in my confusion, instead of going out
at the door l came in at, l walked into a
closet, and before l could rectify my error
there came a laundering at the hall door.
The lady's real husband had come; she
few to let him in. Well aware that it
would be of no use to get out of the house
by any other way than that in which /
had entered it, and convinced of ths
danger of meeting the man who might
fall in the vulgar weakness of being ieal-
Gus, 1 was trying to collect my scattered
senses, in the darkness, whenthe wrathful
husband burst into the room followed by
madam. The light was extinguished, and
while she was searching for a friction
match, the gruff voice raved and stormed,
and revengful. al know he is
here, l saw him come into the house with
you'll You locked the door; I'll have his
heart out-where is he ?"
"Hear met Hear mel I will explain"
the lady.
As 1 was listening to hear the explana-
lion the husband walked plump against
and at the same moment the light APP
"Well b" we cried, deeply inter
ssted, for we knew that every word of his
story was true, chow did you get out Of
he scrape?n
q 8 1 used a violent remedy for so violent
a complaint. Driven into Il corner-my
ife in danger-perceiving at a glance that
)thello was not SO strong as 1 WAS, l threw
myself upon him, fell with him, and held
there until / had given a full expla-
nation of the error, made him hear reason,
md tanned him to be gentle as a lamb.
Then l left, rather unceremoniously, and
[ have never seen Othello or DesdemOna