Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-16
MITE WRONG HOUSE.

F IN THE WRONG HOUSE.
will tell You about an affair-important
as it proved TO me; but you must not hur-
ry me. | have never been in hurry since
then, and never will. Up to that time in-
elusive, | was always in hurry; my
actions always preceded my thoughts; ex-
perience was of no use and anyb body would
have supposed me destined to carry a young
head upon old shoulders To the grave.
However, was brought up at last with a
round turn" was allowed certain space
for reflection, and plenty of materials, and
if it did not do me good, it's pity
My father and mother both died while
was still great awkward boy and |, be-
ing the only thing they had to bequcath,
became the property Of distant relation.
| do not know how it happened, but had
no near relations. | was kind of waifup-
on the world from the beginning; and |
suppose it was owing to my having no
family anchorage that / acquired the habit
OF swaying to aud fro, and drifting hither
and thither, at the pleasure of wind and
tide. Not that my guardian was inatten-
tive or unkind quite the reverse; but he
was indOlent and careless, cOntenting him
self with providing abundantly for my
schooling and my pockeJ, and leaving
everything else to chance. He would have
done the same thing to his own son il he
had had one, and he did the same thing to
his own daughter. But girls somehow
cling wherever they are caSt--anything is an
anchorage for them; and as Laura grew up,
she gave the care she had never found, aud
was the little mother of the whole house.
As for the titular mother, she had not an
atom of character of any kind. She might
have been picture, ora vase, or anything
else that is useless except to the taste or
the affections. But mamma was indispens-
able 1t is vulgar error TO suppose that
people who have nothing in them are no.
body in the house. Our mamma was the
very center and point of our home feelings;
and it was strange to observe the devOut
care we took of parsonage who had not
two ideas in her head.
1t is no wonder that | was always in a
hurry, Tor must have had an instructive
idea that / had my fortune to look tor.
The Governor had nothing more than 4
genteel Independence, and this would be a
good deal lessened after his death by the
lapse of an annuity. But sister Laura was
thus provided for well enough, while had
not shilling in actual money, although
plenty of Hypothetical thousands, and sun
dry castles in the air. 1t was the conscious
ness of the latter kind OtprOperty, no doubt,
that gave me so free aud easy an air, and
made me so completely the master of my
own actions. How did worry that bless
ed old woman how Laura lectured and
scolded how the Governor stOrmed ! and
how ! was forgiven the next minute, and
we were all as happy again as the day was
long But at length the time OF separation
came. / had grown great hulking fellow,
strong enough to make my bread as por-
ter if that had been needed; and so a situa-
ton was found for me in a counting house
at Barcelona, and after lecture and a
hearty cry from sister Laura, a blessing and
kiss from mamma, and great sob kept
down by a hurricane laugh from the Gov
ernor, went adrift.
Four years passed rapidly away. had
attained my full height, and more than my
just share of inches. | already enjoyed a
fair modicum of whisker, and even made
some progress in the cultivation of pair of
moustaches, when suddenly the house was
connected with failed. What to do? The
Governor insisted upon my return to Eng
land, where his interest among the mer-
camille class was considerable; Laura hint
ed mysteriously that my presence in the
house would soon be matter of great i'm
portance to her father; and mamma let out
the secret, by writing to me that Laura was
going to "change her condition" was
glad to hear this, for l knew he would be a
model of fellow who was Laura's hus-
band; and, gulping down my pride, which
would fain have persuaded me that 1t was
unmanly to go back again like the ill six
pence, set out on my return home.
The family, | knew, had removed to an
other house; hut being well acquainted
with the town, | had no difficulty in finding
the place. 1t was q range OF handsome
buildings which had sprung up in the
fashionable outskirts during my absence !;
and although it was far on in the evening,
my accustomed eyes soon deserted through
a gloom the Governors old-fashioned door
plate. | was just about to knock, really
agitated with delight and struggling mem
ories, wen a'tenptatiOn came in my way.
One of the area windows was open, gaping
as If for my reception. A quantity of plate
lay upon table close by, Why should
pot enter, and appear unannounced in the
drawing-room, a suahurnt phantom of five
feet eleven? Why should not present the
precise and careful Laura with a handful
other own spoons and forks. lett so con-
veniently at the service of any area-sneak
who might chance to pass by? Why?That is
OIly a ufO VI opOOOh' oohOu nv quCo-
ton about the matter; the idea was hardly
yet across my brain when my legs were
across the rails. In another moment Ihad
erept in by the window; and chuckling at
my own cleverness, and the great moral
lesson was about to teach, l was stuffing
my pockets with the plate. ssjS' zuP
While thus engaged, the opening Of a
door In the hall above alarmed me; and
afraid of hefailure of my plan, stepped
lightly up the stair, which was partially
lighted by the hall lamp, AS was about
to emerge at the top, a serving girl was
coming out from aroom ON the opposite
sideIi She instantly retreated, shut the door
with a. bang, and / could hear a halfrsup-
pressed hysterical ery,j | bounded on,
sprang up the 'drawing-room stair, and en-
tered the first door at ., venture. All was
dark, and stopped for moment to listen.
Lights were hGrrying hcross the hall; and
I hHard stheTough1 voice9Ofi man as ii
scelding and taunting some person. The
girl had doubtless given the alarm,although