The Republican journal., 1870-12-08
THE TRIALS OF COuRTSHiP.


Dscreditabic as the following story may
be to the parties concerned, we have the
word OF one OF those engaged in it, a rail
roader and we'll known here as to the facts
Two friends we'll call them Tom and
Dick--went a few nights since to call on IL
couple of damsels who reside with their
mother in the southern portion of the city
The old lady is slightly deaf and the girls
somewhat roguish. The two gentlemen
were graciously received by the old lady who
formed a fifth in the social circle. Ordinary
bed time came and the gentlemen protested
to leave, the maids showing them to the
door. But this was only a ruse to get the
old lady to bed. The front door was opened
and shut and the girls returning to the dining
room, the two beaus having been slipped in
to the front parlor and left there in the dark,
1t was supposed of course. that the slightly
deaf old lady would soon be in the land OF
Nod, but she took u sudden whim to 90 and
sit in the parlor for awhile, and, taking up :,
light, started for that place. Dick and Tom
had ben anxious listeners and watchers, and
now saw the old lady approaching with Il
lamp. AS she passed into the hall OF course
their only means Of escape were cut OIL Dick
made a dive behind Il lounge that stood out
a few inches from the wall-thc framework
was too low for him to crawl under-and
Tom, finding no other place, wedged himself
in on top of Dick. The old lady set the lamp
on the bureau, took up book, and delib-
crately seating herself on the lounge, began
to read. The feelings. of the two nice young
men behind the lounge may be better i'm
agined than described. Tom was in dread
of immediate detection, while Dick dreaded
smothering. He was so frightfully cramped
that he was getting reckless as to consequent
}ol1 ,1,-+ ~ ~
lady's deafness prevented her from noticing
mumbled to Tom. ''Kick the lounge over,
blow the lamp out, and let's jump through
the window" As Dick was squirming in 4
way that BODIED sudden expose for Tom, il
| is probable that the latter would have taken
his advice to the letter, but for the lnterposi-
ton of the quick witted girls. At first, cx-
pecting the cat was out Of the bag, they had
kept back, ready to take the storm OF re
proach they could not avoid; but, hearing nc
noise after the old lady entered they went to
see what had become of the gallants. Two
pair Of boots and foot or so of pantaloons
were visible from the door, and the girls
making some commonplace remarks to their
mother, went away laughing loudly. "Phan-
cy the phelinks" Of the chaps behind the
lounge. But in few seconds there came 8
shout from the wood shed, where the girls
then were, saying their lamp had blown out,
and asking mother to come with hers
The boys heard them plainly, and ever
smothering Dick stopped his muttering and
threatening. The good old lady arose, wip.
ed her specs and folded them away, and bid
ding the girls not to be frightened went of
with the lamp to their aid 1t would be SUI.
pertluous to say that the lounging boys
didn't lounge just there any longer. They
unlocked the front door as quietly as they
could and slid ont without even bidding the
young ladies good night. 1t was well fol
them that they did, for in less than three
minutes the old lady was seated on the
lounge again perusing her book.