Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-04-20
A NIGHT OF HORROR.

Shortly after being comfortably settled
in my new house along with Mrs. Spivins,
business summoned me to the rural dis.
tricts.
I dispatched the affair in hand with
what speed l might, and, knowing that
Mrs. S. would be on the tender hooks Of
suspense until she saw me, jumped aboard
a convenient train, and hur. led home to re-
iieve her.
1t was night when I again reached
dulce domum, There was somethiHg SO
provocative in the darkness and utter q uiet
in which I found the premises wrapped
that I determined to give lovely sur.
prise; but Nature, appealing to me on a
vital point, dropped into the dining.room
with the view Of refreshing myself with u
bit of cold joint by way of preliminary.
Striking light, | found that my wants
had been anticipated, for there on the ia
BILE lay the remains of repast-breast Of
chicken, cakes, cheese, and what not.
Being sharp set, pitched in, glass of
old port materially assisted the process of
digestion.
All at once my eye caught 81 eht Of meer-
schaum upon the mantel. Now there is
nothing very alarming in meersehaum
per Sc, but when the meerschaum is the
property Of stranger, and found upou ones
own premises during his absence, it be-
comes invested with 40 importance which
it could derive from no other circumstance,
There was also paper Of Turkish tobacco
"The fellow has taste at all events"
said I, and I filled and smoked, drank a
bumper, and cogitated.
Now Maria knows I am not in the least
bit jealous; knows it had never entered
my head to suspect her of an imprudence !;
but this, to say the least of it, had very
suspicious look. I drank again. Yet I
was not at all jealous. At that memeut I
started and sprang from my seat as if at
touch of an electric battery, for on the
settee in the corner lay an imrudent hat
and cane, and even pair of gloves! To
smash the hat into smithereens, to tear the
gloves into fragments, to snap the cane
into flinders, was the work of moment
I then took another bumper, and, folding
my arms, glared majestically around. Not
that was jealous! Oh, dear, no!
I was resuming my seat and pipe, to
cogitate over course of procedure when
I received another shock. My eye had
alighted upon note which had fallen be-
meath the table. 1t was in a feminine
hand. "Dear Charlie p it ran, "I'm 50
glad you've arrived. Sammy's away, so
don't stand upon ceremony. Wen have
such aiee time Cold lunch aud all
agreeable. Come over at once"
Sammy's my pane. Perfdious woman! !
1t is thus
And rip went the odioas missivo into q
dozen pieces. There was a rose, which
had, no doubt, been in his buttonho I
suppose! threw chat in the fire. after
tramping upon it. 1 fortified myself with
another glass, took off my stockings, and
started up stairs. On the way, I,stumbled
over strange cat in the kitchen.
In my ascent suppose must have
made some noise, for strange dog sat up
q furious yell iu the back yard. 1t may
be as we'll to 60 prepared for continssn.
cies, reflected, as / re.entered the paslor
with view of possessing myself Of che
poker. Dark as it was, l secured the de-
sired object, and was rctreating when /
faucied somebody came in on tip toe.
Holding my breath, / lodged past him.
apd .srept up stairs like thief, not that |