Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1873-01-02
A NARROW ESCAPE.

the table hurriedly. "don't let me forget
this letter. 1t contains about sixteen ad-
dresses that can't get along without. l
copied them all on one side to save
bother. Alice, you help me remember it.
III put it up here, on the end of the man
tel-piece"
''Why don't you put it in your pocket,
papa, and then you will be sure to have
it ?'' Thus spoke the watching Elsie.
because the pockets that have about
me now will be hanging in the clothes
press when am in the city. declare,
haven't much time to lose; and Mr..
Porter bustled away to dress.
Mrs. Porter Immediately emerged from
his dressing-room. "Elsie, run quick
and ask Mr. Wheeler if he wants papa to
carry that package; and if he does, tell
him to have it at the cars in ten minutes,
or it will be too late. Be spry now" And
Elsie put Baby Nell in Dicks lap and
ran. Just minute more and Mrs. Por-
ter came agnin. "Where's Fred 9'' she
said, quickly. "Dick, do YOU know
what has become of him ?"
6 saw him go down the hill with
Charlie Wheeler just minute ago,
ma'am."
''Dear me what nuisance! I wish
he was ever here when he was wanted.
You II havd to go, Dick. Get your hat as
quick as you can, and run to the store
and tell Stephen that Mr.. Porter wants
that bundle that is in the right hand cor
as possible. There is always a dozen
things left till the last minute; to hinder
people"
"Where shall 1 leave Baby Nell,
ma'am ?"
''Set her on the carpet, and give her
something to play with. Pll keep watch
of her."
Then they went their different ways,
and Baby had the room to herself. She
looked around her with great solemn
eyes. She had Elsie's slipper and red
ball to play with; but she had played
with them score of times, until they had
quite worn her Imagination out 1t stood
to reason that she ought to be able 10 find
something of more importance in that
great room to take up her attention So
she threw the ball under the sofa, and
tucked the slipper in her cradle and COW
cred it up; then she started on her
travel
There were a good many things that
one would suppose would have taken up
her attention, and it does seem strange
that she should'have made straight for the
mantelpiece; yet that was precisely what
she did. She climbed up on her stool,
and from that to the great easy chair, and
by standing on the arm of it, her curly
head just reached the mantle. She gave
little squeal of delight, and, seizing upon
the important letter, pumped herself in
the easy chair to read it. People read
letters; she had seen them often; why
shouldn't she? The envelcp was not
sealed, and her small fingers easily jerked
ont hn oh
been edited, if you could have seen and
heard her. Such curious jargon as she
ratified off, stopping, now and then, to
throw back her head and laugh; as if the
contents of the letter were very funny,
indeed. AS she turned the leaf the stiff
paper tore a little; it made a curious
noise. Baby Nell was very fond of noise;
quite scholar, indeed, in the art of
studying out new ones. She paused in
her reading, and gave the paper quick,
little jerks. 'Cris, cris," it went; a most
delightful, crispy sound.
Baby Nell giggled triumphantly; so
much more improving this was than read
ing. She was studying the science of
acoustics. She was very Industrious
little body; and it took but short time
for her deft little fingers to tear all Papa
Porter's important addresses into such
AdlioW IlUuOuS bldt III WOulu nave Dttu
| very hard, indeed, to have made them
out. There they were, in a nice little
heap in her lap. She gave sigh of satis-
faction, and wondered what to do next.
She decided to go back to the mantel,
| and, seizing the envelop that she had not
chosen to tear, she climbed up again.
There was glass of water on the man.
| tel, and she chose to consider herself
| thirsty. She promptly dropped the en-
velop, in almost the same position that
she had found it, and seizing the tumbler,
clambered down, without spilling more
than half the contents.
Arrived on the floor. she forgot her
thirst and began eagerly to gather up the
whole army of strips, tear them into
smaller bits, and send them in swimming.
seized upon Baby Nell, kissed her hur-
riedly, sat her down again, snatched the
empty envelop from the mantel, and
flew out of the house, meeting both his
messengers in the yard, and receiving in
| formation and bundle
-" Do you known where to find Mr..
Adams, when you get there?" Mr..
Wheeler asked, as the two gentlemen
stood saying few last words, as the
train pulled and snorted, and took in
fresh breath. Eyes, have his address
on my paper. Just give me Charlie Will
sons number again, and I'll put it on the
same list" and Mr.. Porter fumbled in
his pocket for the envelop. "What un
der the sun, moon and stars is to pay
now," he muttered as, to his utter amaze
nent, he found it empty. "Here, I've
brought the wrong envelop! l can't &C
without those addresses My memoranda
is on the same list" Then wasn't there &
time Didn't Mr.. Porter tear up the
street like madman, and dash into the
house, look on the mantle piece, and hum
in his pockets, and scold Dick and Fred
and Elsie, and rave around generally, in
the midst of which there came distinct
and emphatic voice from the depot
"Wh-o oo-o-oo-o" said the departing
train.
"There, now," said Mr. Porter, stopping
his search and folding his arms in sor
of comical despair ''Now you see What
you have done! There goes that train
and I wouldn't have missed it for fifty
dollars, snd all the result of careless
ness" Fred ventured to make remark
"Who has done it father?" That's
just what should like to know, and it'I
what mean to find out. Now which Of
you children medd1ed with that envel
op ?"
g I wasn't here" said each of the three
children in breath
80 no, you were none of you here, Of
course; you never are, when mischief is
done. No doubt the letter jumped out ol
the envelop and walked off of itself
Fred, where were you sir ?"
6 was down at the foot of the hill with
Charlie Wheeler; looking at his new kite.
just this minute got in"
And, papa,' said Elsie, 81 went to Mr.
Wheeler's to see about that package, you
know. Don't you know, you met me at
the gate and told me good-bye?"
just then dismayed exclamation from
Mrs. Porter arrested attention. In her
haste to get damp clothes off from Baby
Nell, she had set the tumbler back on the
mantei, and now, as she stood mechanic.