Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-05-03
WHOLE NO.. 651.
AN UNSAFE HAVEN.

AN UNSAFE HAVEN.
At the dead of night two men came
UP the steps Of Browa's residence.
Their steps in the dark were little un-
certain, and they were some little time
reaching the door.
II know how it is" said one, in the
voice of Brown himself, but with q sus
picious thickness of utterance. "Was
q martyr to landladies m self Fellows
out later'n usual, sure to speak about it
at the breakfast table, Other fellows
believe you were drunk. 'Fernal nui-
sance, these landladies. You're safe
for tonight anyhow, old fellow. We'll
come to bed, and promise you there'll
be no fuss at table in the morning.
Come in. Wife's asleep, and won't
hear us; wouldn't care ifshe did,"
Guided by an uncertain hand, the
key was several moments in finding the
keyhole, but at last the door swung
open. Browns voice lowered itself to
a whisper as the two passed in.
Right up these stairs, old fellow.
Wait er minute, and I'll get off these
boots. Don't want to wake m wife,"
The boots were removed in silence.
end then dropped with loud thump.
Sh! Come on now. A~
In the darkness Brown grouped his
way up the staircase followed by his
companion. On ente.ing a chamber,
Brown fumblinsly lit the gas.
{" Now you're safe, old fellow" he
said, assuringly. No landladies 'quir-
ing i'll the morning about late hours
and all that. Not wolL old fellow.
Make self comfortable. Good night"
Smith said goodnight, his tongue
moving slowly in sympathy with that
of his host, and then Brown glided
out. Smith, seated upon the edge of
the bed, seemed disposed to soliloquize.
"Deuced good fellow, that Brown
he muttered, beginning to disrobe.
Most wish was married myself. Land
ladies are vampires, or dragons, every
one."
He turned the gas down and crept
into bed, and at this point his soliloouy
ended abruptly. A tall figure, robed
in white, stood in the doorway.
" So you've snsaked off up here to
sleep, because you're drunk. Didn't
want to disturb me, did you? I've ex-
pected this. I knew you we're going
back to your old pranks, as every hus-
band does after he's married a year.
Up with you this instant. No drunken
wretch shall sleep in my best bed"
A cold sweat broke out on Smiths
brow. He was in terrible perdica-
ment, and he shivered with terror at his
position.
Come" cried Mrs. Brown, advance
ing threateningly. If you're asleep
I'll soon waken you. Get up, you
brute!'
Further hesitation was useless, impos-
sible, and Smith sat up in bed, the
sheet wrapped around his shoulders.
thought you would move pretty
soon," Mrs. Brown said, triumphantly.
March down stairs, sir, immediately.
I've mind to oblige YOU to sleep in
the cellar for this" ~
With a swimming brain and trembling
limbs, Smith arose, and at motion Of
Mrs. Browns hand, tottered through
the door and down the stairs, followed
closely by the white-robed Nemesis. At
the door an insane idea possessed his
mind. He must escape. He would
open the door and fee into the street.
But thought Of his costume stopped
him. It would never do. He turned
at the foot of the stairs and moved to.
ward door, from whice came stream
of light. He entered, Mrs. Brown
close behind.
Now sir, get" The words end
ed in q scream, and with crash Mrs.
Brown fell at full length on the floor.
Another white-robed figure sat upon
the edge of the bed, and. believing
that she had seen q ghost, Mrs. Brown
had tainted.
There, Smith, run for your life.
The very deuce is to pay tc-nightl|
Smith was only too glad to obey, and
ten minutes later he crept from the
house. It was the last time he ever
tested the hospitality of Brown, and his
troubles with his landlady still continue.
Mrs. Brown is still in darkness regard
ing the ghost.
lad who, at fourteen, was apprenticed
to soap-dealer. One of bis resolu-
tions was to read an hour day, or at
least at that rate, and the old silver
watch, left him by his uncle, by which
he timed his reading He stayed seven
years with his master, and it was said
when he was twenty-one he knew as
much as the young squire did. Now,
let us see how much time he had to one
hour day. 1t would be 1855 hours,
which, at the rate of ten hours day,
would be equal to three hundred and
ten days, equal to forty-fve weeks;
nearly years reading. That time