Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-01-03
A NARROW ESCAPE.

THERE |" said Mr.. Porter, as he wrote
he last line with flourish, and rose from
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 hell me remember it.
I'll 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 l am in the city declare /
haven't much time to lose !" and Mr..
Porter hustled 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 ii 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 ?" she
said, quickly. "Dick, do you know
what has become of him ?"
81 saw him go down the hill with
Charlie Wheeler just minute ago,
ma'am."
Dear me what nuisance | wish
he was ever here when he was wanted.
You 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
ner Of the drawer. Now be Just as quick
as possible. There is always dozen
things left till the last minute; to hinder
people"
" Where shall l leave Baby Nell,
ma'am ~
"Set her on tie carpet and give her
something to play with. I'll 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 a red
ball to play with; but she had played
with them a 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
mantel-piece; 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 sheY The envelcp was not
sealed, and her small fingers easily ierked
out the sheet. Then you would have
been edited, if you could have seen and
heard her. Such curious iargon 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 little; it made 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; q 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 a very industrious
little body; and it took but a short time
for her deft little fingers TO tear all Papa
POrter's important addresses into such
narrow ribbons that it would have been
very hard, indeed, to have made them
out. There they were, in nice little
heap in her lap. She gave sigh of salts
! 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 a 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 sezing the tumbler,
clam6ered 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
At this point, Mr.. Porter rushed out
seized upon Baby Nell, kissed her hur
riedly, sat her down again, snatched the
empty enVelop from the mantel, anC
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 thereS" Mr
Wheeler asked, as the two gentlemen
stood saying a few last words, as thu
train pulled and snorted, and took in
fresh breath. " Yes, have his address
on my paper Just give me Charlie vii
sons number again, and I'll put it on tn,
same list" aud Mr. Porter fumbled il
his pocket for the envelop. What un
der the sun, moon and stars is to pay
now" he muttered, as, to his utter amaze
! hn { -.
brought the wrong enVelop | can't e,
without those addresses My memoranda
is on the same list" Then wasn't there
time Didn't Mr. Porter tear up tht
street like a mailman, and dash into thu
house, look on the mantle piece, and hun
in his pockets, and scOld Dick and Free
and Elsie, and rave around generally, il
the midst of which there came distinc
and emphatic voice from the depot
"Wh.o 900 DOOR said the departing
train.
"There, now" said Mr. Porter, stopping
his search and folding his arms in a sor
of cOmical despair. "Now you see wha
you have donel There goes that train
and | wouldn't have missed it for fiftl
dollars, snd all the result of careless
ness" Fred ventured to make a remark
"Who has done 1t fatherS" That
just what should like to know, and it,
what mean to find out. Now which o
you children meddled with that envel
op ?"
" wasn't here" said each of the thre
children in breath
so no, you were none of you here, o
course; you never are, when mischief il
done. No doubt the letter jumped out o
the envelop and walked off of itself
Fred, where were you sir ?"
" was down at the foot of the hill will
Charlie Wheeleri 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, yor
know, Don't you know, you met me a
the gate and told me gOodbyey"
just then a dismayed exclamation from
Mrs Porter arrested attention. In hel
haste to get damp clothes off from Baby
Nell, she had set the tumbler back on thC
mante, and now, as she stood mechanic