Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-01-16

beaver. As ascended the hotel steps
[ felt, so to speak, like one going to
his own funeral.
GA grinning waiter bowed before me.
A pert clerk lifted up his head and
stared. | was an ordinary traveller to
them-that was evident.
ut was lase,ril the evening. The
place wore anair of repose. Laughter
and a faint chink of glasses in an in
ner apartment, told of some conyivial-
ity. One old man read his newspaper
before the fire. Nothing else was astir.
81 asked for room. The clerk nod
ded.
"'Do you care what floor?' he asked.
Il shook my head.
"'Number twenty-nine is empty he
said, and tossed key to the waiter,
whom | followed at once.
Eve reached the room by two flights
of stairs. Atthe door the waiter paus-
ed.
"'Thought he said twenty-nine,' he
muttered. The key is twenty-one.'
"'Then open twenty-one with it. |
said. 4 don't care for the number of
sthe room.'
".No sir-to be sure, SIR said the
waiter, and passed along few steps
further.
".Twenty-one,' he said, and, unlock
ing a door, pushed it open.
"'Shall bring you anything, sir"
he said.
Il answered no and he left me,
having put the candle on my bureau.
"The hour had come. As shut the
door. a heavy sigh escaped ME. Alas.
that life had become so woful thi-g
to me that | should desire to be rid
of it.
''In the dim light of my own candle,
I paced the floor, and thought bitter
ly of the girl | loved so dearly.
at was in the days of curtained
beds. The bed in this room was hung
with dark chinz: so were the windows.
Over the bureau was looking-glass,
with a portrait of a lady in pulled
sreeves ana n1gn comm, a.
way of ornament. There were four
stuffed chairs. and brass shovel and
tongs stood guard beside the CRATE.
fancied myself lying dead on the bed
amidst all these belongings. and felt
sorry for myself. Then took nv pis-
tolls from my rortmanteau, and leaving
the door unlocked, for why should |
put the landlord ts the trouble Of
breaking it open, lay down on the
bed, drew the curtains, took Il pistol
in each hand, and, as true as | now
speak to You, had the muzzle of each
to temple, when some one opened the
door, and
"'There. now, jessie said voice,
Il told You You didn't lock it.
- did, said another voice, and
sent the key to the office by the cham
ber-maid.'
Il laid the pistols down and peeped
through the curtains. There were two
ladies in the room. One an old lady
in brown front of false curls, the
other my cruel lady-love, Jessie Grey.
For a moment | fancied | must be
dreaming.
"'Sure it's the right number Z" ask
ed Jessie.
"sTwenty-one-yes,' said the other.
And here's my band-box. Oh, dear.
I'm sleepy
81 am not said Jessie. 4 wish |
was, aunt
"'You didn't sleepa wink last night
said the aunt. Nor you haven't eaten
your meals to-day. You'll go into a
decline if you go OH that way. I'll
see DR.. Black about you Tomorrow.
81 don't want DR.. Black to be call
ed sighed Jessie. I'D rather die
"What's the matter::' cried the old
lady. you are not yourself. You
don't eat or sleep, and cry perpetually.
What ails you::'
"I'm miserable said Jessie.
"Why* cried her aunt.
"Oh, aunt said Jessie, 'it's all your
fault. You told me over and over "a
gain that girl must never jump at an
offer; that man must be refused at
least once, or he'd not value a girl
And like him SO, And, oh he lik-
ed me, And when he asked me | felt
so glad. But remembered what you
said, and oh, how could | do it,
said, ooh, dear, pon and he left Inc
without word. And Pm so sorry
oh, SO sorry.-because | loved him,
aunt
"'You little goose.n cried the old
lady.