Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-02-12
"Twenty o ne" he said, and unlock
ng door pushed it open.
"Shall bring you anything, sir 2"

J10 9A1Us
answered No, and he LETT me, hav'
ing put the candle on my bureau.
The hour had come. As l shut the
door heavy sigh escaped me. Alas
that life had become so woful q thing
to me that should want to he rid of it.
| In the dim light of my one candle
paced the floor, and thought bitterly
of the girl loved SO dearly.
It was in the days of curtained beds.
The bed in this room was hung with
dark chintz; 80 were the windows.
Over the bureau was looking-glass,
with q portrait of lady in pulled
sleeves and high comb at the top by
wav of ornament. There were four
stiff chairs, and q brass shovel and
tongs stood guard beside the CRATE. ]
fancied myself lying dead on the bed
amidst all these belongings and fell
sorry for myself. Then / took my
pistols from my portmanteau, and
leaving the door unlocked, for why
should ! put the landlord to the
trouble of breaking it open T. I lay
down upon the bed, drew the curtains,
took pistol in each hand, and, as true
as I speak to you, had the muzzle OF
each to temple, when some one open.
ed the door, and-"There, now, Jes.
sie," . said 2 voice, II told you you
81 did," said another voice; and
sent the key to the Office by the cham
bermaid."
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 Gray.
/ For q moment I fancied I must be
dreaming.
! "Sure it's the right number Z" asked
Jessie.
"Twenty-one-yes, said the other.
8. And here't my band-box. Oh, dear
I'm sleepy"
I'm not, wish I was, aunt" said
Jessie.
"You didn'tsleep wink last night, "
said the aunt. "Nor you haven't
eaten your meals to-day. You'll go
into decline if you go on in that way.
I'll see DR.. Black about You to-mor.
row."
"I don't want DR.. Black to be call
3D." sighed Jessie. '.I'd rather de-"
"What's the matter2" cried the old
lady. "You are not yourself. You
don't eat nor sleep, and you cry per.
petually. What ails you 2"
"1'm miserable" said Jessie.
"Why2" asked her aunt.
| Oh, aunt" said Jessie, "it's all
your fault. You told me over and over
again that girl must never jump at an
offer; that man must be refused at
least once, or he'd not value girl.
And I liked him SO; and oh, he liked
me. And when he asked me felt so
glad! Aunt, I remembered what you
said, and Lob, how could I do it7 I
said, Oh, dear, no!' and he left me
without word. And I'm SO sorry
because love him aupt."
{" You little goose!" cried the old
lady.
AS for me, you fancy how I felt:
had no thought of suicide now. My
desire was to live and ask that ques.
tion of mine over again. I pocketed
my pistol and crspt down on the other
side of the bed. stepped toward the
bureau and blew out the candle. The
faint red light of the fire was still in the
room. As dashed out of the door
heard two female screams, but I escap-
ed in safety.
I met the waiter On the stairs.
"Found ont the mistake, SIR" he
said. "Just coming to rectify it,"
"Don't mention it," I said. I'm
very glad-that is, it don't matter.
Here is something for your trouble" I"
and I gave him five dollar bill.
He said "Thank ye, sir but I saw
that he thought me crazy. He was
confirmed in his opinion when, as I
passed to the door Of my own room, 1
cried:
"Heaven bless twenty-one It's q
lucky number
But + never was saner than I was
then, and never half 81, happy.
OF course I proposed to Jessie the
very next day, and I need not tell you
that her answer was not "Oh, dear,
no." And that's why I call twenty
oae my lucky nnmber.