Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-04-23
THE DEwBERRYS.

THE DEwBERRYs.
Mrs. Dewbcrry. wife of James Dew.
berry. is an exceedingly absent minded
woman. so absent-mindcd that she some.
times forgets to sew on her husband
buttons and mend his socks. though. a.
Mr.. Dewberry savagcly remarks (brute
that he is } she never seems 10 forget when
she ought to have = new bonnet or gown,
or thinks she ought when he don't. fo'
Mr.. d. is man who does not approve Of toe
much dress for women.
They would get along splendidly. how.
ever. we're It not for Mrs. Dewberry's lit
| Gle habit Of forgetfulncss. and the sddi-
6ioual fses thaf she Il issotbewhat deaf. u
But just let me tell you what happened
at the residence of the Dewberry's the
other night. and l feel sure you will sym
pathizc not only with Mr.. Dewberry bu,
the unfortunate Mrs. Dewbcrry herself.
Like all partially deaf people. Mrs.
Dewberry is forever laboring under the
deluson that she hears all descriptions of
noises. and happening to wake up last
Thursday night about twelve o'clock. be-
came convinced, from sundry imaginary
sounds. that some one was breaking into
the house. She sat up in bed and listen
cd with both her ears, one Of which was
q little more deaf than the other, and was
sure that some one was forcing an entrance
through the basement window. She was
dreadfully frightened visions of masked
robbers passed through her head. So.
seizing her sleeping husband BY the arm.
she shook him violently. screaming:
flames! James! Wake up, say.
There's robbers breaking in!'
ry. starting up aud rubbing his astonished
eyes.
There's band Of masked robbers
getting in at the basement window =
answered Mrs. Dewberry in great excite
ment.
Masked robbersr shouted her hus-
band thunder and lightning" and with
that he sprang out of bed and. snatching
the night lamp. dashed down stairs. clad
only in his robe dc mutt. Whcrcupon
Mrs. D.. instead Of hanging over the BAL
listers to look after her husband, rs any
other woman would have done, locke!
the door. and. Jumping into bed. covered
herself. head and all, in the blankets; and
as her husband did not come back quite
as soon as she expected, forgot all about
him and fell asleep. Meanwhile Mr..
Dcwberry. in search Of the robbers, hav-
ing armed himself with his cane. crcrt
softly down the basement stairs and peep
ed cautiously through the keyhole Of the
dining room door. fully expecting to find
the room filled with masked men, making
off with the silver. But no, the apart
mcnt was empty; and though he searched
every room and listened at every window
and door he could find no trace Of rob-
bcrs. They nigh, be down stairs feast
ing on the contents Of the lardcr; he had
heard Of such things. and acting on this
suggestion he explored the cellar also,
Notwithstanding the cold bricks nearly
frozc his bare feet. But there was no one
in the cellar either. uoless they were Sc
crcted in the coal-bin. and Mr.. Dewber-
ry. who when he did thing always did
it well, mounted up on the edge of the
bin and. lamp in hand. peered down into
its grimy depths. Just as he had decii-
ed that there was naught but coal in the
bin, gust Of wind from the cellar win.
dow blew out his light. and at the same
instant Mr.. Dewberry lost his balance
and fell, head first. into the coal-bin. 1,
is unnecessary to state what he said when
he found himself srrawling in that beast.
" coal-bin"-he cald it-but he certainly
did look rather peculiar when. after pro.
curing another light from the kitchen
he gained his bedroom door with his nigtl:.
shirt. face, feet, and hands blackened Will,
coal-dust.
To his surprise he found the door locked
He raped on it with his kuuckles. aut
pounded on it with his feet. bu. Mrs
Dewberry had gone to sleep with her deaf
est ear urpermost. and not sound dis
turbed her peaceful rest.
'Confouud the woman what am I tc
do?' thought the victirnized Dewberry
shivering with the cold. He'd not sta,
there all night-tha. he was determined
SO he shouted and banged and shook th,
door until Mrs. Dewbcrry was aroused a,
last. and called out in a sleepy voice
Who's there
Who's there. indeed " shouted the irat,
Mr.. D.: why. your husband. woman!-
And why. in the name Of goodness. dom
you unlock this door!'
Il haven't locked the door no such
thing vociferated Mrs. Dewberry. wh.
had Of course entirely forgotten the cir
cumstances; and you amt nv husband
either she continued +; L don't believe
word Of it,
Not your husband ? cried Mr.. Dew
berry: what next, I wonder? | an
your husband Didn'. you send me t.
look for robbers that we're not there, con
found it all 7
oh yes. yes. answered Mrs D.. sud
denly remembering ell abou; it. WA
a moment. Jim. and I'll let you in : au,
Mrs. Dewberry got out of bed and be
gan cropping her way across the foor.-
There being no light in the room sh
hadn't gone half q yard before she pu
her foot into small ba,h-,ub that Mr
ID. had very carelessly lefs full Of wa,e
before retiring.
Bless me - cried Mrs. Dexberry
'wha, is that 2 aud she turned sudden
~ round. only to catch her foo, in th
drugge, and come spla.hMg down, vii
both hands in the wafer.
what in thunder are you at 2 demand
ed Sir. pewberry, outside the door. ID