Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-06-01
A Look u nder the Bed.

n A-OOA u nuer the BED.
IL IS The habit Of many persons TO take a looI
under the bed before retiring for the night.
Mrs. Evergreen, my beloved wife, induiee.. j
indulgence IL can be called, in this peculiar prac
tice. r"S
have oilen remarked TO Mrs. Evergreen
l have seen her pry lining under the bed. tba
IL was silly habit, and that the sooner. sb,
gave IL up The better. 10 this gentle adInon
itlon my better half invariably reioius
La, Evergreen. what harm does it do ? It's g
satisfaction to know that nobody 10 under there
ana Then don't think Of such horrible things
after am In bed.'
4 think, my dear, you might just as well
pursue your investigations further and look
i'll the bureau drawers and the clotbes-bask-
etp "'"-
evergreen she will rejon, don't mention
the idea, or shall certainly TO do so. Come
70 think Of 1t, man Could easily get into the
clothes basket.
Certainly lie could, my dear, quite easily as
taistah. You should certainly include the
clothes basket, and by-the-by there's the Chin
ney-why not look up that?7
| NOW, Evergreen, you're laughing at me-
But can't leave off the habit, and never will
Us comfort for me to know there's nothing
wrong about it, and don't see why you shouli
deprive me Of it,
so under the bed goes the candle, and no
ISIS VI hua"hi'y peihS discovered, Mrs. Ever
| green is able to reposc in peace.
II 1t were not for increasing this mental idi-
osyncrasy on the part of Mrs. Evergreen. bv
giving her some good reason to apprehend dan.
ger, should relate to her wha. am about IN
relate TO the reader. In this narration, there
lore, ask the public most particularly to bear
~ mind that Mrs. Evergreen is slightly super
| s!liious, ana What haveto say, must under no
circumstances, be impaired TO that lady, If for
TWO and twenty years (that is the period of
our welded lie, and happy years have they
oeen)-lf, say, have for this long period r..
Trained from iDparting the matter 10 the beloy
ed sharer Of my joys and sorrows, surely The
public will keep the secret.
was not bad-looking when l was in INV
confidently say that Gus Evergreen was a de-.
cideu iavorte among the girls of Oakyille. and
really believe could have had any Of them for
the asking. '0'
AS before remarked, Ms Eyerereen ia
not present, and indulge my thought ratber
more freely than would have otherwise been
the case. WV"
Fred Evans, who had been INV ch,,m at school
came 10 Fay me visit at Oakville for a few
Gays as he said when he came; but he made a
week ortwo easily enongh after I'd taken him
about among the ladies.
When that time had expired, Fred said he
really must 60, as he didn't know what his ia
lher and mother would say of his long absence;
but 1t ended In relieving their apxlety bv 4. iot
Ter, ana sending for his trunks.
knew how the matter was perfectly well
and mat. Belle Bronson had bewitehed him out
of his senses. Fred tiled to put it on 10 The
country air and the quiet which was beuefttinp
MS health etc, but it was no use irving to do.
eeive me, and told him 50. Then he owned
up frankly, and promised to help him all /
could, u he required any help in the prosecu-
liun Of his suit.
Things went on in this way without any de-
Unite result, until Fred received sudden sum
mons nome on account of his mothers illness.
When he came back to renew his visit, he in
sisted upon staying at the Oakvile Hotel, rstl
er than wear out his welcome at our house, and
finding remoustrances unayailing. there bs
went.
The landlord gave Fled, at my suggestion.
his best room, No. 2O-l am particular in mem
tlohlhg the number. 'Any friend of yours,
Master augustus, shall have the best room
have got as long as I'm landlord.
Belle Blonson, because ofthe sudden arrival
at her house OF some country cousins, was oblig-
eu 10 give up her room--her mothers cottage
being small One-and TO occupy for a single
night for room In the hotel.
We would have offered her guests accommo-
dations at our house, but We were in a similar
prediclment. An agricultural fair had brought
many strangers III the place, and our own guests
were so numerous that | had to give up nv
room to two of them, and had intended asking |
Mr. Fred Evans to let me pass the night with |
him. |
For this purpose l went to the hotel at a late !;
hour, and proceeded at once to Feds room, |
but TO my surprise found no one theie. | did
not even notice that his trunk was gone, or 4
suspect the fact, which afterwards became ap- |
parent, that to 'obge some lady guests for the |
night only as the landlord expressed it, Fred |
consented to give up No. 20 and occupy small |
room in the rear OF the building.
The gas being turned on, took a book to /
await his return, aud hearing at last what ap-
peared to be footsteps approaching the |
room, and suspecting 1t to be Fred, In a mo-
mentary impulse to play joke upon him,
slipped under the bed, L large and HIGH one, in
tending to initiate cat as he entered the
room.
The door opened and was on the point OF
ndulging in my ventroqual faculty by Civ
ing long drawn "meow," when, from my hid
ing-place beheld Belle Bronson take possess
Sion Of the apartment
My astonishment was so great, and the sense
of modification so intense,I did not as should
have done, made myself Immediately known
to her. Thus the opportunity for discovery
and explanation was lost. dared not move a
hair, but hoped sincerely that some excuse
might take her out of the room for moment,
and so facilitate my escape. She, however,
locked the door, removed the key, and, knew
by the sound, prepared to retire. Finally, she
kneeled down beside the bed, and clasping her
hands and bowing her head ESQ fearfuly near
to my very ear) she offered up her evening
prayer in a manner full OF feeling and with
such sweet accents Of womanly tenderness and
devotion, that felt as if she was an angel bend
Ing over the vllest of mortals That prayer
went to my heart; but ore portion of 1t went
through it and held IL captive. Never shall
forget my feeling Of surprise and deep emotions
when heard her utter these words:
Bless my dear mother, sisters and friends !
bless all around me, aud, y God bless him
love, Augustus Evergreen, and shower down (
Thy inercies over him.
If breathed shorter before, after this my
breath seemed TO desert ms entirely and seri-
ly thought that the beating of my heart would
betray me. Il
Belle, pure as au angel TO me then, {
and white as snow fake, her charms !
resplendent in the gas-lieht proceeded to turn /
of the gas, and get into bed. What thoughts
rushed through my brainl Above me lay =
young and unsophisticated girl, wholly uncon- I
sclous that the one she loved lay 20 closely To