Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-02-13
l. WILMINGTON, DEL. FRIDAY. FEB. 13, 1874 PR
HIS LUCKY NUMBER.

8ii HIS LUCKY NUMBER.
EVERY one has lucky number" said the old
gentleman. "Mlnc 10 twenty-one. Twenty nine |
might have been, and would have been unlucky |
number for me- Yet didn't knowit both were |
painted In black letters on awhile oval. Twenty
Not much difference, you sec |
-21, 29-vsry like indeed, and yet because / |
chose the number with . flourish aud u long leg,
ann here today and have had happy life. l
should have been the occupant OF a suicides
grave ever so many years ago. had chosen TWEEN
ty-nine.
:. really cant understand" said l. " Was it Q |
lottery, or draft; CONSUMPTION, or what5 Was
it game ?" ........
! q Il was the number on a door," said the old
It."
II was very much ia love, everybody is at some
time in his life. At twenty five was desperate:
Talk about Romeo! He was nothing compared
with me-"
IL am not ashamed Of it. She WAS worthy
object. Not only because she was beautiful but
because she was good and amiable, and such a
sweet singer! She sang soprnno in the church
choir. And have heard strang ers whisper to
each other Is there really angel up there =
When she sang her part alone, clear and sweet
and futeliKs wns her voice. I've never heard lis
equal"
"WeIl loved her, and thought she liked me,
but wasn't sure. l courted her good while,
s"s ocS Wes - 6h 10 my btEu, uuu
isfy myself as TO her feelings. l made up my mind
to ask her aud know for certain. Some old poet
says:
He either -fssrs his fate too much.
Or his deserts are small.
Who tears to put it to the touch.
And win or lose il ALL"
"Iagreed with him, aAd one evening as We
walked home from party stopped under q
great willow tree, lad took her hand in niue and
said
"JssAis, l love yoa better than my life-will
waited for answer
Jessie" said, won't you please speak with
meY"
Then she did speak
"No- oh, dear, mo- J"
onered her my arm again, and tosk her hsne
without word. She did not speak. She had
told me before that she should start with the dawn
to visit an aunt in New York but did not even
| say goodbye at the door l bowed and that was
all. Then when she was out OF sight and stood
all alone In the village street, felt desperate
| enough to kill myself
What had done to receive so cold a refusali-
Why didshe scorn me SOP Oh, dear, no Igrew
| furious as repeated the words.
Yet, 1t stung me all the same tossed from
| side to side III my bed all night, and thought
could endure 1t no longer. But would not pain
and disgrace my respectable relatives by commit
| ting suicide in the place wherein they dwelt an
l
New Iork-evsn then very large cty-an
| seeking some some hotel register some assumed
name, and, retiring at night with bottle of laud-
| mum and brace OF pistols, awake no more, and
so be rid OF my misery. arranged my aiiairs to
The best OF my ability, and received an imaginary
letter from friend In New York, req lring my
presence on u matter OF business. l burdened
myself with no unnecessary luggage. What did
an unknown suicide want with q coat and q
change of lnsnS
| | kissed IN m othar and m si.far and s,ar+Ie3
| my grandmother by an embrance, and started on
what l mentally called my last journey, with a
| determined spint.
| There was certain hotel TO which many
habit of going. This / avoided. Another,
chosen At hAzzard seemed to be better.
! Thiiher 1 walked. determined to leave no
trace OF my destination to those who knew
me-no clue to my Identity 10 those who
should ind me dead
had no mark npou my clothes, no card
paper or letter with me. | had torn the
matter 5 mark from my beaver. As | as
oended the hotel steps ielt. so to speak
ike one going TO his own funeral. A grim
ming waiter bowed before me. A pert clerk
lifted up his head and stared. I was an
ordinary traveller to them that was vident.
1t was late In the evening. The place
wor an air of repose. Laughter and q
faint ehink OF glasses In an inner apartment,
told me CT some conviviality. One old man
Iouu uiS uoWsphpeE D6iOr6 tn6 QTe.
asked FOR room. The clerk nodded.
do you care what floor ?" he aske
shook my head.
Number twenty. nine is empty" he
said and tossed ley 10 the waiter, whom
followed at once.
We reached the room by Two liehts oil
stairs. At The door the wsiter paused.
Thought he said tweuty-nlns,' he NUT
tered THE key IL twenty one"
"Then open twenty. one with it, don't
care tor tns number OF the room,' said.
mo sis-to be sure. sir" said the waiter.
! and passed along few steps further.
Twenty. one he said, and unlock ed q
door and pushed 1t open.
/ answered mo" and he LEFT me, ba wing put
the candle on my bureau.
The hour had come. As l shut the door
heavy sigh escaped me Alasl that life had be
! come 80 wosfal thing to me that should de
sire to be rid oft.
. In the dim light " my one candle, paced ths
aoor. and thought bitterly Of the girl loved sc
dearly.
1t was in the days Of cur.ainsd beds The bee
in this loom was hung " ith dark chinlz; so wer,
, the Windows Over the bureau was a looking
glass. with portrait Of lady in pulled sleeves
aud high comb, at the top by way of ornament
There were four stuffed chairs, and brass shove
, ard tongue stsod guard beside the crate. fan
cied myself lying dead on the bed amid all thes,
belongings, and fslt sorry for myself Then
J took my pistols from my portmanteau, and leav
ing the door unlocked, for Why ahould put th,
landlord to the trouble Of breaking it opcn Ia,
, down on the bed, drew the curtains, took psto
in each hand, and as true as now speak 4
you. had the muzzle Of each 10 temple, wheI
: some one opened the door, and There, now
Q jessie" said voice, Il told ycu, you didn'
/ lock It." .zr.H
!; II did," said another voice, "and seat the ke,
! to the Office by the chambermaid"