The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-11-05
Miscellaneous.
A DREAM AND A SLEEP.

Emile, Gerard, and / sat smoking in the
dark. The curtains were drawn; the fire
smouldered to its death the sound of pass
ing wheels broke but infrequently upon the
silence Of the room. 1t was near dawn-and
still we had no thought Of separating. Emile
and Gerard had come in at o'clock in the
morning, and when such thing happened
we generally saw the daylight before we
shook hands again. We had two or three
bitter arguments; for Emile and Gerard al
ways fought with buttons Off At length
Gerard yawned. Emile caught the arms of
his easy chair, sat upright, and looked fix
edly into Gerard's face
Gerard" he said, "you have yawned"
"No doubt" answered Gerard. "What of
that? You haven't said a word for a quarter
of an hour. You have been asleep"
"Hear himW cried Emile, appealing as it
were, to the four millions of sleepers sur
rounding him, "He says slept! He has
the audacity to seek justification or extenu-
alton of his ofiense in a crime created by his
imagination for me. mark" he asked,
turning to me, "have | slept"
Beyond the facts that you sat very still
and kept your eyes closed there is no circum-
stantial evidence against you," | replied.
"There !" exclaimed Emile. Clear in
dependent testimony! But against you
there is irretutable proof You yawned. We
heard you. You are beneath contempt
You are creature of sensation and emotion
wholly destitute of reflection or self-suppled
stimulant. Bah you are like womanw
"Emile," interposed, "you are ungal-
liant"
"But, Mark" he pleaded, Gerard is a
beast"
"You are over the bounds" protested
Gerard.
"Not of TRUTH" asserted Emile.
"Of civilized conversation. The wold
beast is not in my blue book applied to a
man.
"No," | agreed, 81 never saw it "
"Then," cried Gerard, in triumph, Emile
pays the penalty"
"But as | live" pleaded Emile, 81 have no
story to tell for forfeit As l live l am
squeezed orange"
"Lemon," muttered Gerard, as he lit hi :
pipe.
Lemon is over the bounds?" inquired
Emile, clasping his hands and turning i'm
plorng eyes upon me.
"No. Lemon is within the limits. Go on
with story, Emile
lie made pathetic gesture and fell back
in his chair ",rhey, or rather he, said |
was asleep" he whispered in voice of a
stage "aside," "and 1 wasn't. l was only
thinking. Thinking of the past. Thinking
of my first night in London. What night
il was, to be sure" Then with animation,
"Did | tell you of my first night in
London"
mo"
81 will"
81 had just completed my twenty fifth
year when first set foot in London, had
come partly to see the place and partly to
meet relative of mine, whom we expected
to arrive from India any day of the week,
AS you KNOW, Mafk, nave Always peen
quiet, curious, dull fellow, taking little in
terest in the ordinary amusements provided
for the general public, and having no ap-
probation of what is called fun. So that,
instead of seeking theatre, or some other
brilliant place of entertainment, put on an
overcoat lita cigar, and walked out about
0 o'clock
"There was a dense fog, and the air was
damp and uuwholesome. happened to be
staying at hotel so situated that by the
map took all my bearings with relation t.
Holborn, The gas lamps of the other side
of the street we'v visible. but gave no light