Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-03-01

| h)hN ShO"CNi lAitiAi " tliS btNA o-it
intended them to occupy, and soon
the house was once more hushed in
slumber.
Meanwhile, their brother Sam
had reached the depot q few min
utes too late. He found the train
he was to have taken already gone,
but on consulting the timetable he
found that another train started
two hours later, and so decided to
take it. He figured to himself, as
he .impatiently crowded into an
empty seat and was being whirled
along at rapid rate, how snugly
his brothers had ensconced them
selves in the best bed, which by
right belonged to him, he being
the eldest and consumated plan to
get even with them.
Some time after midnight he was
deposited at Hollythorn, and reach
ing his sisters house he secuted
around until he found q way OF en-
trance into the kitchen, where he
deposited his luggage and removed
his boots. lie then quietly stole
MP stairs and opened the door of
the best room, "Suro enough
thought he, "my fine chaps, You
are in clover )" for there were not
to be mistaken signs OF the room
being occupied.
To think of coping with their
united strength by dragging them
forth was not practicable, but there
stood the pitcher of water, and he
knew that n good dousing with the
icy fluid would bring them out
quick enough.
He lifted the pitcher, approached
the bed, raised it and suddenly
dashed the contents upon the sleep
er.
Such torrent Of screams as he
had never heard ran through the
house and before Sam could col
lect his scattered senses, the door
opened and Hannah, George and
John rushed in, clothed in scanty
apparel-Hannah with a frightened
look on her face and lamp in her
hand that revealed tho entire
scene.
There, sitting up in bed, with
her hair dripping like a mermaid,
her night-dress deluded, her face
colorless, and looking terrified, was
the young schoolmistress; and
there was Sam with the empty
pitcher in his hand, the very pic
ture OF imbecility, staring around
like an idiot at the havoc he had
made. Hannah, George and John
instantly understood the situation !;
and the latter, at the command Of
his sister, dragged Sam away, while
she assisted the drenched and ter
riiled girl to dry clothing, and then
took her to her own room and bed,
explaining for the second time, the
mishaps of the night.
"I'll keep you with me nov, my
poor child,' she said, though with
difficulty keeping back her Taught
er. "These boys are nicely come
up with, at any rate; and if il
wasn't for your being so terribly
frightened, and the way my best
bed has been used, / wouldn't care.
But you are safe now.'
Hannah kissed her charge, and
went down to see the boys, who as
soon as they were fairly shut in
the regions below, began to appre-
ciate the joke; and, now that Sam
was as deep in the mud as they
were in the mire, gave no quarter
"I'll be blamed if / know what
it means," said Sam, looking in
confusion at his brothers, who were
rolling and kicking in convulsions
of laughter.
"Means p .said George, holding
his sides. at means that you have
stolen like a thief into Miss Eva
Stanley's bed-chamber, who is q
young lady teacher boarding here
and thinking it was your humble
servant and Johnny snug in bed,
you attempted to drown us out, and
made a grand mistake. How do
you like it, Sam!"
81 confess I see the point, but /
can't see the joke. It's most out
rageous shame"
At this juncture Hannah came
in and began rating them soundly,
thereby letting out the whole story.