The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-08


journeyed onward, knocking my Sims
against the chairs, but at last / ex-
claimed, "Here it Is: these are the cur.
tains.'' It was a bow-window, and
passed through to feel for the fastenings
Of the shutters when. How shall I
describe my sensations? 1 screamed, I
yelled, 1 scarcely know what did. 1t
vas the self:acting sho,oer.bath / had
got into, and the water came down in
torrent on my devoted head. I suppose
my cries were deadened by the curtains,
for no one appeared to have heard me,
and l emerged dripping from the bath.
was shivering. drew off my wet night
shirt, and then felt my way to my port
manteau and got another. This took me
some time to accomplish, and was glad
to get into bed again. Strange to say, it
was not long before got warm; glow
seemed to come over me, but sleep was
still out of the question.
During all this time had not got over
the oppression of the intense darkness.
All at once thought, "Why, what fool
| ann! l had forgotten how easy it was
to light the gas. I had only to press on
the ivory knob. True, there might be
some difficulty in finding it, but at any
rate would try.
Again felt my way along the wall,
and at length finding the. knob, I pushed
it in; but no gas was lighted. Instead ]
heard terrific noise overhead; it was
the alarm.bell. All the neighborhood
would be aroused. What should I do
l did not in the least know how to stop it.
must try and find my way to Harry.
As for the pipe, could not be at all sure
which was number one in the dark. In
my hurry to find the door, had just up.
set table with variety Of things upon
it, when Harry, Who heard the bell, burst
into the room at the instant of the crash.
and exclaimed,
"What on earth is the matter
Nothing" cried. IF I could bu
stop this abominable bell! Twas irving
to light the gas, and pushed in the wrong
knob.
"There," said Harry, when he pushed
his way in; 1--WE stopped it. But
must now run down stairs to the tele-
graphs. l can hear the bells ringing the
neighbors have heard the alarm, and are
wanting to know what is the matter :"
and away went Harry, still leaving me in
the dark. When he had sent them each
messages, stating that the alarm. was all
mistake, he came back to ask me how it
happened and lighted the gas for me.
81 could not sleep,' said, ''and want.
ed to get light: but unfortunately, I
pressed in the wrong knob and set the
bells ringing"
''Oh, we'll, never mind it's all right
now. But must 60 and get into bed !;
I've scarcely anything on, and my teeth
are chattering so can hardly speak,
"But, say, l want to explain some-
thing to you. I've got into such a mud
die. l wanted to speak to You, but I got
hold of the wrong tube and called to
your sister instead, and she-''
''Oh, well. never mind I'll make 1t all
right in the morning. can't stay any
longer now.''
He was gone, and had not been able
to fully explain. Should do so through
the pipe! No; I would not risk that !;
perhaps might got hold of the wrong
one again, and only make matters worse.
| lay bordering for long time what to
do. / was seized with an ardent desire
to get away. I looked at my watch; it
was four o clock why, it would soon be
getting daylight. If those COMPOUNDED
shutters were but open should be able
to see if the day was breaking. Now
had light, surely I nigh: open them.
would try. Yes; 1 could open them; but
as the gas Was alight, it prevented the
catch from keeping them open, and, as |
have said they closed with spring how.
ever, as held them back l could see no
sign of the dawn, and at last I managed
to prop them open with two chairs. How
could get away ?-that was the all i'm
portant question-and without Jane see
ing me too. Suppose was trying to slip
out. and were to meet her on the stairs
in the dusk, she would probably think l
had improper designs, and before I could
explain would rouse the house. Decided
ly, If [ meant to 60, [ must start before
the servants are stirring. L consulted
my bradshaw, and found that there was
an early train from the station where I
got out last night. Only last night ?
Could it he ? 1t seemed an age. Yes, l
would make up my mind to 20. Iwould
leave a note for Harry, asking him to ex.
cuse my sudden departure, and begging
him, whatever might be alleged against
my character, to suspend his judgement
until he had heard what had to say, il
we should ever meet again.
found in my pocket a note with a
blank half sheet; this tore off, and
writing my letter to Harry in pencil I
placed it on the dressing-tablc and pre-
pared to start. had only sinai! port
manteau, which I could easily carry to
the station myself. Soon all was ready.