Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-09

some time to accomplish, and I was clad
to get into bed again. Strange to say, il
was not long before I got warm;a 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
l ami" 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 I would try.
Again felt my way along the wall,
| and at length finding the; knob. 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 do
did not in the least know how to stop it.
must try and find my way to Harry.
As for the pipe, I could not be at all sure
which was number one in the dark. In
my hurry to find the door, I had lust 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,
| u0S Vu SuIIA Is tuG
''Nothing,' I cried. IF I could bu
stop this abominablc bell! Twas irvine
to light the gas, and pushed in the wrong
knob.
''Therc." said Harry, when he pushed
his way in; 1--WE stopped it. But ]
must now run down stairs to the telc
graphs. / can hear the bells ringing the
neighbors have heard the alarm. and arc
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 tic alarm was all a
mistake, he came back to ask me how il
happened and lighted the gas for me.
81 could not Sleep said, s'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 I must 60 and get into bed
I've scarcely anything on, and my teeth
arc chatterins so can hardly speak,
'But, l say, want to explain some.
thing to you. I've got into such a mud.
die. WANTED to speak to You, but got
hold of the wrong tube and l called to
your sister instead, and she-'
| ooh, we'll, never mind I'll make it all
right in the morning. can't stay any
longer now"
He was gone, and l 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.
l lay bordering for long time what to
do. l was seized with an ardent desire
to get away. Hooked 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 might open them.
would try. Yes; I could open them but
as the gas was alight, it prevented the
catch from keeping them open, and, as l
have said they closed with spring how.
ever, as held them back could sec no
sign Of the dawn, and at last l managed
to prop them open with two chairs. How
/ could l get away THAT was the all i'm.
portant question-and without Jane see.
ing me too. Suppose I was trying to slip
out. and were to meet her on tho stairs
in the dusk, she would probably think
had improper designs, and before I could
explain would rouse the house. Decided.
~, if | meant to go, I must start before
the servants are stirring. I consulted
my bradshaw, and found that there was
an early train from the station where l
got out last night. Only last night
Could it be? 1t seemed an age. Yes. l
would make up my mind to go. would
leave a note for Harry, asking him to OK.
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, if
we should over meet again.
found in my pocket a note with a
blank half sheet; this tore of, and
writing my letter to Harry in pencil I
placed it on the drcssing.tablc and pre-.
pared to start. had only a small port
manteau, which ] could easily carry to
the station myself. Soon all was ready.
l cautiously opened the door and crept
noiselessly down the stairs, carrying my
boots in my hand. In the hall / sat
down and put them on. Ccnfound it !;
the front door was locked and the key
taken away. l must try some of the
back entrances. was determined to get
out Of the house if possible. l had not
been in the kitchen but saw passage
which had no doubt led in that direct
ion. Cautiously I traversed it, for the
eorly daylight was only dimly struggling
in through the fan light over the hall
door. ~.
Presently came to pair of folding
doors covered with crimson baize.
pushed; they did not yield but pce.ing
more closely saw latch by which they
were secured. I tried it; still the door
would not open. There was another
handle, and put down my portmanteau
to try this, when-"Oh! Oh! All! 90.
600! Murder Thieves! Fire! @.
100000 and so on, and so on, for about
an hour, as it seemed to me, though
don't suppose it was over a minute. 1
was caught in the thie(:trap that Harry
had explained to me, but which had for
gotten. My fingers clutched violently
at the handles, though was all the time
most anxious to rush away from them !;
but the muscles of my fingers were be-
yond my control, and was suffering lex.
crutiating agony from tho electric: cur.
rent, which was vibrating through me
from head to foot. At last the shaking
ceased and with it my cries and shouts
which I had kept up. vigorously all the
time. then almost dropped into 4 chair
which stood near. ThenI saw and heard
Harry, who was asking me how I came
there.
II was going away gasped. II have
been most miserable all night but: this
is the climax it has almost killed me.
Pray, open the door, and III try to walk
to the station
'Nonsense!" cried Harry; stcome
along up stairs. lam sorry you have
been bothered so, but will make it all
right. - .
"No; / shall never be happy here you
must let me 60. am very much obliged
to you for your kind intentions; but what
with tubes and bells, and knobs to push
in, and handles to pull out, and batteries
and coils, and one thing and another, /
am almost driven out of my senses.
Please let:me 80 or ! shall miss the early
train" -
a 4 = e