The Portland daily press., 1876-05-15

as he could contain himself he said: Don't
ycu see 1t was not regulated for your hight?
you had tried it when l asked you would
have arranged it propeEly.'
l tried to laugh too, and said: "Well, I've
had brushing enough; let's go up stairs now,
Tor am anxious to look in the glass TO see II
there is any skin left on the end of my nose"
what a jolly large roomF' said as en-
the apartment prepared Tor me.
eyes. this was my poor old uncle's room,
and for a wear or two before he died he used
it for Sitting room as we'll as bedroom.
You see that large recess at the end; that is
where he used to sleep. The bed is there
still, as it is often handy; but as the room is
only used for sleeping purposes now, L have
had another aud larger bed put in as well.
I'll come and sleep in the little bed, and keep
you company, if you like; that is if you are
nervous, and don't like being alone, as you
used to be-"
Oh, but that was such wild, uncivilized
place, one could never tell what might hap
pen but am not nervous at being alone in
England"
''All right, old fellow; but 1 have got a
great deal to show you here. First of all, as
it is getting dusk, I'll light the gas; that is
done Ply electricity. | have got quantity
shaking, and the muscles OF his fingers SO
contract that he cannot open his hand to re-
lease himself, but must grin and endure it
until choose TO tuIn off the battery power"
But suppose you did not hear him, he
might stand there all night"
ooh, but if anyone touches this arrange
| ment bell Immediately rings in my room"
We now went up to bed, Harry bidding me
good night at the room door, but saying ii
wanted anything l could speak to him
through the tube. was very soon in bed
| and almost as soon asleep and dreaming that
was 10 the train, and that the engine was
shrieking mady. l awoke and found Harry
was blowing the whistle through the tube
| close by my ear. | drew out the whistle and
asked him what he wanted.
''Only to inquire if you are all right, and TO
say we breakfast at clock"
Unanswered rather pettishly, I am afraid !:
81 was all right just now, for | was fast
asleep. Good night, old fellow; don't wake
me up again.
| 1t was all very well TO say don't wake me
| up again, but l could not 90 to sleep, dc
| what l would. At length, after tossing and
tumblng about, 1 determined to play Harry
the same trick he had played me. 1 seized
| the tube, blew through it and listened.
| 'Well?" came the answer, in rather a
Sleepy tone.
Il can't 60 to sleep; wish you would
come to my room or let me come to yours
think you had better come here, and yor
can sleep in the little bed, as you proposed
81! proposed nothing CT the sort, an(
| you Know it, you base, abandoned wretch
| | shall tell my brother of your conduct in the
morning."
o, horror l had caught up the wrong
tube, and had been speaking TO Miss Gradi
ent What should do? / tried to explain
"My dear madam, assure you it was all g
mistake; thought l was speaking TO you
brother" But got no answer. "Madam,'
! said, edo you hear me?" Still no answer
she had evidently put down the tube, ant
would hear nothing more had to say.
| put in the whistle, and dropped my end O
the pipe, and threw myself back on tie bee
to think.
The bare idea of my saying such thing
to that stiff old lady was awful to contem
| plate. How could l meet her at breakfast
At last dete rmined l must wake up Harr.
| and explain matters at once. | caught W
the pipe, blew the whistle, and presently 60
an answer. "Oh, have made such a mis-
take,'' said. 81 wanted you to come and
sleep here. but I got hold of the tube thai
goes to Miss Gradients room and asked he
to come instead; but of course meant vol
all the time. Do come to me at once. or
shall try and find my way to your roou."
The reply only increased my horror ant
not Miss Gradients but evidently Jane, th'
| pretty housema;d's. She said "You wretch
I'd have you know as Pm honest gal, an(
scorn We. You won't find me a coming nea
you; and if you cope here you can't get in
for cooks locked the door,"
''My dear girl 1 assure you''-I com
menced, trying to explain, but she begar
speaking from her end of the tube, and Gu
| me short.
81 amt your dear gal; and it's no us'
your talking any longer, cause I'm goins
TO plug up the pipe with curl papers; but
shall tell master all about it in the morning.
/ again threw myself back on the bed large
drops of cold perspiration stood on my fore
head as l thought of the awful muddle l had
| got into. Sleep was now not to be expected
and longed for glimmer of light If those
COMPOUNDED shutters had not been closed
there would have been little. Then l mad
up my mind that would feel my way to the
window aud try and open the shutter. got
out of bed and felt my way along the wall
The darkness and stiffness were dreadful
Suddenly heard a noise, and started; th
next instant found it was the water run
ming into the basin; had trodden on tin
spring in the floor. l now proceeded, still
feeling my way along the wall; must com
to the window in time. "Ah, here it is"
muttered as felt the curtains; but / wa
mistaken; it was the little bed in the recess
Again journeyed onward knocking my shin
against the chairs, but at last l exclaimed
Here it is; these are the curtains" 1t wa
bow window, and passed through, to fee
for the fastening of the shutters; when
how shall I describe my sensational!
screamed, yelled, | scarcely knew what
did. 1t was the self acting shower bath ha
got into, and the water came down in in
torrent on my devoted head. I suppose M
cries were deadened by the curtains, for n
one appeared to have heard me, and
emerged dripping from the bath. I was shiy
ering. l drew offmy wet night shirt, and thel
felt my way to my portmanteau, and got an
other. This took me some time to accom-
plish, and was glad to get into bed again
Strange to say, it was not long before l go
warm; glow seemed to have come over me
but sleep was Still out of the question.
During all this time had never got owe
the oppression of the intense darkness. A
at once l thought, ''Wny, what fool l am !
had forgotten how easy it was to light th
gas; 1 had only to press on the ivory knob
True, there might be some difficulty in find
ing it, but at any rate I would try.
Again l feel my way along the wall, an
at length finding The knob [ pushed il in
but no gas was lighted. Instead, heard
terrific noise overhead it was the alarm bel
All the neighborhood would be aroused
What should do? did not in the leas
know how to stop it. l must try and fin
my way to Harry. As for the pipe. coul
not be at all sure which was number one il
The dark. In my hurry to find the door
had just upset a table with a variety Q
things upon it. when Harry who had hear
the bell, burst into the room at the instant c
the crash, and exclaimed, ''What on earth
the matter?"
"Nothing," I cried. 'If 1 could but sto
this abominable bell! l was trying to ligh
the gas, and pushed in the wrong knob"
''There," said Harry, when he felt his wa
in; "Pve stopped it. But must now ru
down stairs to the telegraphs. can hear til
bells ringing; the neighbors have heard tn
alarm, and are wanting to ask what is th
NATTER" and away went Harry, still leavin
me in the dark. When he had sent them eac
a message stating that the alarm was all
mistake, he came back to ask me how it hap
pened, and lighted the gas far me-
81 could not Sleep" l said, ''and wante
to get light; but, unfortunately, l presse
in the wrong knob and set the bell rims
ing"
sob, well, never mind; it's all right now
But must go and get into bed; Pve &C
scarcely anything on, aud my teeth are cha
tering so | can hardly speak,"