Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-09-11
Srlrttr0 Storp.
From Appleton's Journal
4 MIDNIGHT DRAMA.
rY EDWARD BELLAMY.

What q sigh was that not noisy, but
profound and eloquent at once Of an old
grief and fresh perp!exiy. Bob With
ers, the gentleman in his sbiIt sleeves
before The mirror, had heSyed tha' sigh
every night tor ten Years, simultaneously
with the act of removing from his head
the iine chestnut wig which conceals the
most complete destituIiou OF the natural
covering. The griet is therefore au Old
one. but an element OF perplexity has
mingled with this nightly sigh lately
namely, since having woed and won
Angie McLsne in his wig he has been
serewing up his courage to the point OF
revealing TO her that it is a wiz, as he
teels in fairness he ought 10 do. Ha has
put it of and put it ofl. never finding
The right opportunity for The confession,
until now the wedding is but month oil
and the task seems harder. more impOs-
,iJ!e. ;han ever. lie is at present spend
in "a couple OF days at the house Of the
McLaneS in the country, with a view TO
getting acquainted with the family. For
the sAke OF enjoying uu&lioyed the pleas
ure oil Angles society for this short tune,
he has compromised with his conscience
by resolving at once on leaving to write
TO her and tel! the truth, and by no means
to PTCcrs s.inate laT,ker.
Meantime the process OF getting ac-
4uain,cd with The family does not get on
very prosperously. Bob is 3 poor match
irom the parental point OF view, and a
0itIer disappointment 10 the Mcl.anes.
Nothing but Angles TesOlute character
could have eNtorted the grudging con
sent which their engagement had at
length received. The family consisted,
besides Angie. OF her father aud mother
and two brothers, John and George. MIR.
McLsne kept his room, being confirmed
invalid. John, strong-wilied and AFRO
gaut in temper, ruled the tamily with a
rod ot iIon-George being kinder tenn
pered, but oil less strength of character.
Angie was the only member OF the tam.
ily whom John could not rule, and she
had carried the point OF her engagement
against bis bitter opposition. Mrs. Nc
Lane was mere shuttecock between
between John aud Angie, receiving al
impulse from one which lasted till the
other got hold OF her. John had accep,
ed the engagement with an exceedingly
bad grace, and made scarcely decent
pretense OF coucealing from Bob his con
tempt Aud hostility. and his desire to lind
any pretext for forcing quarrel. This
was particularly unpleasant and demor-
alizing to Bob. because the injury to bis
own sell-respecl By the sense OF the tacii
deceit he was guilty OF as to his wig, LEFT
him unable 10 meet Johns oyer6earing
insolence with the quiet dignity he would
have liked to assume.
Alter going to bed he lay awake @
couple OF hours thinking over these en-
barrass;rg circumstances, and the de-
lighttul fact of Angles love, to which
thew were offsets. In The course OF his
tossings he became aware that his sea-
ring was not on his iiuger, and instantly
remembered that, after using il for TOR
felt in a parlor game that evening. be
had forgotten to replace it. Vexation a.
his carelessness ir stantly made him wide
awake. The ring must be on the library
table. 1t not, then he knew not where
and il there, it might be ti!ched by ser
want iu the morning. Associations made
il invaluable, and he found himself sc
uneasy about is safety that he could not
sleep. Perhaps the best thing he could
do was to quietly step down stairs in his
stockings without disturbing anybody
and make sure about iL. lie knew thu
he could even in the dark. steer his way
straight to the library. In this sleepless
excited state of mind, the slight tinge o
adventure in his plan had an attraction
jan ping out OF bed he put en- part o
his clothes, and softly opening the dooI
of the room went across the hall ant
down the stairs to the ground floor. L
was quite dark, but he found his way
easily. having a good Topographic in
sliuct. From the lower han he entered
be dining room, and from that the libra
y TIE sea coal fire in the CRATE wa:
sill fiiekeriDg brightly, illuminating tht
scmpnously furnished room with faint
soit glow OF peculiarly rich eject.
There on the table his ring glittered ii
~ htiul GreligLt, aud as be slipped ito
IS finger be feiicitated himself on hi
sceessful enterprise. The room was Sc
ctrmingly cozy that he felt it woudI be {
sirnOt to linger awhile. So, throwing