Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-03-15
A NIGHT ADVENTURE.

/ will tell you about an atfair-im-
portant as it proved to me; but you
must not hurry me. have never been
in hurry since then, and never will.
Up to the time inclusive | was always
in a hurry; my actions always preceded
my thought; experience was of no use,
and anybody would have supposed me
destined to carry young head upon
old shoulders to the grave. However,
was brought up at last "with round
turn" l was allowed a certain space
or reflection and plenty of materials,
and if it did me no good it's pity.
NV father and mother both died when
was still great awkward boy; and |,
being the only thing they had to be-
queath, became the property of a dis
tant relation. do not know how it
happened, but had no near relations.
/ was kind of waif upon the world
from the beginning, and l suppose it
was owing to my having no family an
chorage that acquired the habit of
swaying to and fro and drifting hither
and thither at the pleasure of wind and
tide. Not that my guardian was mat
tentivc or unkind-quite the reverse;
but he was indolent and careless, con-
tenting himself with providing abun-
dainty for my schooling and my pocket,
and leaving everything else to chance.
He would have done the same thing to
his own son, if he had had one, and he
did the same thing to his own daughter.
But girls somehow cling wherever they
are cast-anything is an anchorage for
them; and as Laura grew up she gave
the care she had never found, and was
the little mother to the whole house.
AS for the titular mother, she had not
an atom of character of any kind. She
might have been picture, or vase,
or anything else that is useless except to
the taste or the affections. But NAM
ma was indispensable. 1t is a vulgar
error to suppose that people who have
nothing in them are nobody in house.
1t is no wonder that was always in
ahurry, for l must have had an instinct
i've idea that had my fortune to look
for. The governor had nothing more
than a genteel independence, and this
would be good deal lessened after his
death by the lapse of an annuity. But
Sister Laura was thus provided for well
enough, while had not shilling in
actual money, although plenty of hypO-
thetical thousands and sundry castles
in the air 1t was the consciousness of
the latter kind of property, no doubt,
that gave me so free and easy an air
and made me so completely the master
of my own actions. How | did worry
that blessed old woman how Laura
lectured and scolded! how the govern
or stormed! and how 1 was forgiven
the next minute, and we were all as
happy again as the day was long But
at length the time of separation came.
! had grown great hulking fellow,
strong enough to make my bread as a
porter, if that had been needed; and so a
situation was found for me in counting
house at Barcelona, and after a lecture
and a hearty cry from Sister Laura, a
blessing and kiss from mamma, and
great sob kept down by a hurricane
laugh from the governor, | went adrift!
Four years passed rapidly away. |
had attained my full height, and more
than my just share of inches. Ialready
enjoyed fair modicum of whiskerS,
and had even made some progress in
the cultivation of pair of mustaches,
when suddenly the house which was
connected with failed. What to do?
The governor insisted upon my return
to England, where his interest among
the mercantile class was considerable.
Laura limited mysteriously that my pres
ence in the house would soon be mat
ter of great Importance to her father;
and mamma let out the secret by writing
to me that Laura was going to "change
her condition. !" / was glad to hear
this, for l knew he would be model of
fellow who was Laura husband; and,
gulping down my pride, which would
fain have persuaded me that it was un-
manly to go back like the ill sixpence,
set out on my return home.
The family, knew, had moved to
another house but, being well ac-
quainted with the town, had no diff
Guilty in finding the place. 1t was a
range of handsome buildings, which
had sprung up in the fashionable out
skirts during my absence; and, although
it was far on in the evening, my accus-
toned eyes soon deserted through the
gloom the governors old-fashioned
door-plate. l was just about to knock
when temptation came into my way.
One of the area windows was open, gap
ing as if for my reception. A quantity
OF plate lay upon table close by. Why
should | not enter and appear unan-
nounced in the drawing-room, a sun
burnt phantom of five feet elevenP WHY
should l not present the precise and
careful Laura with handful of her own
spoons and forks, left so conveniently
at the service of any area-sneak who
might chance TO pass by? Whyp That
is only figure of speech. | asked no
questions about the matter; the idea
was hardly well across my brain when
my legs were across the rails. In an
other moment | had crept in by the
window; and chuckling at my own
cleverness and the great moral lesson
was about to teach, was stufiing my
pockets with the plate.
While thus engaged the opening of
door in the hall above alarmed me, and,
afraid of the failure of my plan, |
stepped lightly up the stair, which was
partially lighted by the hall lamp. As
l was about to emerge at the top
servant girl was coming out of room
on the opposite side. She instantly re-
treated, shut the.door with bang, and
l could hear half-suppressed hyster-
lcal cry. l bounced on, sprung up the
drawing-room stair, and entered the
tirst door at venture. All was dark,
and | stopped for moment to listen.
Lights We're hurrying across the hall,
and l heard the rough voice of a man,
as i ,scolding and taunting some per-
son. The girl had doubtless given the
alarm, although her information must
have been very indistinct, for when she
saw me | was in the shadow of the stair,
and she could have had little more than
a vague impression that she beheld
human figure. However this may be,
the mans voice appeared 10 descend