The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-03-29
A NIGHT ADVENTURE.

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A NIGHT ADVENTURE.
| will tell YOU about an aflair-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 that time inclusive | was always
in hurry; my actions always preced-
ing my thoughts; experience was of no
use, and everybody would have sup
posed me destined to carry Young
head upon old shoulders to the grave.
However, | was brought up at last
"with n round turn" | was allowed
a certain space for reflection, and plenty
of materials, and if it did not do me
good it's pity.
My father and mother both died
when was still great awkward boy /;
and /, being the only thing they had to
bequeath, became the property of 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 | 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 the wind
and tide. Not that my guardian was
inatenttivc or unkind-quitet the reverse
but he was indolent and careless, con-
tenting himself with providing abun-
dainty for my schooling and pocket,
and leaving everything else to chance.
lie would have done 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 q vase, or anything
olse that is useless, except to the taste
or the affections. But mamma was in
dispensblc. 1t is vulgar error to
suppose that people who have nothing
in them are nobody in house.
1t is no wonder that / was always in
a hurry, for must have had an instinc-
tive idea that | had my fortune to look
for. The governor had nothing more
than gentccl independence, and this
would be good deal lcssened 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 l did worry
that blessed old woman! how Laura
lectured and scolded how the COVER
nor stormcd and how | 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 a great hulking fellow.
strong enough to make my bread as a
porter, if that had been needed; and so
a situation was found for Inc in count
ing house at Barcelona, and after lee
ture and hearty cry from sister
Laura, a blessing and hearty kiss
from mamma, and great sob kept
down by hurricane laugh from the
governor, went adrift.
-Four years passed rapidly away. |
had attained my full height, and more
than my just share ofinchcs. already
enjoyed fair modicum of whskcrs,
and had even made some progress in
the cultivation of q moustachc, when
suddenly the house with which | was
connected failed. What then? The
governor insisted upon my returning to
England, where his interest among the
mercantile class was considerable.
Laura limited mystcriously that my
poor presence in the house would soon
be matter 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 knew he would be q
model fellow who was Laura's hus-
band; and, gulping down my pride,
which would fain have persuaded me
that 1t was unmanly to go back again
like the ill sixpcncc, | set out on nv
return home.
The family, | knew, had moved to
another house; but, being well
acquainted with the town, had no diff
/ ficulty in finding the place. 1t was a
row of handsome buildings, which had
sprung up in the fashionable outskirts
during my absence; and, although il
was far OH in the evening, my accus.
toned eyes soon deserted through the
gloom the governors old-fashioned
door-plate. / was just about TO knock
when temptation came into my way.
One of the area windows was open,
gaping as if for my reception. A
quantity of plate lay upon table close
by. Why should not enter and
appear unannounced in the drawing
room, sunburnt phantom of five feet
eleven? Why should not present the
precise and careful Laura with o hand.
ful of her own spoons and forks, left Sc
conveniently at the service of any area
sneak who might chance to pass byi
Why? 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 another moment had crepI
in by the window; and chuckling al
my own cleverness and the great mora
lesson was about to teach, l was stuff
fling my pockets with the plate.
While thus engaged, the opening of 9
door in the hall above me, and afraid
of a failure of my plan, | stepped
lightly up the stair, which was parti,
ally lighted by the hall lamp. AS
was about TO emerge at the top serv,
ing girl was coming out of the room on
the opposite side. She Instant,
retreated, shut the door with bang
! and could hear half-suppressed, hys
terlcal cry. had bounded on, sprane
up the drawing-room stairs, and enter,
ed the first door at venture. All was
dark and | efapna1 a ,,,ou,ont 40 l;o