Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-31
A GOOD NIGHTS REST.


coMa Tor the World have e Rgo Sgeat and
Only Ien IL IN the strctest sort of confidence for
Willy people are poorest, they are apt to be
Proudest: In my day. dreams am always doing
the most heroic actions, and ask no favors OF
any, any; put Let night come, and | am the abject
companion. You can imagine, then, whether II
was well with me or not when Reuben came in
to New York In half an hour from thar time, and
he might be detained several days, and SO would
take MS handbag; and he might leave for home
next n0On-he hoped he should
"And what is to become of me?n crfe1.
"You?" said Reuben. why, you'll 90 to the
matlnee, and you'll dine with Cousin Teresa,
s ana as you are always complaining Of my wax
sleep and get good nights rest.
"A gooa nights rest.' But there was no
dlme dor argument; the carriage was at the
ooOr' ana time, tide, and the train walt for no
man. reuben kissed me, and was gone. And
II was very much provoked. Such an utter
disregard OF my welfare, such total indiffer-
ence TO my comfort, when he knew had never
slept alone In my life, when he knew what my
horror Of the dark was, when he knew what
my f norror OF the dark was when he kneW s an
mighty cool gO0d-by kiss gave MINI was
sorry had given him any at all. wished
was home with all the is and E aoaS ad
servants, and burglar-alarmS: But IL was use
less wishing; here was In this great boarding
house, In the drawfng-room On the first 1o1r,
using the back parlOr for our bedroom, and with
windows opening to the ground in front and
rear, the rooms over us empty, the bells ring
Ing out In regions where at night there were
none to attend, and with nobody to hear me
far or near should / scream myself hoarSe.
Well, 1t was not very cheerful outlook; and
what aggravated 1t all was that the street it.
self was lonely one and my bedroom windows
opened On little area connected with a dark
back alley haunted by singular sort Of beg
reaches and beetles of the human race, and the
gate Of the area opening on the alley was fast
ened by nothing but chip.
Well went to the matinee, and because
such things always come together cOincideatly,
the play was laid with scenes shifting from
costly villas to thieves quarters; and dined
with Cousin Teresa, who sent me home after
four hours recital OF the burglarious expert
ences OF all her guests. You can imagine that
when entered my parlors and turned up the
gas in the front room, was ready to see vile
wretch in every shadow.
The first thing did was to look behind all
the doors and under the piano. even lifted
the lid OF the piano. for never feel at all sure
that burglar may not have taken out the
works and put himself In their place. / gave
every curtain lift and shake, thrust Reu-
ben's cane under the sofas and lounges and
stood in partly curtatned alcove. and on
which had thrown my pOlOnaiSe and skirts
Wnen went out In hurry; but was deter
mined not to be frightened by those things
Having then explored the inside of the big
wardrobe and the bureau drawers by the light
from the front room-there was no gas In that
IOOu, duu cltucI Cuc uOu36lIldlu OF LIE TaCS QaQ
borrowed my candle and kept it, felt as sure
as a doubtful person could that there was no
body hiding In the rooms. and so locked the
doors at last. Yet, nevertheless, found my
self walking on tiptoe and holding my breath
as If were afraid should be heard; suppose
was afraid that some noise would be made
Investigate the window fastenings. always
felt so secure with Reuben, throwing all re-
sponsioility on him, that had never thought
OF looking at them before. There were none.
Great QOO6neSSf What In dO9
All tnat could do was to wrench down
couple Of nails from the wardrobe, and. by
sashes Of the two front windows. Going for
some more for the back windows, found that
the rest were hooks, and 1t was in vain to try
so Is to use them on the back windows; they
wouldn't come out. Very well, l said to myself,
l sha'n't go to bed tonight; and prepared
back for two or three days, could sleep In the
day -timeS, and sit up ready to meet the foe In
the nights. To be sure should be all worn
out out Whas would he care; had grim
was undergoing so much, anyway. He might
at least have left me pistol, said; but what
good would It have done If he had? l was as
much afraid of pistol as Of house breaker.
And 1t wasn't only the customary house
breaker In question now: the town was full OF
c0ntrabands that had come In to work on the
starving; and images OF some stalwart brutal
black wretch rose before me every time put
my fingers on my eyes. In the day, the cOlOred
how they always figured In my nightmares
It was not very inviting prospect, this of Sit
ting up all night, already tired out as was
Sun, had q novel, could read away part Of
stir at i've O'Clock In the morning, could 90 to
bed and get three or four hours sleep anyway,
1t was idle; after had made myself comforta-
gether, and 1t was impossible to attach any
sense to them, and what the book was all about
haven't the least idea. There was Will, and
children in the cradle, but couldn't Imagine
how people could write and expect one to be
interested In these tr1fing things when such
the clock strike the slow quarters, and then
strike twelve. put the book away, and got my
sewing. But that was no better, for after few
stitches 1t occurred to me that my nght.stream-
those shutterless back windows with only the
lace curtains for screen, was a direct invita-
ton to those stroling beggars of the back alley,
the gas, and thought would go and sit by the
gltmmer OF the LatrObe In the back room. How
stil the night was! listened, and listened and
then some street singers wandered along their
way, far on, and seemed to be the only people
In the universe, now and then the slow and
heavy foot OF policeman sounded In soma
other square, thought; now and then some
straggler hurried home with ringing steps: but
all That was comfort and not at all suspicious
At ldSt, uOWcfcT, ut3Iu lC-W0aC mad been
listening for, OF course; humping and bllrnD-
Ing TO which my heart be at an echO and theo.a
hurry1ng and scurry1ng and scratching that
told me the rats were stealing the potatoes In
the cellar. Ibreathed more freely: It was acclI-
ally something agreeable to feel even the rats
alive In the neighborhood, as long as they did
not forsake the cellar for any other place. Cats
then; the rattle OF window-Sashes: SCOT falling
down the chimney; the starting of some timber
or some Spike-an the noises without source
that one hears at night, as If they were part of
the stirring OF the springs In the earth, ca ne
along after that In slow succession, and the
clock struck one.
/ was wretchedly sleepy now. Even Sitting
Dolt-uprlght In my chair and FACILITATING with
fear, IL was all could do to keep awake when
suddenly started as IL there had never bean
such y thing as sleep In the world. There it
was-a stealthy, muffied movement at the cal
lar grating at the front OF the old house. a int
Ing of the Iron, a rafting of the glass, lean a
fan, a smothered curse-there was somebody In
the cellar! My heart stood still; my voice W IS
utterly gone; II my life had depended on it. /
could not have spoken. Death and destruction
In the shape OF that burglar, were stealing nearer
every minute. / was sure that there was an
accOmpfce In the house, in my room. ex
pected he would presently pounce on me ald
pinion me. / half rose to escape through one
OF the front windows, but remembered that /
had nailed them down-and IL that were not so.
j could not have left the chair into which fell