The Penn's Grove record., 1882-05-27

of a cat who thought he owned her
front steps, for after stealthily creep
ing up and finding her in posses sion,
he leaped on to a neighboring bal
cony. She looked after him.
"Dr. NORTHUMBERLAND a speak
ing tube ~ said she. why did I not
remember that before!"
Mrs. Davenport drew up her long
yellow satin train, laid her fan and
handkerchief on the doorstep, and as
fast as high heels and satin slippers
would allow, went down her own steps
and up those of her neighbor who
lived at thirty-seven.
"He is a doctor accustomed to be
awakened at all hours" said she.
She rang and heard e sleepy voice
come down.
What do you want ?"
"Help! help!" said she.
"What help? Who? What num-
Der 2" asked the doctor.
"Thirty-nine; great trouble! I'M
mediate ~ said Mrs. Davenport.
The doctor seemed to b. hours in
ceming down. She was nearly in
despair again, but at length he opened
the door in his heavy overcoaIt and
hat.
"Oh, doctor! doctor ! let me in !"
said the lady, now quite b yste,rical.
"Your house is warm, do let me in"
The doctor was, of course, aston
ished to see his fashionable neiglabor,
but Aospitable and helpful
"Will you go up and knock at the
partition wall in your front room, doc
tor, and try to wake MI. Davenport? '
said Mrs. Davenport, now in teas.
Eyes, madam, If you say so. But
had o not better spend the night
here?"
"What, next door to thirty-nipei
Oh, no! / could not, I must go home.
Please, doctor, If it will not disturb
Mrs. Montgomery, do go up and make
a dreadful noise at the head of Mr..
Davenport's bed; it leans up against
your parlor, for he always hears your
piano."
The doctor obeyed, and knocked
loudly on the wall.
Mr.. Davenport heard a distant thun-
der in his dreams, turned over, with
his deaf ear up and slept again.
After a half hours fruitless knock
ing, Mrs. Davenport consented to al.
low the sleepy doctor to retire to his
welI-earned repose, whilst she declared
that she would rest as well as she
could in an easy chair down In his
consulting room.
Thirty-seven, thirty.nine and forty
one were at peace at last, and Mrs.
Davenport, wrapped in her cloak and
in a warm room in the house of a
neighbor and a friend, grew composed,
and finally laughed at her adventure.
1t would be a good joke next morning;
but as for Orlando, her coIored waiter,
there was a lookout for him of the
blacklist! Then poor Mr.. Davenport,
how ais he would be But she
would watch and see the servants
begin to open the house, and steal in
before he walked up. So saying, she
fell sound asleep in the chair.
At length, Mr.. Davenport, like all
heavy sleepers, woke up suddenly and
entirely. He did not know why, but
it seemed to him that he had a dis
turbed night. As he lay tying to col
lect his faculties, he heard the CLOCK
strike four.
"How quiet Coralie is I" said Mr.
Davenport; Tired after the ball, J
suppose"
Mr.. Davenport listened to hear
through the open door and curtainet
recess, the quiet breathing of his wifi,
In the next room. She was strangel,
still, and Mr.. Davenport arose softl,
and crept in to see what could be tn,
matter.
"Heavensl" said he; nobody ii
the bed! Coralie not home at fou
o'cIockw
/ Mr.. Davenport paused q moment
Could the horses have run away
| Could the coachman have been drunk
That had happened before. Could hi
poor wife have been thrown, dragge
: no, the idea was too horrible. Coui
she have been locked out. He felt th
cold perspiration start on his brow
He rang every bell in the house; h
proceeded to dress himself. II
danced, in his agony and agitation
t Then, as his sleepy servants began I
appear and one after the other dh
: claimed any knowledge Of their mi
treas, he descended to the front doc