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

Mr.. Davenport hated society, but
Mrs. Davenport adored it, and so like
amiable married people they agreed to
differ, and each to go their own way,
quite cordially enjoying, after the
battle was over, narrating to each
other what had happened, and count
ing up the dead and wounded. When
Mrs. Davenport was very young Mr..
Davenport had carefully accompanied
Ter to her carriage, and sent her maid
to take care of her, and had himself
sat up to receive her when she re.
turned. But as she grew older this
sensitive care relaxed, and as he found
that she was quite content to go alone,
he allowed her to do so, with the
family coachman on the box. She in
her turn was entirely determined that
he should not be deprived of his natu-
raj rest, but should allow some lesser
and more youthful satellite to sit up
and watch for her as she came home
late from opera or ball.
There had been talk of a night key,
but Mrs. Davenport thought that
looked too masculine, and she also had
a suspicion that she should never
learn how to use it. 1t IL a secret
difficult of solution to the feminine
mind, that of a latch key. So Mrs.
Davenport, strong in the confidence of
her husbands love, serene of con-
science, and enjoying the devotion of
a large family of servants, who loved
her, went off to Mrs. Appleby's ball,
on the evening of November 18th,
looking lovely.
The ball was a large and fine one,
and Mrs. Davenport enjoyed it. She
would have left at one o'clock, but
that Herr o Dergmans, the German
philologist, was presented to her, and
talked so well, and was so evidently
inspired by her bright eyes, hat she
stayed on and then the hostess had
the great singer, Larumburinani, who
must be spoken to in italian, and
Mrs. Davenport spoke italian with
the true Tuscas purity.
So she left the ball very late. Stick
nell, her coachman, was sleepy and
CROSS, and af er depositing he9 at her
number (which lie thirty-nine by the
way) he drove off very quickly. II
was a fine night. Mrs. Davenport
liked to look at the stars, and she
gazed upadmiringly, almost regrettine
leave a scene which decidedly paled
the ornamentation of the ball room
ceiling she had just left.
She was destined to see a great deal
more of these same stars than che had
bargained for on that particular night
poor woman
She rung sharply. Nobody came
She rang, rang again and again, bul
nobody came. Mrs. Davenport began
to feel chilly about the feet, which
were ~delicately clad in white satir
slippers and silk stockings.
She wrapped her fur clock about he
and looked up at number thirty-nine
her own familiar brownstone house
Not a sign of movement, although tn,
gas burned in the hall. She rang ant
rang. No response. And then sh,
realized that she was locked out, tina
everybody was asleep, and that Their
she might stay the rest of the night
She remembered, alas, too late. tina
she had trusted to her waiter, a gen
tleman of African descent, who hal
bee known to go to sleep on thes
night watches, to let her in. Now b
seemed to be sunk In the deepest obi.
won. But then, If Orlando slept
some one else had generally wakee
and either reused him, or let her il
individually. Mrs. Davenport shue
dsred. A night on her own fror
steps!
She kept on ringing desperateI,
Presently q policeman came alon,
and to him she appealed.
"Oh, got a key ?" said he. "L'
me help unlock the door,
"But / have not got a key" sal
the miserable woman.
bad, bad" said the officer. I"
never knew them to wake up. HOY
ever, I will rap for you"
80 he pounded the blinds with h
club and made a terrible noise. Tw
or three heads looked out of the opp
site windows. One invalid raised
window and begged that her re
might not be ruined.
LADY locked out" sang the polio
man.