Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-22

trepidation lest he should take ofenss
when no offense was really intended.
"Shoes, them" said he.
threw my shoes to him.
Trousers" said he.
"Come, come, / say!" exclaimed I.
Bang! The lobe of the other cal
came Of. With all his eccentricity, the
old gentleman was a man of his word.
He had the trousers, and with them my
revolver, which happened to be in the
right-hand pocket.
'.Now the rest of your drapery."
l threw him the rest of my drapery.
He tied up my clothes in the tablecloth,
and telling me that he wouldn't detain
me any longer, made for the door with
the bundle under his arm.
Stop" said 1. ''What is to become
of me?"
"Really, I hardly know" said he.
s'Youpromisedme my liberty" said /.
Certainly" said he. Don't let me
trcspass any further on your time. You
will find the street-door open; or, il
from force of habit you prefer the win
dow, you will have no difficulty in clear.
ing the area ratings"
SButI can't go like this! Won't you
| give me something to put on?"
'.No," said he, '.nothing at all; good
night"
The quaint old man left the room
with my bundle. I went after him, but
1 found that he had locked an inner
door that led upstairs. The position
was really adificult one to deal with. l
couldn't possibly 60 into the street as !
was, and if l remained l should certain
ly be given into custody in the morning.
For some time 1 looked in vain for
something to owe myself with. The
hats and green-coats were no doubt in
the inner hall, at all events they were
not accessible under the circumstances.
There was a carpet OF the floor, but it
was fitted to the recesses of the room,
and, moreover, a heavy sideboard stood
on it.
However, there were twelve chairs in
| the ROOM, and it was with no little
| pleasure that I found that on the back
antimacassars would go a great way to-
wards covering me, and that WINS some
thing.
did my best with the antimacassars,
but on reflection I came to the conclu-
sion that they would not help me very
much. They certainly covered me; but
a gentleman walking through South
Kensington at three a. m. dressed in
nothing whatever but antimacassars,
with the snow two feet deep on the
ground, would be sure to attract atten-
ton. 1 might pretend I was doing it
for a wager, but who would believe me?
grew very cold.
[ looked out of the window, and
presently l saw the bulls eye of 3 po-
liceman who was YEARLY ploduino
through the snow. I felt that. my only
course was to surrender to him.
zone word"
"Anything wrong, sir?" said he.
81 have been committing a burglary
in this house, and / shall feel deeply
obliged to you if you will kindly take
me into custody"
Nonsense, SIR said he. you'd bet
"There is nothing 1 should like better,
but l live in Lincoln's Inn, and l have
nothing on but antimacassars; 1 am nj
most frozen. Pray take me into
"The street doors OPEN" said he.
eyes" said 1. .'Comc in"
He came in. / explained the circum.
stances to him, and with great difficulty
| convinced him that l was in earnest.
The good fellow put his own great coat
over me and lent me his own handouts.
In ten minutes l was thawing myself in
Walton street Police Station. In ten
days l was convicted at the Old Bailey.
In ten years l returned from penal ser
vitude.
l found that poor MI. Davis had gone
to his long home in Brompton Cemetry.
For many years | never passed his
house without a shudder at the terrible
hours l spent in it as a guest. 1 have
often tried to forget the incident I have
been relating, and for a long time
tried in vain. Perseverance, however,
met with its reward. l continued to
try. Gradually II detail after another
slipped from my recollection, and ono
lonely evening last May 1 found, to my
intense delight, that I had absolutely
forgotten all about it.-W. S. Gilbert,
"a, To,I,, n.-o,ot: Nm.