The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-22
CALLED BACK.
A Wen-Told Story Of Continuous
and Absorbing Interest.
BY HUGH CONWAY.

CHAPTER I.-CONTINUED.
''Can you tell me the way to Walpole
street," asked, standing erect to show
him | was sober.
"Walpole street-course 1 can
.closhe by-third to left / think"
If you are going that way would you
lead me to the corner of itp Unhap-
PLY | am blind and have lost my
way"
''Blind, poor beggar-n not screwed
then. Guess Pm in nice state to lead
any one-blind leading blind-both
tumble into ditch. 1 shay, though"
he added with drunken gravity, "make
bargain-I lend you eyes, you lend
me legsh. Good idea. Come long"
He took my arm and we went yaw-
ing up the street. Presently he stopped.
"'Walpole street." he hiccoughed.
-''Shall take you to your house?"
''No, thank you. Please put my
hand on the railing of the corner house.
/ shall be all right then"
swish were all right. Wish l could
borrow your legs to take me home"
said my bibulous conductor. Good
night--Blesh you"
! heard him tack away, then turned
to complete my Journey.
was not quite certain as to which
end OF Walpole street was starting
from; that mattered little. Either sixty
two or sixty-five PAGES would leave me
in front of my door. l counted sixty
two, and then felt for the entrance be-
tween the ratings; not finding it, l
went on step or two until came to
il. was glad to have reached home
without accident, and, to tell the truth.
was beginning to feel q little ashamed
of my escapade. l hoped that Priscilla
had not discovered my absence and
alarm the house, and | trusted | should
be able to regain my room as quietly as
/ had quilted it. With all my elabor-
ate calculations, l was not quite sure
that / had hit upon the right house; but
if they were incorrect l could only be a
door or two away from it, and the key
in my hand would be certain test.
/ went up the door-steps-was it four
or live | had counted as | came out?
fumbled for the key-hole and inserted
the latch-key. 1t turned easily, and
the door opened. l had not made q
mistake. | felt an inward glow of sat
isfaction at having hit upon the house
at the first attempt. ut must have
been blind man who first discovered
that Necessity is the mother of Inven-
ton" | said, as l softly closed the door
behind me and prepared to creep up to
my own room.
| wondered what the time was. Ali
] knew was that it must be still night,
for l was able to distinguish light from
darkness. AS | had found myself so
close to Walpole street could not have
walked for any length of time in my
ecstauic state, SO l fancied it must be
somewhere about two o'clock.
Even more anxious than when
started to make no noise which might
awaken people, l found the bottom of
the stair-case-and began my stealthy
ascent.
Somehow, blind as was, the place
seemed unfamiliar to me. The balus-
trade was touching did not seem the
same. The very texture of the carpet
under my feet seemed different. Could
it be possible that 1 had entered the
wrong house! There are plenty of in
stances on record of key having
opened a strange Jock. Could l,
through such a circumstance, have
strayed into neighbours houseP
paused; The perspiration rising on my
DrOWs rs tuouSnb VI lno u"hWaiu olo-
uation in which 1 should be placed if il
were so. For moment l resolved to
Tetrace my steps and try the next house
bit l could not be quite sure l was
wrong. Then l remembered that in
my own house a bracket, with plaster
figure upon it, hung near the top of the
stairs. knew the exact place, having
been cautioned many times to keep my
head from knocking against it. could