The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-02-07
Mrs. Davenport's Dilemma.

Mrs. Davenport's Dilemma.
Mr.. Davenport hated society, but Mrs.
Davenport adored it, and 50 like amiabe
married people they agreed to differ, and
to each 90 their own way, quite cordially
enjoying, after the battle was over, mar
rating to each other what had happened,
and counting W the dead and wounded
When Mrs. Davenport was Very Young,
Mr.. Davenport had carefully acc0mpan-
led her To her carriage, had sent her
maid to take care of her, and had him
self sat up to receive her when she re-
turned. But as she grew older, this SEN
sitive care relaxed, and he found that
she was quite content to 90 alone; he
allowed her to do so, with the family
coachman on the box, She, in her
turn vas entirely determined that he
should not be deprived of his natural
rest, but should allow some lesser and
more youthful satellite to sit up and
watch for her as she came home from
opera or ball,
There had been talk of a night KEY,
but Mrs. Davenport bad thought that
Was too masculine, and she also had a
suspicion that she should never learn
how to use it. 1t is secret difficult of
solution TO the feminine mind, that of
strong in the confidence OF her husbands
love, serene OF conscience. and enjoying
the devotion of a large family of servants
who loved her, went off 10 Mrs. Appleby's
bali, on the evening OF November 18th,
looking very lovely.
The ball was a large and fine one, and
Mrs. Davenport enjoyed it. She was a
popular woman, and both men and
women liked her. She would have left
at one o'clock, her usual hour, but that
Herr N0n BergmanS, the German phil
oiogist, Was presented to her and talked
so well, and was SO evidently inspired 10y
her bright eyes, that she stayed on; and
then the hostess had the great singer
Larembai"a2j, Who must be spoken to
in Italian, and Mrs. Davenport speaks
Italian with the true Tuscan purity.
So she left the ball very late. Stick
melt, her coachman, was sleepy and
cross, and after depositing her at her
number, (Which IS 80, by the way,) he
drove off quickly. 1t was fine night
moon brilliant, Mars splendid. Jupiter
magnificent. Mrs. Davenport liked to
look at the stars, and she gazed upward
admiringly, almost regretting TO leave a
scene which decidedly paled the orna-
mcntatlon of the ball-ceiling which she
had just left
She was destined to see a good deal
more of these same stars than she had
bargained for, on that particular night,
poor woman.
She rang sharply
Nobody came.
She rang again, and again, and again.
Nobody came.
Mrs. Davenport began to feel chilly
about the feet, which We're delicately
clad in white satin slippers and silk
stockings.
She wrapped her cloak about her
and looked up at No. 80, her own tamil-
lar brown stone, four story, comfortable
house.
Not a sign Of movement, although the
gas burned in the hall
She rang, and rang, and rang. Still
no response.
And then she realized that she was
locked out, that everybody was asleep,
and that she might stay there all the
rest Of the night. She remembered, alas,
too late, that she had trusted to her
waiter, a gentleman of African descent,
who had been known to go to sleep on
these night watches, to let her in. Now
he seemed to be sunk in the deepest
oblivion. But, then, if Orlando slept,
some one else had generally walked, and
either reused him, or had let her in, in
dividually. Mrs. Davenport shuddered
A night on her own front steps,
She kept on ringing desperately, and
pounded on the door with her delicate
fist. Presently a policeman came along
and to him she appealed,
"Oh. got key ~ said he. "Iet me
help unlock the door,
"But | have not got key" said the
| miserable woman. 81 never had a KEY T.
"Bad, bad, said the guardian of the
public peace. II never knew them t.
wake up. However, will rap for you =
SO he pounded the blinds with his
club, and made a terrible noise.
Two or three heads looked out Of the
opposite windows. One invalid, at No
Al, raised window and begged piteous-
ly that her rest might not be thus ruth
lessly disturbed.
LADY locked OUT sang out the
policeman.
'Well. is that any reason why YOU
should try to wake the dead 2" asked the
rate clergyman, opposite.
The policeman walked on, leaving Mrs
| Davenport in despair.
Haven't you any friends in this neigh
borhood ?" he asked, coming back in a
few moments.
81 should think not" said she, feebly
She drew her fur cloak about her, and sal
down on the door mat. She had not
regarded that useful article in the light
of divan before; now she was glad OF
even that medium between herself anc
the cold doorstep. TO weep would moi
mend matters; to ring, and pound, and
rattle the blinds, was useless. Every
body in No. 80 was hopelessly asleep
She had been forgotten She, the core
of the whole thing, the handspring o.
that vast establishment Her husband
and her children, and her servants, had
each trusting to somebody else, gone t(
bed and forgotten her.
She looked up at the moon and stars,
at Jupiter and several other illustrious
denizens of the sky, and found them colo
and unsympathetic. She began to think
of her sins, and she feared that she haC
not been sufficiently kind to homeless
outcasts. Even the cats, who were now
the only living things abroad in her quie
street, came in for her sympathy.
| HTheV have a hard time moor thinoS
said she; "always locked out"
1t was a cat, however, who gave hel
an idea.
Evidently predatory Arab of a cat
who thought he owned her front steps
for, after stealthily creeping up and find
ing her in possession he leaped on to {
neighboring balcony.
She looked after him.
"Dr. Montgomery's and a speaking
tube y said she. "Why did not remem