The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-11-05
CALLED BACK.
A WeI-Told Story Of Continuous
and Absorbing Interest.
by HUGH CONWAY.
CHAPTER I-COyTlSt'gD

"Can you tell me the way to Walpolc
sIreetg" asked, standing erect toshow
him was sober.
"Walpole strcet-course / can
cloShe by third TO let think"
IF you are going that way would you
lead me To the corner of ity Unhap-
PLY | am blind and have lost my
way
"Blnd. poor beggar-uot screwed
then. Guess I'm In nice slate to lead
any onc-blind leading blud-bo;h
tumble iuto ditch. 1 shay, though" "
he added with drunken gravity, "make
Largain / lend you eyes, you lend
me legsh. Good ida. Come long"
lie TOOK my arm and we went yaw.
ing up the street. Presently he stopped.
"Walpole street." he hi coughed.
"Shall | take you TO your house,"
mo, thank you. Please put my
hand on the railing Of the corner house.
shall be all right then"
"Wish were all right. Wish | could
borrow your legs to take me ho'ne,"
said my bibulous conductor. Good
night--Blesh you"
heard him tack away, then turned
10 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-iive PAGES would leave me
in front of my door. | counted sixty
two, and then felt for the entrance be-
tween the Rulings; not finding it, !
n gi f.Ysiu iuVn al i %,
H. | was glad TO have reached home
without accident, and, to tell the truth.
was beginning to feel little ashamed
of my cscapade. hoped that Priscilla
had not discovered my absence and
alarm the house, and trusted | should
be able to regain my room as quietly rs
/ had quilted it. With all my elabor.
ate calculations, was not quite sure
that had hit upon the right house; but
II they were incorrect could only be a
door or two away from II, and the key
in my hand would be a. certain test.
went up the door.steps-was ii four
or live had counted as came out? |
fumbled for tho key-hole and inserted
the latch-koy. II turned easily, and
the door opened. | had not made
mistake. felt an inward glow OF sat.
islaction at having hit upon the house
ut the first attempt 'It must have
been blind man who first discovered
that Necessity is the mother of Inven-
tion." said, as softly closed the door
behind me and prepared TO creep up to
my own room.
| wondered what the time was. All
j knew was that II must be still night,
for | 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
ecstatic state, SO fancied it must be
somewhere about two o'clock.
Even more anxious than when
started to make no noise which might
awaken people, | found tho bottom OF
the stair-case-and began my stealthy
ascent.
Somehow, blind as I 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
1t be possible that had entered the
wrong house! There are plenty Of in
stances on record Of key having
opened strange lock. Could l,
through such q circumstance, have
strayed into neighbours house,
paused; .he perspiration rising on my
brows as thought Of the awkward sit
uation In which ] should be placed II II
were 30. For moment I resolved to
retrace my steps and try the next house;
but l could not be quite sure was
wrong. Then / remembered that in
my own house bracket, with plaster
figure upon 1t, 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
settle all my doubts by going on and
feeling for this landmark; SO on
went.
! ran my fingers softly along the
wall, but no bracket could find. My
hand touched the Intel OF door In
stead. Then, ] knew for certain was
In the wrong house. Tho only thing 10
be done was TO creep out as quietly as
door. =
As I turned to grope my way back |
heard the murmur OF voices late ss II
was, there were people talking In the
room, the door OF which my fingers had
so lightly touched.
] could not distinguish words, but
was sure the voices were those Of men.