Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-02-13
CALLED BACK.
A Wen-Told Story of Continuous
and Absorbing Interest.
ny
BY HUGH CONWAY.

BY HUGH CONWAY.
CHAPTER I.-CoNrlNuEp.
Gan you tell me the way to Walpole
street?" asked, standing erect to show
him | was sober.
'Walpole street-course l can
closhe by-third to left | think"
If you are going that way would you
lead me to the corner of il? Unhap-
PLY | am blind and have lost my
way"
'Blnd. poor hcggar screwed
any one-blind leading blind-both
tumble into ditch. | 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.
.'Walpolc street" he hiccoughed.
shall l take you to your housc?'
No, 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 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 siNty-tive PAGES would leave me
in front of my door. | counted sixty
two, and then felt for the entrance be-
tween the ratings; not finding it, |
went on step or two until l came to
il. L was glad to have reached home
without accident and. to tell the truth.
was beginning to feel Il little ashamed
of my escapade. 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 clabor-
ate calculations, | was not quite sure
that l had hit upon the right house; bu,
if they were incorrect | could only be n
door or two away from it, and the key
in my hand would be a certain test.
| went up the oor-steps-was it four
or live had counted rs | came out? l
fumbled for the key-hole and inserted
the latch-key. 1t turned easily, and
the door opened. l had not made 4
mistake. Ifelt an inward glow of sat
isfaction at having nit upon the house
ut the first attempt. 1T must have
been blind man who first discovered
that Necessity is the mother of Inven-
tion," l said, as 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 fer 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, / found the bottom of
the stair-caseand began my stealthy
ascent.
Somehow, blind as l 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 / had entered the
wrong house! There are plenty of in
stances On record of a key having
opened a strange lock. Could ],
through such q circumstance, have
strayed into neighbor's house? /
paused; the perspiration rising on my
brows as thought of the awkward sit
uatiSn in which | should be placed if it
were so. For moment l resolved to
retracc my steps and try the next house;
but l could not be quite sure / was
wrong. Then | 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
settle all my doubts by going on and
feeling for this landmark; so on l
went.
| ran my fingers softly along the
wall, but no bracket could 1 find. My
hand touched the Intel of door in
stead, Then | knew for certain was
in the wrong house. The only thing to
be done was TO creep out as quietly as
| had entered and try my luck next
door.
As turned to gropc my way back |
heard the murmur OF voices late IS it
was, there were people talking in the
room, the door of which my fingers had
so lightly touched.
l could not distinguish words, but
was sure the voices were those of men.
| stood irresolute. Would It not be
better to knock at the door and throw
myself upon the mercy OF the inmates
of the toom? could apologize and ex-
plain. My blindness would account
for the mistake. Some one would, no
doubt, be kind enough TO put me on my
right road home. Yes, this was the
best thing to do. l could not go on
creeping into strange houses like a mid
night thief. Perhaps each house in the
row had an equally common lock and
my key might open all. If so the end
would be that some alarmed house
holder would put bullet into me be-
fore had time to assert my innocence.
just as / raised my fingers to tap at
the door 1 heard another voice-a
woman's voice 1t seemed to come
from the back room and was singing to
an accompaniment played softly on a
piano. Ipaused and listened.
1 have been so occupied with com
claiming of the hardships of my lot |
nave not told you had one solace TO
ny misery; that merciful gift, so often
:estowed on the blind, music. Had il
1ot been that could pass many weary
1ours away playing TO myself, that l
,ould be taken 10 concerts and hear |
ythers play and sing. my days would |
nave been unbearable. and / shudder |
0 think of what aid j might have |
.alled in to render them less burden |
;oTne.
waited and listened to the song. It |
vas taken from an opera recently pro-
iuced on the Continent, an opera not /
set popularity known in England, and /
the song was one that few amateurs /
would dare to attempt. The singer, |
whoever she might be. sang i. softly |
and under her voice, as though fearing |
to throw il out wish full force. The /
ateness of the hour might well account /
or this restraint Nevertheless. any /
ne capable OF judging must have /
nown he was listening to no ordinary 1
niger. Ii was easy to recognize the /
AIMED skill and dormant power, and /
Iagine what. under favorable circum-
faces. that voice might accomplish. |