National Republican., 1885-10-01
A ZOE IN TUE DARK.

Twas quietly walking along Pennsylvania
avenue, at n late hour, one night-yes,
really forty years ago.
l often walked along Pennsylvania ave-
nuc, then, at all hours, both by day aud
night, hut by night most, and always
quietly. My disposition was, and may
say, is, peaccable. Having voluntarily
wionged no one, why should any seek TO
wrong meY
Under such circumstances, certainly had
reason to he astOnishcd at the following not
very amiablc words:
"l've got you now, you villalnn
Yes, and startled at the action accom-
panying them-the plunge of great knife,
or dagger, direct toward my breast.
The intended assassin had suddenly
come upon me round n corner. Clouds
prevented the moon from shining, AMI the
luDatic law the lamps, so in the Obscurlty
/ could only perceive that my assailant was
a young man, and, Judging by his accent,
German.
Never having met him before, so far rs
my instant exercise OF memory would
serve, was amazed, of course, by this post.
midnight greeting Doxterously turning,
] managed to escape its calculated con5o-
quencc, which would have rendered the re-
lation Of my story extremely prOblematical
] did more. Vigorous in my own youth,
and doully strengthened by thoughts Of the
attemped enormty, disarmcd the rulllan,
and held him in such way that he was
completely powerlcss. Now he clamored
for release, and for the constituted guard
i0ns of the reposeful city, one OF whom at
last sleepily responded to the call OF duty.
To this slow and stately official consign-
| ed my prisoner, who was being conducted
| toward the station cell, bearing company,
when, The full moon appearing, suddenly he
| ,ty len laN nY lat ..a1,
"My God What have done? You arc
not Paul Merdenl II 10 an awful mistakc!
| Con you ever pardon mep'
| acknowledge Il would be difficult 20 do
so. But there was so pleading n look, such
deep distress, such utter despair on his face,
that, despite Of justice and of all common
sense, the appeal moved my very soul.
Why, Il even affected, and strongly, too,
the officer In charge
There we stood, irrcsOlute.
"EXplain,n / said
"That is casy,n replied the captive
| "but no explanation can excuse the thing |
dared. would have murdered yOu-yOu,
i innocent! 1t was Paul Meriden."
"And he-what had he done, to rouse such
revcngcfn
"DoncY MyGod he has taken her away
from me lierl We were betrothcd! lie
married her. They left the city two weeks
ago on bridal trip; they returned to-day
Oh, had become frantic over his vilainy-
thinking, thinking all the time Of that alone
and | swOre to my own soul, vengeance
the moment should meet him again ~
In this mad manner, but far beyond the
words here recorded, he raved on. In the
midst Of Il n wild light, as Of n rocket, burst
IN my brain-and l understood II all.
BY my representation and persuasion the
officer transferred his prisoner to my keep
ing, and, speaking calm and comforting
words as We walked, and wisely warning
against the perils of passion, | conducted
the German forsaken to his own paterna
door, there uttering to my late enemy
friendly good night.
About Il mouth previous to this romantic
and almost tragical incident my mother
one day, looking from her parlor window
saw me standing at the corner Of the stree
in conversation with a stranger, youn!
lady. The discourse was certainly long ant
apparently serious. Why should | BE- 81
lavish Of time, thought my good mother
when surely my promise to visit the OLE
hCme, on matter of Importance, that YER
day, and pune tually at an appointed hou
already passed, should have been rcmem
bcrcdf 1t was not my way to disappoin
LCr, and she grieved about it.
But now, the corner conversation bein
over, the fair dGmsel had tripped away.
Still fingered, quite oblivlous, IL seemed
VI All lhc NbIlu, buNc lndt One GTucclu
figure just dcparted-those heavenly blu
eycs-those wavy curls OF gold
II was not to be endured any longer, thi
idle dream, when duty commanded nnothC
way; so up rose my impatient parent, an
In u few minutes appeared where ! stoot
and placed her hand on my shoulder an
called me by name.
1t was Paul Meriden! SO perfect hi
resemblance TO myself, that even n mother
eyes had been deceived
Immediately after his return from til
bridal excursion my double retired, fort,
nately, to love In Maryland cottag,
leaving me, unfortunately, to represer
him IN Washington.
| My then recent bitter foe, and no
friend, the too-demonstrative German, 500
I recovered his senses, of which fact this aI
! mission was proof incontrovertiblc, namel
, lie discovered that Germania had many ia
daughters, and the faircst Of all these W;
crowned queen of his heart, and Is so Il
day. May she live and reign forever!
S. ID.