The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-21

who might happen to be abroad at this
unusual hour-unusual, at least in this
quiet part of London. leaned my back
against the wall and waited patiently.
/ soon heard an approaching step; but
such staggering, uncertain, lurking
kind of step, that from the sound of the
feet alone I was able to determine the
condition of their owner, and was OBJ
liged to decide that he was not the man
l wanted. / must let him pass and wait
for another. But the feet staggered up
to me and stopped near me, whilst
voice. jolly, but like the feet unsteady,
cried:
Mother Teller worsh than me, Can't
get on at all-eh, old chap? Comfort T.
think some ones head II ache worsh
than mine tomorrow"
Can you tell me the way to Walpole
street," / asked, standing erect to show
him was sober.
~Walpole street-course L can-clOshe
by-thfrd to left | think"
~If you are going that way would you
lead me to the corner of it? Unhappily
am blind and have lost my way"
Blind, poor beggar-not screwed
then. Guess I'm in nice state to lead
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
legish. Good idea. Come long"
He took my arm and we went yawing
up the street. Presently he stopped
eWalpole street" he hiccoughed. shall
I take you to your house,"
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
ErN.-r lsafyc 70 Tglr l1.Y,
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. | counted sixty
| two, and then felt for the entrance be-
| tween the ratings; not finding it, went
| on step or two until | came to it. |
was glad to have reached home without
accident, and, to tell the truth, was be-
| ginning to feel little ashamed of my
escapade. l hoped that Priscilla had not
discovered my absence and alarmed the
house, and L trusted / should be able tC
regain my room as quietly as had quit
| ted it. With all my elaborate calcula
| tons, was not quite sure that l had
hit upon the right house; but if they
We're incorrect | could only be a door Oh
two away from it, and the key in my
hand would be certain test.
| went up the dOOrstepS-was it fouI
| or five | had counted as / came out?
fumbled for the keyhole and inserted
the latch-key. 1t turned easily, and the
door opened. had not made mistake
l felt an inward glow of satisfaction al
having hit upon the house at the first
attempt. 1T must have been blind
man who first discovered that Necessity
is the mother of Invention" | said, as
| softly closed the door behind me and
| prepared to creep up to my own room
| wondered what the time was. AL
| | knew was that it must be still night
for l was able to distinguish light from
darkness. As | had found myself sc
| close to Walpole street | could not have
walked for any length of time in my
ecstatic state, so l fancied it must be
| somewhere about two o clock.
Even more anxious than when | start
ed to make no noise which might awak-
en- people, found the bottom of the
staircase 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
it be possible that | had entered the
| wrong house! There are plenty of III
stances on record of key having open
| ed strange lock. Could |, through
such a circumstance. have strayed into
neighbours house? paused; the per-
| spiration rising on my brows as thought
| of the awkward situation in which
| should be placed if it were so. For a
moment | resolved to retrace my steps
and try the next house; but | could not
be quite sure | was wrong. Then / re-
membered 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 | went.
| ran my fingers softly along the wall.
but no bracket could find. Ny hand
| touched the Intel of a door instead
Then / knew, for certain, | was in the
wrong house. The only thing to be done
was to creep out as quietly as / had en-
| tered and try my luck next door.
| AS turned to grope my way back /
| heard the murmur OF voices-late as il
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.
| stood irresolute. Would it not be bet
| ter to knock at the door and throw N.Y.
| self upon the mercy of the inmates of
the room? / could apologize and ex-
| plain. My blindness would account foI
| 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. | could not go on creeping into
| strange houses like a midnight 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 householder would put a
bullet into me before | had time to as
Sert my innocence.
Just as | raised my fingers to tap the
| door | heard another voice-a woman s
voice. 1t seemed to come from the back
room and was singing to an accompani-
ment played softly on piano. paused
and listened.
| | have been so occupied with COM
| planning of the hardships of my lot |
have not told you | had one solace to
my misery; that merciful gift. so often
bestowed on the blind, music. Had ii
not been for this | believe those weeks
of darkness and uncertainty would have
driven me mad. Had it not been that /
| could pass many weary hours away
| playing to myself, that | could be taken
to concerts and hear others play and
sing, my days would have been unbear-
able, and shudder to think of what aid
| might have called in to render them
| less burdensome.
] / waited and listened to the song. II
was taken from an opera recently pro-
iuced on the Continent, an opera not
| yet popularity known in England. and
the song was one that few amateurs
would dare to attempt. The singer,
whoever she might be, sang it softly
aud under her voice, as though fearing
| to throw it out with full force. The
lateness of the hour might well account
Tor this restraint. Nevertheless. any
one capable of judging must have known
ne was listening to no ordinary singer.
Ii was easy to recognize the trained skill
and dormant power, and imagine what,
under favorable circumstances, that
voice might accomplish. / was en-
chanted. My idea was that had stum-
bled into nest of rofessionals-peo-
pie whose duties ended so late, that to
enjoy. any evening at all, night must be
greatly encroached upon. All the bet
ter for mel Bohemians themselves. my
unexpected nocturnal intrusion might
not brighten them out of their wits.
The singer had now commenced the
second verse. placed my ear close to
the door to catch every note. | was
curious to hear what she would make of
the, effective but trying finale, when
Oh horrible contrast to the soft sweet
liquid notes and subdued words of pas
sionate lowell heard gasp, spas
mode fearful gasp. that could convey
put one meaning. | heard it succeeded
Dy long deep groan, which terminated
IN gurgling sound which froze nv
blood. heard the music stop sudden
ly, and the cry, the piercing cry of awo-
man rang out like a frightful change
from. melody to discord, and then
heard dull heavy thud on the floor!
waited to hear no more. l knew
that some dreadful deed had been per
petrated within few feet of where I