The Washington critic., 1886-10-08

hment enough TO commence calm
Splanation, when Mrs. Frosty, burst
~ into tears. threw herself before her
ngry husband, and implored him to
le silent; for 1t was only trlling mis-
AXE, and Colonel Sawyer would imme-
lately explain IL all. =,
But the enragcd man would hear
nothing.
leave the room" he exclaimed to
bis wife. "I'll hear nothing from you
I've had disgrace enough brought on
me already. Leave the rooml"
And, mortified and in tears, she
passed out, to brood over her misery
and modification alone.
Colonel Sawyer cssayed to begin,
though 1t was exceedingly hard work,
and he could accomplish nothing but
with almost superhuman effort.
II mistook the house, sir, that is all, 4"
said he. MY intentions were per-
fectly honorable, and out of this house.
sir, you shall not call them in question
without being held personally respon-
sible. | am quite ready to leave the
place, ! assure you"
And he began to do so.
THAT Is very well to say" replied
the jealous husband. 81 should advise
you for the future, however, to be a
little careful before you go into other
persons houses, and see If your own
number extends the whole length of
the street.
Colonel Sawyer withdrew, resolved
TO have no further words with such q
creature. lie saw that he was beside
himself with jealousy, and he knew
that speech would be wasted on him.
Perhaps 1t was u couple of months
after this, that party of gentlemen
fingered rather late at a luncheon at a
tavern, and forgot that it was fairly A
o'clock in the afternoon, until they
found 1t had long ago struck @. They
were all jolly fellows their eyes were
flashing and their cheeks were getting
rosy. The luncheon must have put
them in the best of spirits-or, rather,
the best of spirits in them.
Among them was Mr.. Andrew Frosty.
If there was any one of them very
particularly mellow" it was but fair
TO say IL was Frosty.
He had evidently improved his op-
portunities during the luncheon
Going out into the bracing air after
nuOu u Duu'lucl, hl, IIOSly btSuu W
feel the effects very sensibly. BY hook
anG by crook he finally sailed around
to the street in which his domicile
stood, pushing along till he thought
he had got about where he ought to
live, and went up the steps. After
hanging up his great-coat and hat in
the hall, he stepped along to the door
of the diningroom and opened it. Who
should suddenly appear to him as he
looked around the room, but Colonel
Sawyer and Colonel Sawyers wife.
Frosty rubbed his eyes, stammered,
made half bow, felt wholly lost, and
finally gave it up.
II d clare" he exclaimed, looking
blanker than the wall, i've mistaken
the house"
"Oh, no, my dear sir" said Colonel
Sawyer, Immediately rising and going
up to him, you have done no such
thing; you know you haven't. You
have only stolen in here to bring dis.
grace upon my family. I've been sus.
pecting this for some time, and now,
sir, I'll just walk out myself with you
and be at the trouble of finding your
own house for you"
coat and hat and insisted on accom-
panying the discounted Mr. Frosty
home. Not syllable Of explanation
would he listen to.
ooh, no, mol" he would say when
ever Frosty began to apologize. 81
understand it well enough. see how
it is. It's all very well to say you've
lost the way into my house, but
should, for the future, advise you, be-
fore going into other persons houses,
to just look and see if your own mum.
Der runs the length of the street"
Just the language Frosty had before
used to him, and just what sealed his
lips Frosty was fioored completely
But that was not the worst of it. The
Colonel insisted on going home with
him and going in; and he offered his
services in such a pleasant yet per
sistent way that Frosty could not have
shaken him off, even If he were not
himself rendered submissive by reason
of his own modification. And the
colonel, therefore, went in and told
Mrs. Frosty about it, which so thor.
oughly pleased that amiable lady that,
in view of previous circumstances, she
set up resstless laugh in the face of
her humbled lord, in the midst of which
his very polite escort took occasion to
withdraw.
But Frosty was thoroughly cured OF
his jealousy, for he admitted that 1t
was quite possible for a respectable
man to mistake even the number of his
own door.