Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-08-18

appcaIed i'm their night-caps at Il
windows, only to run back to their bed
and bury themselves beneath th'
clothes.
A Waterman, who had started on hi
rounds, came upon him suddenly as h,
turned the corner, and, dropping hi
lantern, beat a precipitate retreat.
In the adjoining street lived "A fai
damscl of considerable personal, but
superior pecuniary, attraction, VIII,
was loved to distraction by grocer
apprentice. The young man had made
the lady's acquaintance rs he served in
the shop, and had brcathed his love
over the checses he sold. His addrcsse,
had been countenanced by the be
loved one, but were discouraged by the
parents, who had not permitted thu
devoted youth to set foot within then
doors. The apprentice had no Other
means open to testifying his devotion
than by hiring band of street
musicians to perform ut the rate of two
francs an hour during tho silent
watches of the night below the window
of the adored. On the present occasion
the band was performing the descent
of Mars" when discordant
howl in their ears produced a
sudden pause in their music not noted
in their score, and the apparition of a
monstrous bear running into the
midst of them upon its hind legs, with
ears and stumpy tail cooked up, pro-
duced such panic among the sons OF
Orpheus, that they cast their instru-
mcnts from them and took to their
heels. Not so the groccr's apprentice.
True love knows no fear. He flew to
the door of his beloved, and cast him.
self before it, determined to perish in
her defence. But the monster, with
out pcrceiving him, ran on repeating
its dolorous howls.
A party of students from the Univer-
stty were that evening going their
rounds, performing fcats of heroism,
of which they might boast among their
companions. These feats were not at
tended with much danger, and yet the
achievement of them was an object of
considerable ambition. They consisted
simply in breaking lamps, and wrench
| ing the knockers of doors. Some
people might think that the smashing
of street lamp was an operation
abilities; that the wrenching OF n
knockcr from door was neither n
hazardous, nor very heroic, act. But
these people are entirely mistaken.
The police occasionally interfere and
capture one of those engaged in these
acts; and if captured, it costs the
stu lent several francs to bride the
officer to let him escape. Consequent
ly, the ringing of n street bell ut
midnight is regarded by University
men as an achievement equal to the
bravest deed of tried General, and the
breaking off of Il knocker is supposed to
rankvcry much on the lcvc with the
proudest trophy of blood-stained
field.
On the night in question four valiant
collegians were engaged on the hazard
Gus undertaking of screwing up the
door of worthy citizen, an act of
consummatc ingenuity and sublime
originality. Suddenly u wild and UNI
earthly yell ringing through the hushed
night, broke upon their ears. In
stantlv the four students paused and
turned pale. In another moment they
saw diabolical object moving rapidly
down the street towards them. The
young men shrank against the wall,
each cndcavoring to get behind the
other, and reversing the provcrb OF the
weakest going to the wall, for in their
struggle the ablcst-bodcl secured that
position, whilst the fecblcst was the
most exposed, and servcl rs Il screen
to the other three. Ia, approaching
monster stood still for an instant, and
they were able to observe him BY the
wan light of the crescent new moon,
and the flickcring oil lamp slung across
the head of tho street. A fearful OBJ
jcct, In their terror the sorcwdrivers
dropped from their fingers. The noise
attracted the creatures attention, and
it ran up the steps towards them,
articulatihg words in hoarsc tone,
which they, in their alarm, were unable
to catch. Suffice it to say that the
sight of this monster coming within
arms length was too much for their
courage. With shrek they burst
past it, tumbling over each other, and
rolling down the doorstcps, picked
themselves up again and fed, palpitat-
ing, in four separate directions, calling
for the police, imploring the aid of that
august body which they had so long
set Mt defiance.
What tales they related on the
following morning to all the old ladies
of their acquaintance, il is not for me
to record. One of the students broke
his sword, and vowed that he had
snapped it in his fight with the demon;
another exhibited the bruises he had
received in his fall, as evidence of the
desperate character of the conflict;
third wore his arm in sling as though
it had been broken In the encounter,
and all agreed that the monster had
fed from them, and not they from the
monster.
The police! 30, horrors!" thought NJ
OuHc, "thcy have summoned the aid of
the police. shall be captured, be
tried and sentenced, and burned at the
stake rs n werewolf.
The fear of this urged him to retreat
stcalthily homcwards, least any of the
agents of justice should get sight of
him and carry him away to trial. If
he could but reach home he would inn
plorc his wife to stab him with knife
between the eyes, and draw some drops
of blood, a sovereign cure for lycan-
thropy. But poor NJ. Ouflc's head was
never very clear, and now it was i'm
thorough condition of bewildermcnt,
SO that he completely lost himself, and
SUNK about the streets in a dsconso-
late manner, vainly searching for his
own domicilc. His bewilderment be-
came greater with every step he took;
and his confusion and alarm were not
u little heightened by his stumbling
over an elderly gentleman, and leaving
him apparently dead of fright on the
pavement. IL did not mend matters
when, hearing "a .facre driving by, he
suddenly stepped towards it and asked
the way of the drivcr-for the coach
man jumped off his seat in paroxysm
of terror, aud the horses, equally
frightened, ran away with the carriage,
.l.sl