The Washington critic., 1886-10-08
" HOPE | DON'T INTRUDE."

Mr. Andrew Frosty CHANGED TO re.
side In one Of long, straight row of
houses, no one of which bore any
special mark on its front by which It
could be distinguished from another.
Such row of buildings 1t would be q
very hard matter to find anywhere else
in the world; or even so alike; all with
seven steps; all with porticos; one as
alike every other as could possibly be.
Tack on another item. Mr.. Frosty
was as jealous man of his wife as any
person need be. He was terribly jeal-
ous--and that is quite enough for the
happiness or comfort OF any family.
Now, 1t Is an awful thing for man to
be jealous of his wife Mt all; il he have
reason for It, 1t most certainly is; and
If without caus,. then it is vastly more
so. When either man or wife falls
into such n wretched habit as that they
may as well draw their cotton caps
over their eyes and say good night to
the world. Living is no sort of an OBJ
ject to them.
But whether Mr.. Frosty had any roa.
son TO be jealous of his wife Is not what
we are going TO settle. And yet we
never thought he could have; for a
kinder, gentler, sweeter, more amiable
and devoted wife than she made him.
1t would be difficult to put your finger
upon anywhere In the street. But Mrs.
Frosty was young, and had great deal
of beauty, too, and was remarkably at
tractve in her manners. 1t would not
be at all strange If there were reasons
sufficient to excite Mr.. Frosty against
her; though, if there were, he ought to
have been heartily ashamed of himself
and gone and got palmer wife to be.
gin with.
Not many doors off, in the same row
of undistingulshable dwellings, lived
Colonel Sawyer. Now the colonel
rather prided himself ON being esteemed
gentleman. Without assuming to be
what Is popularity termed "ladies
man." he nevertheless was extremely
particular in his carriage toward them,
aiming always to impress them with a
sense of his perfect purity, and chivalry
and truth.
No one in the neighborhood, or in
the wide world either, that know of,
ever suspected him of being capable of
insulting any one--least of all, lady.
Mothers along the street held him up
before the eyes of their sprouting sons
as an example Of the lofty and true.
And fathers spoke of him now and
then to their eldest daughters, and
hoped that If they ever thought Of
marriage-and 1t is just possible that
some of them did--they would be sat
isfed with nothing less than charac
ter like his. This certainly would seem
to be praise enough
Coming home musingly, and with
his head down, one evening, the
Colonel thought no such accident was
possible as that he should mistake his
own house, especially as he had been
in and out that way so many times.
Perhaps the very fact that he felt
such confidence was the greatest
reason why he should make mistake
ut all. But as he was very much occu.
pied with his reflections, he abandoned
himself entirely to what he knew of
the way home, and thought, of course,
he should reach that pleasant spot all
in proper time.
The consequence was, on this par.
ticular occasion, at least that he
slipped himself quietly in through Mr..
Frosty's front door. hung up his hat
and coat in the hall, and started for
the dining. room.
AS all the houses in the row were so
much alike on the outside, their in
ternal arrangements were pretty much
after the same fashion likewise. So
that the hall of Mr. Frosty seemed eX.
actly like his own hall and the dining
room door opened just where his own
did.
The instant he opened the door, how
ever, he began to awaken to his error.
The table was spread in the middle of
the room, and the pretty Mrs. Frosty
sat near the CRATE just glancing over
the newspaper.
"Ah p exclaimed he. bowing and
scraping confusedly; 81 beg pardon.
Really, Mrs. Frosty, l beg pardon p
In moment the astonished lady was
on her feet, her face flushed with the
natural excitement of so unlocked. for
visit. She knew not what to say.
This is ludcrous mistake, de-
clare, Mrs. Frosty" said the Colonel.
Here | am invading and taking pos
session Of your house, when | thought
was safe and snug in my own, Ia !
ha ha All this comes of these houses
wearing such similar faces. But it's
the first mistake of the kind | ever
made, and trust you'll excuse it,"
Mrs. Frosty comprehended it in.
stantly, and began good laugh over
his innocent adventure.
IF l should ever happen to get
caught so myself" said she; and the
thought of the consequences made her
put her white hand before her face that
she might have her laugh out unseen.
We're always grateful for a call from
you, Colonel Sawyer" added Mrs
Frosty. "Now you are here, and dinner
will soon be on the table, why wont
you stop and sit down with us? Ny
husband will be in soon. am expect
ing him every minute"
The Colonel began to thank her foi
her determination, and to excuse him
self by reason of urgent engagements
for the evening; and even while he was
thus occupied the outer door opened
and in came the veritable proprietor
Mr., Frosty himself.
"Therep exclaimed his wife; ''my
husband is coming now. You'll MOI
be detained any longer than you would
at home. Come, | think you had bet
ter stop with us"
Along came Mr.. Frosty through the
hall, looking cross and sour enough
His face would have turned sweet
milk in twinklng
The instant he caught the sound OF
male voice in the dining room his olC
suspicion began to flame up again
And as soon as he could creep along n,
far AS the door, in his stealthy way
and look in through the creyice AM
see who was there, his ragc burst al
bounds and made him momcntary
madmanl Colonel Sawyer and his wifi,
Nn,
enoughl
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