San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-01-28
OUR STORY COLUMN.
MIR. RLINKS.

every we'll, william, halu Elizh, win hh
injured sigh. "But | might as well sit up
as not Two often told you that ! never
sleep a wink when you are out late"
Nonsense, said Mr.. Blinks; you can
be under no anxiety-no reason why you
should not 60 TO sleep"
Mrs Binks breathed another sigh, which
spoke more deeply Of injury than tho last.
"yery we'll, William" she said again.
"rI 90 through the form OF going to bed
il you like" .. r.
breakfast, won't through the form OF kissing
his wife and family and departed for that
mysterious region known IN downtown
where ho transacted business He had u
certain feeling of triumph in that he had
nersuaded or coerced his welded Eliza TO
retire before his return. Her apparition in
a night-cap and crimping pins, long night
robe and a small shawl and Hat toilet slip
pers dampened all his jollity when, after
nice little evening, no entered his own door
about tho ''woe sma' hours" She never
scolded, but she was so meekly injured; she
injured in such softly reproachful tones
whether the clock was really right, and she
begged him in such sad, imploring way
not t. woke the baby.
Mr.. Blinks was jovlal, and hated to have
his spirits lowered Mrs. Blanks was very
serious and rather fancied high spirits GRIM
inal.
They had married rather late in life, for
she was thirty and no past forty on their
wedding day; and they had fixed opinions
on oil such subjects, and could not give
them up. If ever it had entered their
minds that it was pity they had pgreed
once, and made match Of it, it was on
Blink's convivial evenings when he stayed
out late and his wife kept vigil in conse-
xuence Al Miss Partlette, Eliza never had
to sit up for any one. As a bachelor, Blinks
tumbled home when he pleased.
Mr.. Blinks had very jolly evening-jol-
lier than usual, for tho knowledge that he
had forbidden Mrs Blinks to sit up for him
him; and at 2 o'clock in the morn
ing he mado his way home, singing to him
self occasionally, and now and then COM
PEELED to laugh aloud at some joke that
flashed across his memory. Always before
the fact that Eliza was sitting up for him
caused Mr.. Blinks to be somewhat abstemi-
GUS az to wine; but now he had ordered her
to retire. He had arranged matters so that
they were all in his own hands, and he was
not az steady on his feet or as clear of com
nrehenseon as he might have been.
As he stumbled upstairs in the dark and
felt his way up to the spare bedroom he
muttered to himself:
This is just as it ought to be. Eliza
shant sit up for me again"
Then, having bumped his head against q
bedpost he took of his coat and boots gave
up the rest as bad job, retired, tangled
in maze of counterpanes, and
fell asleep In short time he was awak-
ened by strong smell of tobacco smoke.
Lifting himself on his elbow, be looked
about the room and saw in the moonlight
by the window figure draped in some kind
of n gown and smoking q short pipe. A
hazy idea that this was Eliza, who had dis
obeyed him, and had also taken to tobacco,
entered his mind.
81 told YOU not to sit upf for me. my dear, "
he said, rebukingly, 'and when did you
learn to smoker"
And then masculine voice cried:
"What the deuce--"
The gus flashed up, and he saw before
him O stout man in u dressing gown who,
having stared at him n moment, cast away
his pipe, tucked up his sleeves, and advanced
toward the bed.
Blinks was still dreamy. Tie tried to re-
member whether there was any ronson for
this strangers presence, and WIS he stran-
ger? Did he know him? At last:
"Why, who are your" he said, land what
do you want in my house!"
''That's n very nice dodge" cried the 9th
er, "but it won't do"
$50 understand it now" said Bliuks
quite wide awake at last, and comprehend
ing that this was burglar who had hidden
in the spare bedroom, and, without word
he sprang from the bed and grappIed with
the stranger, The other grappled with him.
Each was intent on the object, to thrust the
other out of the door. They tumbled down.
stairs together, smashed the hall hat stand,
fell through the lights in the door, stumbled
bruised and scratched-out upon the YER
anda, and, clutching each other tightly,
roared: "Police!"
At the same moment q window next door
went up, head. in cap and curl papers, was
thrust out, and female voice screamed:
"Policel" also.
1t was Mrs Blinks, firm in the conviction
that burglars had arrived at last
A policeman heard the cries. He sum-
moned another The usual course of events
would have been procession to the station
house; but these officers were men of great
minds and wonderful disccrnment
One of them asked what was the mat
ter?'
II found this man burg!ariously concealed
in bedroom of my house, said Mr.. Blinks.
II give him in charge"
"Bah!" said the other. "This is deep
7 ;,,, IN nl in,
live ut No. 20, here. The rost of the family
are i'll the country, and I'm, so to speak,
keeping house. Jilkins-I think you know
me, officer
"why, yes, know you very well, MIR.
Jilkins," said the policeman. I'VE spoke
to each other as you passed me half an hour
lgo-said good evaning. BIT tS'S-th!s is
MIR. Blinks of %. Know him well, and be
passed me about an hour ago, singing and
luite Jolly. You can either of you make
charge if you like, but it seems TO me you'd
better think it over"
Mr.. Blinks looked at Mr.. Jilkins, down
whose check long scratch was beginning
70 grow red and whose eye was blackening.
Mr.. Jilkins looked at Mr. B,inks. on whose
.emple was arising n large blue hruise the
'ize of :. MS egg, and whose upper lip was
putting up like a pilcushioa, aud both tried
o look Judicial.
Its a mistake" said Mr. JilkinS. This,
presume. is the effect of glass too much.
You have entered our house instead Of your
,vn. and naturally"
"rhe mistake was owing to the similarity
IF the houses, Mr. Jilkins, said Mr.. BliEks
But a gentleman who had not taken drop
90 much would scarcely have taken me for
a burglar"
And then n plaintive voice descended
rcm the second story window # No. -.
"Mr. Blinks will apologize in the morn
NC, know. Mr. Jilkins This vouli not
lnve occurred had he permitted me to at
~ for him Il shall not occgr again. Come
n dear. Please try not 20 wake the baby"
What did Mr. Bliuks say thrr: No mat