Dodge City times., 1889-01-03
The WRONG HOUSE.
HE TELLS IT.

culine members Of the family were IN
clined to be dubious as to its advan-
tages The chief objection which we
had TO it was that it was one of a row of
eight, all exactly alike. and it was ex-
tremely difficult to be sure of the right
door,
A weeks practice, however, made
that all right ours was the fourth house
from the south end of the row; as L
walked from the Office along the street
Immediately south of us, / soon became
accustomed to taking the exact number
of steps, after turning the corner, which
would bring me to the door.
Besides the hour at which l came
home Il am proof-reader on morning
paper, and my duties usually kept me
at the Office until after 3 a. m made it
necessary for me to carry latchkey.
While knew that of course our neigh
bors had exactly the same convenlencc5
which we enjoyed, and looked for light
to windows l., She same portion of ex-
actly similar rooms, and experienced
the annoyance of smoky chimncys when
the wind was in th~ particular quarter
which affected ours, | did not dream
that the houses We're so precisely the
same that the key of one would unlock
the other.
We had lived here about week when
the street-car line near by began run
ming owl cars. This was boon for me,
as it saved me walk of some length.
The car line ran within half square Of
the house, being on the next street
north of us.
The first night that l rode home l
was so sleepy when ] got out of the car
that scarcely knew what | was doing.
Hitherto tie exercise of walking had
kept me wide awake until | got into my
own room. / managed to unlock the
front door. however, and get upstairs,
habit making my movements noiseless,
as knew that my mother was easily
awakened and did not readily so to
sleep again.
The room which occupied was over
the dining room, the door being nearly
opposite to the head of the stairs
Somewhat to my surprise the gas was
not burning on the landing, the girls
had probably forgotten to light it before
going t. bed. ] groped my way care
fully along, and at last reached the
door of my ROOM l entered; it was
like the hail, pitch dark. l tried to
find the table, on which there should be
lamp, and my hand came in contact
with something else. 1 drew match
from nv pocket and struck it. As /
held it screened by my hand l saw that
the room was strange one. Suddenly,
all was dark it was not that the match
had gone out, but the brain was
shadowed; knew nothing more.
SHE TELLS IT.
/ was always rated courageous; l
seemed to lack that instructive fear
which causes some to shrink from dark
ness and loneliness. My brothers and
sisters often declared that l would
never be frightened: not even, added
May, with shudder, if a burglar We're
to present himself before me and de-
mand my valuables. These would not
tempt any well-regulated burglar, being
small and of little intrinsic value; but
should not like to lose them, and l had
alw avs determined to defend my prop
erty stoutly if threatened, providing, of
CtuTS0, ltldt l. llattt SitiuCitIt
the robbers intentions to enable me to
act.
I awoke one morning at that pro-
verbal darkest hour, just before the
dawn. had no idea what time it was,
as the whole house was wrapped in
silence and darkness; it is from after
events that am able to say that it was
nearly morning. / had started suddenly
from sleep, but at first l could not tell
what had aroused me. As lay listen
ing for some sound to follow that which
had recalled me from the land of
dreams, my thoughts turned instinc-
lively to our next door neighbors, who
had been domiciled in the row for about
o week.
Nobody knew them, although several
of the older residents had spoken of
calling upon them-perhaps; for We
liked the looks of the ladies and they
seemed inclined to be friendly. The
men, however, seemed to be home all
day and away all night. They were not
workingmen-one could see that by
their hands, their clothing, their bear
ing-and We were afraid they were not
Just what they should be. We recalled
certain grewsome stories of counter
feiters. burglars, and other criminals,
who settle in respectable neighborhoods,
and only excited suspicion by the un-
reasonable hours which they kept.
Was that step up the stairs? !
listened more intently, my wandering
thoughts recalled from all other sub
jects. Surely it was, and that was an
other. There was burglar in the
house. / sprang out of bed and en-
veloped myself in a circular which
CHANGED to be hanging on a chair. as /
had worn it out into the rain the pre-
ceding evening. If l was to receive a
burglar / was determined that the pro-
prieties should not suffer; I would have
something on besides my night-dress
while if he went to any other room ]
could steal along the dark halls to alarm
my brothers, and be less noticea BILE in
this dark wrap than in my night-gown.
In spite of my boasted courage, my
heart beat very loudly as the step was
heard once more, and this time upon
she landing just outside my own door.
grasped the poker firmly, however,
trying to restore my wonted courage by
the pressure of that formidable weapon
In my hand. 1t WAS plain, heavy ba,
Of iron, at which the others otter
laughed, declaring that it must make
me tired to rake the fire.
The knob of the door turned slowly
and cautiously. and the burglar enters
The room. What would he do next
BE closed the door rs gently as he had
opened IL. and for moment seemed
Gn1eeided- Did he have . dark Lantern