Telegram-herald., 1890-01-14

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evening she wAs On tie wssea Ter
ehseee - satisfy ksr eurtosltF. she hsd
p rposely lefs her hsndkerehfs fsf n -
lAstes dressing E-rooH. sha when shs
eo.la Do - stthort srtracting attention
shs slsgpeS o1t - tAs psrlar snd went
upstairs
Al ths upper rooms aud halls were
6aserted. TIE coaE ef ths room win
shs ciosed shutters wss shst. ~,a4i.
az The other door on thst noor wers
open side. fact that increased nrs
PrvAa curiosity.
There can't be sny harm IN tust peep
Ing int0 tie room, she argued. and I
would really ike - knov what there u
ia ia jast take one peep IA anyhow +"
Sic turned the knob, the door Vas act
loczed 4nd ss il partly opened Mrs
Prvau heard some one coming hurried
lvug tba stairs There vas no tine 20
escape from the narrow passage "a which
she found herself and. fearing dstec uon.
she stepped quickly into the room.
closed the door softly beh.nd her. and
found herself ia t0tai darkness A
moment later, 20 her gnspeaksbls dis
nav. she heard the door Of the room
locked by some one on the outside.
Her curiosity now gave place 70 feel
ing Of alarm.
What Was she 70 dop How could she
escape? She stood still in the darkness
asking herself these questions. she
dared not cry out and bring shame and
disgrace on herself by confessing TO
what lengths her curiosity had led her.
She began cropping her way around the
room with outstre tched hands until she
touched the msntel. and the next mo-
ment her hand rested on = box OF
matches.
She struck match and held II be-
tween her thumb and finger, and as the
little fame for one brief instant lighted
up the room Mrs. Pryam gave utterance
10 an ear-piercing scream and ran
wildly around the room, upsetting chairs
and tables in the darkness, and wildly
crying out:
Help! Lelpl Let me out Let me outi
Murder! Help win no one let me out Of
this horrible room?'
Some one was about 10 sing in the
parlor below, and there was the usual
hush of expectation, which was broken
by Mrs. Pryam's screams.
Mr.. Marcy ran quickly upstairs fol-
lowed by many Of the guests, and as the
screams still continued with increased
shrillness it was easy to discover whence
they came.
Mr.. Marcy unlocked the door on which
Mrs. Pryam was beating with her
;lenched fists. She staggered from the
room with pallid face, and fell into her
husband S arm, crying out: "Oh, James,
take me away from this horrible house
There's been murder done ia that room"
Mr.. Marcy and his guests stared in
amazement for moment, then the host,
with a half-suppressed smile, stepped
into the room, lighted the gas, and
touching an artificial skeletan hanging
from a hook in the wall near the mantel,
he said:
perhaps this is what frightened you.
Mrs. Prycm."
on shelves around the room were jars
filed with liquids of various sorts, and
with specimens OF snakes, toads. lizards
and other animals preserved in alcohol.
while on tables and stands were tho in
struments one often sees in chemical
laboratories. a strong odor of chem
idals pervaded the room. Half a dozen
skulls were on the mantel, and great
owls and eagles. dead years before,
looked down from the top OF cases filled
}, ,,roar- Too1-fr~, 80
Turning to his surprised guests Mr..
Marcy said: Some of you may know
that ] was for many years practising
physician, and ] have always been
greatly interested in natural history
and in scientific pursuits of various
kinds. ] have for a number of weeks
been making some interesting chemical
experiments in my little laboratory
which has been kept dark all the time
for that purpose, or l might have had il
open before for the amusement OF my
friends who care 20 SEQ the specimens ]
have here.
at occurred 10 ne few moments ago
that ! had neglected 10 lock the door OF
the room. and thought 1 ought TO do
so TO save some Of the ladies from open
ing the door by mistake and receiving
Just such a shock as Mrs. Pryam has
had, so I ran up stairs and locked the
door. not knowing that ! had been too
late in taking this precaution. and
must beg Mrs. Pryam's pardon for my
carelessness in leaving the door I'M
locked
Although Mr.. Marcy made this ex.
planation IN bland and smiling man
ner, there was a quiet sarcasm in his
words be could not conceal, and which
was not lost upon his hearers. Mrs
Pryam made matters worse for herself
By saying, half HISTORICALLY:
"T-I-just wanted TO SEQ what was in
the room. That was all. have go
often wondered ="
Her deeply-chsRrined husband led hcr
from the hall, and in a few moments
they were on their hOmeward way.
The lesson proved 20 be wholesome
one FOR Ms Pryam. and when a few
months later she and her husband
moved % another town she left much
OF her curiosity behind her, and wise =
concluded 20 give her attention wholly
TO her own afairs.-Y Youths Companion.