The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-04-26

Whe got wrought up to that pitdb
CHANGED to notice three little bof in
the yard of the tenement houses, *
ing up at me. / beckoned to Inn
eagerly. They were gamins; Jheir
street education had sharpened their
wits; they comprehended that l wanted
them. AS one boy they nodded and
al:.rted on run around the block.
Hope entered my heart once nfre.
went to the front. There they ware,
and with them-O, blessed relief Two
policemen.
They saw me, and then they and the
three boys, and sundry others VIII bad
collected, disappeared in our area. Zen
along time passed, parleying with 81 ~,
suppose, trying to make her let em
in.
Twas in agony. Ten minutes, which
seemed like an hour, passed, and then,
with Joy 1 never could have blieyed
such a vision could inspire, / aw the
head of a policeman above the RarreJ
roof
But let me go back little and tell
how things went on in the house. Adult
two hours after l had gone-aB every
one supposed-Biddy went up to her
room to dress. She was startled by
mysterious sounding knocks and voices,
as she thought. She knew no one was
in the house except my father down
stairs. She was superstitious; she ran
down with wild face, and met my
mother in the hall. She declared that
there were Spirits" up stairsA. " her,
ing, and knocking, and grooming ~
My mother laughed at her, and wept
up to the third story. She too heard
muffied knocks, and what sounded like
voices, which she could not account fol
or loca tie. She went into all the rooms
she looked in every closet; she saw thu
spring door closed, and she nevel
thought of any one being up there.
She was little startled herself
though she did not think it was spirits
and she got father up there. He wen
to please her, though he poohed and
said it was nonsense, etc. Wher
he got there the noises had stopped
probably that was when was coaXinG
the street boys. So he said Non
scnse!' more emphatically than ever
and came down.
When the two policemen with theil
clubs pounded on the door and de-
manded admittance, and Biddy went to
the door, she was scared again; and they
walked right in.
What do you want? asked my
father, meeting them in the hall.
1--WE want the mad woman on your
roof" they said,
Good heavens !" cried my mother,
ga mad woman! That's what we heard
how could she have got there ?"
They all went up the stairs in process
sion, the policemen leading.
When the door opened, and the head
appeared above tiny relief, after the
strain l had been under was so great
that for the first time in my life
tainted away.
The policemen dragged me dowr
some way, my head still tied up in thu
apron, and the old carpet trailing afte
me. They were about to carry me dow
the next fight, preparatory to carrying
me off to the station, suppose, wheI
mother happened to catch sight of m!
face. .-. r
She snrteked: "Why. ITS my d.. .jsA
teri"
OF course she took me in charge. an,
the policemen turned upon the crow,
who had followed in from the street
drove them out, and we were left alone
When l came out of my faint, nv
nerves were all unstrung; l couldn't
control myself; l laughed, / cried,
could hardly tell my story. The whole
thing seemed so absurd and ridiculous,
to be prisoner on ones own roof for
hours. And yet it had somehow been
so tragical to me.
More tragical indeed than 1 dreamed;
for that very evening the blow fell.
Mother dispatched father at once to
Aunt Durgin's to explain; but the ans
wer he brought back was crushing.
Aunt had talked her plan over With
my mother, made her promise secncy.
and invited me to tea, to talk it over
and make her offer. 1t was-oh, twas
to have a years study abroad! The
one thing l wanted!
When | did not come, she thought it
was because did not want to be both
cred to take tea with an old woman-she
was always so suspicious; SO she sent
for Cousin jane who lived very near
her, and made her the offer to go abroad.
Ibnf H., ~
Jane didn't want to study, so she had
year of travel, and Aunt Durgin died
before the end of it, So you see, my
dear, if | hadn't been so careless tut
once, my life would have been very
different, and | shouldn't have been a
common music-teacher all my days.
Olive Thorne Miller, in N. Y. Independ-
ent.
LIGHT PRODUCES SOUND.