St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-04
WON WIFE AND WEALTH.

Philadelphia Item.
Three O'Clock in the morning is an
uncanny hour the world over, except at
police headquarters or III the office OF a
morning newspaper: and it was in this
latter place, at the hour named. that
four or five reporters, having sent in all
their copy and listened to the foreman
swear for fifteen minutes because he
had two columns of space and ten col
umns of matter that "must 90 ill., sat
with their feet on the tables and their
chair backs knocking the plastering off,
talking over the subject which is just as
new today as it was when Adam DOTTED
his beaver and said "HoW d'y'uo?" to
Eve.
Every fellow in the crowd was bach
el0r. and each one was informing the
other in all seriousness that he should
marry.
"What for?" inquired Claude Brown
of Frank Jones.
because" replied Frank. ''it's the
only proper way to live"
"a nice husband Il reporter would
MAKE" said Claude in reouttal. "coln-
ing In at O'Clock a. IN, and leaving
home as soon as he got his II O'Clock
breakfast"
"But his wife would always know
where he was, and if she didn't she'd
know wherever he was he was after an
item and had to be back to the Office on
time" remarked Charlie Smi tn.
WELL" put in Claude, 'if you think
it's such great snap, why don't you
get marriedw
Cant" said Charlie, very positively.
"Why not"'
"Thunderatlon, man; how'S fellow
TO buy whole steamboat when he
hasn't money enough to buy splinter
off stage plank? lows a man 10 buy
house and lot when he can't buy
shovelful of dirt? How'S a man"
That's it," interrupted Claude;
''hOW's a mans to do anything II he
doesn't do it?" What's the matter with
marrying Il rich grip
"Where's the grip" queried Charlie.
"Plenty of them. Girls with money
always need a dsburslng agent, and
they will trust a husband when they
won't trust an elder in the church. Be-
sides, what's the good of her money If
the girl has her heart set on a husband
and can't get him?"
Smith argued awhile against matri-
mony, and at 80 started for home. He
was thinking the conversation over, and
as he trudged along it occurred to him
that bachelor was not only knot on
a log, but he was avery lonesome knot.
His way led him through the aristo-
cratic portion of the city, and as he
passed fine house his reverie was dis
| turbed by the peculiar click of turning
| lock. and the matrimonial line of thought
was knocked all away by the.reportOrial
| instinct, and he saw, inSteadSof blush
| ing, blooming Mrs. Smith, burglar
| cracking a millionare's dining room
| and making off with his silver.
He thought of the beautiful scoop he
| was going to have OH. the other fellows.
and, slipping into the shadow, he waited
| and listened.
Click went the lock again, as If the
| burglar was nervous and was more
| anxious to open the door than he was to
| preserve the ordinary burglariOuS quiet.
The reporter ScrutinlZed the door
| closely. and discovered that the robber
| was not on the outside, but was evil
| IDENTITY within and was working his way
out, and he felt thud of excitement at
the thought of being able to capture his
man with the Doodle Oh his person.
He slipped his revolver out OF his
pocket. turned it on the door, and al
| instant afterward the door sprung open
| and Charley was ready to cry throw
up your hands," when instead of a
| burglar ghost came out.
at can't be ghost" he whispered in
| an assuring tone to himself, ''for
ghosts don't unlock doors. They just
come right through them. But it ism t
ghost, what the deuce Is lt?''
He hadn't long to wait, for whoever
| or whate Yer it was came out into the
vestlbue and down the steps slowly,
| as if uncertain of its movements, and
when about halfway to the pavement
stopped.
wv hew," said the reporter, 'it's a
woman. and she's got on night gown.
| I'll have to see about this" and with
his revolver ready In case of accident,
| he stepped out of the shadow and spoke
to the ghostly walker.
Good evening"" he said nervously.
mo. excuse me. mean good morning.
If you're going to market, maybe pou'd
better go back and put Oh an ulster"
Ordinarily Charlie would have been
more gallant, but this was anything but
an ordinary affair, and he didn't require
! newspaper instinct to tell him so.
The sheeted figure made no reply.
but moved again and came toward him.
The cold chills chased each other down
his back, and he looked for policeman
with the usual result.
STAND back" he said, "this pistol
amt loaded. but it might go Off"
But on it cane, and Charlie found that
his legs wouldn't move in spite OF all he
could do to make them.
One step more and he stood face to
face with his strange discovery, and
| Charlie saw that it was not only Wom-
| II,t nd handsome
| he began to feel better.
81 beg your pardon" he said, but the
night air is cool and you appear to be
dressed rather lightly. Can | render
you any assistance? Is there any one
in the house that has frightened you?'
Still no answer, and Charlie, embold-
ened by his own words, stepped to the
| young Woman'S side and gently took
her by the arm.
She turned her face to him, and then
the mystery was solved.
Another La Sonnambula' of the
stage, with a reporter as first tenor and
leading man. Well. this is go!''
"I've got to take her In the house,
self, and he gently led the willing
walker back to the door and rang the
bell, aud rang it with a forty-horse
| power draught.
The next minute the beautiful sleep
| walker was no ilonger asleep, but wide
awake, and Charlie had plump young
woman in his arms in dead faint, and
he made dash with his burden into the
hall, only to meet healthy young man
even more en- deshabille.
"What's this?' he shouted. making
grab at Charities throat.
"Shut the door. you IDIOT gurgled
Charlie, dropping the girl on the floor
and almost putting his foot On her,
after the manner of sic semper tyrannis.
What does this meanw again
shouted the young man, and the re-
maipder of the family came tumbling
down Stairs, none of them fixed to see
company.
Let 90 of me and shut that door, and
Pll tell you," wheezed Charlie. You
don't want to raise the neighborh!oCod
and bring the patrol wagon, go you?'
Some of the other members of the
family by this time had rescued the re
porter and shut the door, and while the