The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-01
A DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.
These Things Sometimes Happen In the
Best Regulated Families.

Best Regulated Families.
The rain was falling in torrents. 1t
was 10 80 p. NJ, and Mr.. McSwat was
making preparations for retiring. Hav-
ing seen that all the doors and windows
in the back part of the house were
properly fastened, he was about to start
up the stairway when it occurred to
him it might be we'll enough as n mat
ter of form to try the front door, which
it was the custom of the family to keep
locked at all hours.
He found the door unfastened.
He made al effort to lock it.
There seemed to be something wrong
with the lock. It wouldn't work.
wonder if it can be opened from
the outside" mutte1ed Mr. McSwat,
"as easily as it can from the inside"
He wore pair of white duck trousers
and embroidered slippers and was in bis
shirt sleeves, but without a moments
hesitation he stepped outside and pulled
the door shut with n slam
Then he tried the knob.
1t wouldn't turn MIR. McSwat's
curiosity was gratificd. The door did
not open as easily from tho outside as
it did from the inside. In fact, it did
not open at all
MIR. McSwat was locked out
And the rain, as already stated, was
falling i'll torrents.
1t splattered up from tho floor of the
porch and soiled his white duck trousers.
1t dribbled OH his head and shoulders
through some leak overhead A sudden
change i'll the wind drove it against
him with its full force, and it ran in
streams down his shivcring, thinly
clad form, filling his embroidered slip
pers and moving him to frantic action.
Ho pushed the button of the electric
bell and waited.
There was no response.
He pushed it again and again with
the same result.
"Great Scott" he calculated, his
teeth chattering and his feet making
dismal swish swash as he danced about
i'll his water soaked slippers "What a
fix for man to be i'll Lobclia!'
Again he raised his voice and shouted,
"Lobelia''
Mrs. McSwat, lulled to sleep by the
musical patter of tho rain on the roof
over her head-see poem on this subject
was safely beyond the reach of his
voice and drifting farther into tho land
of dreams every moment, but he con-
tinued to yell and the rain fell harder
and harder.
Dashing out into the storm he took
position from which he could SEQ the
window Of the room on the second floor
back occupied by Bridget, the faithful
kitchen girl. There appeared to be
light i'll the room, and he ran hurriedly
up tho steps of the house adjoining and
hang the bell.
After some delay the domestic per-
tanning to the establishment came to
the door and he explained tho case
"I'm Mr.. McSwat," he said, "and
I'm locked out of my own house. I'm
drowning and freezing to deathl For
tho love of heaven run up stairs, raise
the window opposite Bridget's room and
wake her up if you have to throw a
pitcher i'll through her window! Toll
her to como down and let me in!"
Then he dashed back to his own porch
and awaited, with all the calmncss that
could DO expected of freezing and
drowning man, the course of events.
i
II heard yez calm, Mr.. McSwat,"
said Bridget, with trembling voice, can
heard the dure bell ringin, but I
thought it was some drunken man an
l was Wondering all the timo why yez
didn't go an kick him down tho steps