The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-07-30
A Midnight Encounter.
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" ERNAL CHOICE was n pretty and
Y commodious villa, and Dovecot-
tam a select and salubriouS suburb. To
the happiness of Mr.. and Mrs. Maurice
Green-lately made almost complete by
the arrival of the veriest cherub that
ever came down from Heaven-thcre
were but two draw backs. The first was
of Maurice's making. He had ride
ulous fad about gas fittings He be
heved them To be in a chronic state of
lcakiness. lie told his long-suffering
wife almost daily that more gas escaped
through unsupported cracks and defec-
tive joints than served to illuminate the
coy rooms of Nernal Choice.
Mrs. Maurice Green's bugbear was
burglars. Nothing could shake her con
viction that when n burglar took his
dark suburban way" his objective
would be by decree of fate, Nernal
Choice. Thus il came to pass. that,
nightly, while Maurice was turning off
the gas at the meter-he would on no
account allow anyone else to do il. as
gas is such a tickle thing"-his little
wife was on her knees in the bedroom,
not, as might he supposed. saying her
prayers-though she made the same
kneeling serve both purposes-but tim
idly peering under the lowered terra
cotta valances for the burglar that never
came.
Sometimes il would happen that the
gas popped out just as she Was in the
act of raising the curtain that might
reveal the tragedy of her life, and then,
with a little scream, she would seek the
matches-she never could put her hand
readily on the matches-and light the
delicately shaded candle on the dress
ing table, ere proceeding with her
search and her devotions- At such
times. when Maurice ascended from the
underground regions, where the gas
meter meted out its dole, to the com
pany of his wife above stairs, she would
rate him. right soundly for so gentle q
little body. for what she styled his ''ab-
surd fad" about turning the gas off.
What do a few extra feet of gas sig
nifty. when three precious lives might
some night be sacrificed for lack of a
ight?" she would exclaim. with as
much dramatic fervor as if she had been
before a row of footlights and a crowded
pit, instead of a blue-tinted corrugated
candle and a mildly scornful husband.
ing. he was always studiously allitera-
tive ir his choice of words. He never
failed to pooh pooh the burglar notion.
He said it was the merest moonshine,"
and that there were crowds of cost
Iier cribs to crack than Nernal Choice,
YOU bet"
Mrs. Green, as rule, deigned no an
sVver. She hated slang, and wondered
how man of Maurice's sense-eNcept
upon the meter quesIlon-could StOOp
to- its use. She generally refTained
from saying so. however. like the SenSi-
bile little woman she was. and, resigned
ly filling the baby's feeding bottle and
tucking the little cherub with sundry
croonings in its bedside cot retired for
the night, leaving Maurice to blow out
the corrugated candle.
1t was winter, and it was midnight.
Maurice had a cold, and so had the
baby. The little cherub.'' in fact. had
n ''touch of bronchitis.'' and his hard
breathing as he slumbered restlessly
in his little cot, plainly testified the fact
through the darkness.
Il wonder" murmured Mrs Green.
as she lay listening To the troubled
breathing of the child on the one hand
and the influenza snore of her husband
on the other-'I wonder if the little
pet is warm enough. I'm anxious about
his little chest. bless him, I'd take him
into my bed, only Maurice doesn't like
it. The little fellow kicks the clothes
off so! What could / do to prevent
him from taking cold afresh? Happy
| thought!-there's that little wooden
wrap in the spare bedroom. It's either
| in the middle drawer of the dressing,
table or in the wardrobe, know.
| Poor Maurice, he would Willingly
go and find ii for me. but / wouldn't
| disturb him tonight for the world
| I'm glad | succeeded in perSuading hin
to sleep in his dressing jacket. Thos,
nasty influenza colds need care. and
| I'm so apt t. uncover him in reaching
over to baby. I'll slip into the mex
room myself"
| Thus soliloquizing she quietly got ou
| of bed-for where baby came in feal
| flew out-pushed the turned back bed
clothes gently against her husband!
back so that he would not miss her
and proceeded To feel for the matches
The little receptacle at the bed hea,
WAS empty Not match, 'Oh. dear
dear, why viii Maurice insist upon turn
ing the gas off at the meter. especial,
when the baby is unwell?" she sighed
as she slipped into her dressing gown
which fortunately was hanging on tn
brass knob at the foot of the bed.
Slippers she could not find. Nil des
| perandum, She knew to a foot wher
the wrap was. or at least she though
she did, and she would know IL the mo
ment she laid a finger on IL. The lit
tie cherub in the cot coughed in chok
ing manner. Light or no light the wral
must be found. and. without furthe
delay. the little mother walked ginger
" into the next room
No one could fail to find the wardrobe
as it was the first article of furnitur
encountered on entering the room
When its door opened IL was possible {,
view ones self from the bedroom door
for ii consisted of a three-quarter lengtl
mirror in which Mrs. Green was won
to inspect the hang" of her latest cos
tune.
I'm almost sure it's in the dressin!
table drawer" unused Mrs. Green grow
ing accustomed to the darkness. and as
sisted by n suspicion of moonlight tina
shed a pale, uncertain light boil
through the skylight on the Iandin.