The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
A SHUT-OUT ON ADOORSTEP
MIR. MIGGS OF BRO0KL IN TESTS
MS HOUSES ShFEG YARDS.

"of course. you left tho house key in the trou-
sers you changed when you rushed for the traini
Did you ever 40 away without forgetting some
thlnR7 It's fortunate for you, sir, that you have
n wife who takes good care of you, ~particu-
1arly In this case, as you woulc never get In
TO the house without q key. for I have got to
60 over TO PHILADELPHIA TO see mother. and that
leaves Bridget in the house alone. You could
pull tho bell out by the roots and IL would nevor
disturb her after che once got to sleep. So l
have left your kew at the office for you, know
ing that you will probably come in on the
lats night train"
Thus wrote Mrs. Miggs of Brooklyn to hor
husband. who was in Chicago on business. The
letter reached him on Thursday. He reached
this city late Friday night. went to his office
and found the key in his mail box.
Good little woman" said Mr.. Miggs ap-
provingly. Always thinks Of things. Won
dor what In blazes her mother wanted to drag
her down to Philadelphia for? Think I'll eat
somewhere and go home. Maybe I won't be
glad TO hit my own pillow aRain!'
It was wei. after midnight when Mr.. MiGgs.
we'll fed and extremely sleepy. puffed up the
long steps TO his own front door. and set his
heavy grip down on tho top ster with n sigh
of relief to feel for his KEY. II was q bright
moonlight night, and the street. one of those
short thoroughfnres that cross from Fulton
street to Washington Park. was wrapped in
tho midnight quiet characteristic Of that rather
aristocratio noighoorhood. the only disturb
anoc to tho tranquility being the remarks of
two cats who were exchanging notes in the
bass register on the other uide Of the street.
when I get inside" said Mr.. Miggs TO the
cats. "Il end that serenade with an empty
beer bottle"
The cats said 80 something that sounded like
You're a liar-r-r-r-r." whereat Mr.. Miggs
grlnned and began making shots at the key
hole with the key. Presently he hit the mark.
turned tho key. pushed the door. moved for
ward. and then stopped short with q Jar. The
door stuck. Mr.. MiGgs tried again. Again the
door held. Then the dreadful truth broke In
upon his mind. It wss chained. Bridget In
fear of the desperate burglar. had for extra
safety fastened the two-inch chain secur Ely in
its groove and then retired In sweet security to
her room on the third floor. bacs, whore she
was at that moment. as n matter of fact. sleep
ing the untroubled sleep of the just. Mr..
Miggs sat down heavily upon the d oorstep. and
the things he said about Bridget were con-
trary to tho facts OF her personal history. as
we'll az TO the law against loud and p~rofane
swearing. When his first passionate outburst
was exhausted. he held counsel with his soul.
with the result of evolving this conclusion:
This Is sweet! Damn sweet! Shut out
from my own house! Exile on my own door
.tep with a fifty pound valise for comfort. Oh.
if l had that girl in reach for two seconds! I'll
have a try ut tho bell"
The Miggs bell is ono OF the features of the
neighborhood. 1t Is a deep-voiced. sonorous
gong. with an explosive bang when energetic
caly pulled. There was no lack of energy in
Mr.. Miggs's treatment of 1t. He pulled like
the anchor Of a tus-of-war team. The thunder
Gus echoes died away into silence wit ain. No
in punches OF three bangs rIs and in bnnc cSSes Of
six bangs and a whang, and finally in a sun-
strokes that made the street hum like n belfry
tower on Sunday morning.
a fire company" said the shut-out. and I'll
felonionsly enter my own h"us" on q ladder by
the second story window.
spiration TO tho alahaster forehead OF Mr..
Ing to Brldret's power. of slumbsr came back
to s2 n the m roos, and I ~ %oa aGSl4 ns Sql! s 5hs bell 6 on.
after she once got to sleep"
II wish the other end OF the wire was around
could disturb her or not"
Then he sat down 10 a further considera:
ton o. tho matter. but the more he considered
and vented his feelings in Language hich
cart. but u the fire which nuderlies all. His
profanity ronsed the aHmirinE attention OF The
ever laid awake at nigh: listening to two OF
more cats IN an arEnment; knows TINT a cnt
anything in the profanity line mnst be extra hot
and strong .i,os, to attract Its attention. The eats
poured forth his soul TO the paIe moon. Wien
he had anite done one of them crept a cross tho
street and scoffed at him.
"~Yerr.rr;r-r n-a.a a,aoutm,, IT 1eerea. pa
A.a-a-aout! Wa-a-a-a.aow!"
o oPSa%co %''H iH,:fftik,sN Ns'S III III shoot sss s son f Saf
oh; where IN thunder Is that oun!"
Shirts. collars; neckties. and underwear went
his bag for the pistol which he aiWsvs carried
on p his trip. to Chicago; and addressed crioIIne
AT last, he cried. But it wasn't. It was
tinu"d. The ristol didn't come to light. being
at that particular moment in the hin pocket
Of the trousers he was wearinG; but a pair of
o IThs:s G.y; So' r., he s., sr,a. xon rNG SS:, then. you
A shoe HURLED through The air. followed by
another. There was z howl Of rage and an
the street. with It: co m a sS close seeo "
4 .atisasd grin nvsrsprrad Mr.: Miggs's fea.
drink. This inspired MS him Win a new ID .' PR.
hapa BY opening the door to The widest stretched
Ne Now Sae sns e sn r@Sl Of f NJ. M IL s!9sw wais,od ms 4 t,, o%s
of the most beautiful things In nature or art.
hut S1on e does n"r1 mot . an.r,,r. # HIM vd for G nr, "
tsmpt CONVINCED hin Of the f%utilIty Of an
again. After he had run through the Anvil
Chorus with variations severa times a win;
and STAGE looked down. dlsaDorovingly upon
Mr., Miggs standing amidst the scattered mis-
cellany Of his wardrobe.
Go To bed. Won drunken IDIOT said the
owner of the face. what do YOU met n by m
dressing in the street and waking no the whole
neighborhood with your Internal clamor?
You ought TO be arrested"
"You don't say so." retorted the long. suf-
fering exile. well. I can lust about throw
this bottle, from here and break it on your
as YOU have I'd go. Damn quick. too."
The owner of the head took the hint and
chimed out Johnny. Get Your Gum and
"Ta-ra-ra-boom.de'ny" and a counle Of other
popular selections o. his bell, and then got
mad again and heGan to hurl himself wildly
against the door and kick 1t In a frenzied man
ner calculated to wreck injury upon his feet
The chain hold.
~ said when I nut that chain on ref ,cted
MT; Miggs IN a panss Tor breath. that II didn't
a pror het, am. but ! wish somebody else was
proving IT.
Have sou ever acted IN . childish manner
under tho impression that you were all alone.
and then suddenly become embarrassed by the
a Lon TINT uanaahalr aGna I'm LcLIaa 80. !. q