The Clayton call. (Clayton, Del.) 188?-189?, 1897-07-06

1oor, for it consisted Of three quarter
length mirror in which Mrs. Green was
wont to inspect the chang" Of her lat
est costunle
"I'm almost sure it's i'll the dressing
table drawer" unused Mrs Green,
/ growing accustomed to the darkness
and assisted by suspicion of moonlight
that shed pale, uncertain light Both
through the skylight on the landing and
the window opposite the wardrobe. Act
ing upon this thought, she ignored the
wardrobe for the present, crossed the
room to the dressing table, and after
sundry clickings of little brass handles
and tentative pulls at wrong drawers at
last opened the right one, but failed to
feel the wrap.
1T must be In the wardrobe after
all, :" she thought, and accordingly clos
ed the drawer with some noise, tripped
across the dark room, opened the ward
robe door with some difficulty and bur
led herself in its spacious reoesses.
Maurice was a heavy sleeper, and
consequently apt to be a bit bemuddled
on first awaking-more especially in the
dark. On this particular night, after ap-
parently dreaming for full fortnight
of Excursions and aIarums," he awoke
with violent start. The room, to him,
was pitch dark. There was not even the
suspicion of moonlight ON this side Of
the house. Besides, the blinds were
down. He sat up, every nerve and sim
ew taut now. He was fully awake.
"By jingo," he breathed, and he felt
the cold sweat start to his brow, she
was right They've come" He put out
his hand to wake his wife. He felt her
form under the bullying bedclothes at
his side. He could hear the baby breath
ing huskily. There was only one other
person in that house unaccounted for.
That was the little servant maid. But
why should she be trying drawers in
the spare bedroom? No, they had como,
after all Mrs: Green was right. 1t twas
burglars.
Maurice withdrew his hand, which
rested on the hillock by his side, with
the thought: ''I'll not waken her, poor
soul. She'd be scared to death. I'll
know the worst first. - So thinking,
and with a sort of infatuation-which
was perhaps bravery-to get glimpse
of the marauder, he stole out of bed,
buttoned up his dressing jacket, took
the little bedside chair by the back, and
thus armed, his heart beating like a
muffled drum, stealthily turned the cor
ner between the two rooms.
A faint light came through the land
ing skylight. HeaYensl The villain
was at the other end of the room, right
opposite the door, What he was doing
he could not make out, for he looked
like man seen through mist. The
wretch Just then the draft along
the landing took Maurice shrewdly Oh
the bare legs. The influenza asserted it.
self. He fought against it desperately
for moment. 1t but augmented the
force Of the explosion. Like thunder
bolt he sneezed.
There was a muffied exclamation in
the room. Maurice rushed forward with
uplifted chair. The burglar, too, had
seized chair and was making at him
with equal fury. CrashI The house
seemed to have fallen. There was
fearful CHATTER of falling glass, pierre
ing shrek, the sound of body falling
On the floor, and all was still but for the
wall of the frightened babe in the room
he had left.
What had he done? He kneeled down,
careless Of broken glass, and his hand
rested On bare foot. Sick with appre
hension, he CROPPED elsewhere and en-
countered plated head and few curl
ing pins ga match, match, my king
dom for a matchp he would doubtless
have said had he not been SO terribly
upset.
Just then a rectangle of light ap-
peared and increased until, pale and
trembling. stood the little maid in the
doorway, farthing dip in her hand,
amazed to see the following tableau
vivant: A wardrobe door swinging
upon its hinges, with its long mirror
smashed to fragments; chair, with q
broken leg, lying close by; a Mortified
man in anightshirt and dressing jacket,
kneeling at the feet of PROSTATE wom-
an in dead faint, a blessing gown and
plaits, who was none other than the
Mortified mans wife.
Maurice Green never turns the gas off
at the meter now except when he takes
his wife and family away for the sum-
mer holiday. Mrs. Green still looks IN
der the bed for possible burglars before
retiring for the night, but Maurice has
never dared to chaff her since he mis-
took his own faint reflection in the
xxsor,lro,o ,,,ir,.,r co.. f7oc1,a,.af 70 hY.re1or