The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-09-09
COME HOME TO WRONG FLAT.
a.c.u.e Entrances Look alike New
Tenants Walk into NeiEheSrs
Parlor at ORe A NJ.

Wise is the man who. II fate DEGREES
that he shall dwell in a fat, takes pains
10 master all details by which his wi
domicile may be distinguished from
that OF his next door neighbor. For II
he fails to do 50 strange things may
trapspirr, as this story will demon
strate.
IL happened only a few nights ago,
md IN Woodlawn. which is a yeritable
wilderness of Hat buildings Of all sizes
and designs. one Of the old'fashioned
structures is particularly confusing. IL
has an infnity oflength, in which there
are six entrances, all much alike, each
giving ingress and egress to the ten
ants Of eight flats,
Two or three weeks ago u family took
ND its abode in the building, occupying
The ground floor fiat on the east side Of
The fourth entrance from the east end Of
the building. That sounds easy enough.
So far all well and good. But on the
night in question the family, consisting
OF a rather young father, a g~ood-looking
Young mother, and a little girl, went
10 the theater, leaving the fiat in charge
OF the brother Of the paterfamilias, a
Young man of some 81 years and gifted
with an appetite for slumber.
II was late when the family returned
nearly one o'clock, in fact. How it hap
pened no one knows, but they all missed
the count and turned in at the fifth en-
trance from the east end of the build
ing instead of the fourth. A ring at the
door bell at first brought no reply. They
were vexed, for they had no latchkey
with them. A few more rings, however,
brought an answer.
The door was opened an inch and a
sleepy male voice said: Who is it?"
why it's us, Of course" was the an
swer. what did you think it was.
burglars?"
And with this remark the man
pushed on through the door, followed
at once by his wife and little girl, into
the dimly lighted parlor. In the mid
die of the room stood a dazed looking
individual, with sleep-heavy lids and
frowzled hair, attired only in II rather
brief night garment.
Paying no further attention TO her
supposed brother-in-law, the woman
took of her hat and began making her
self otherwise quite at home.
At last the figure in the middle of the
room spoke. This is what it remarked
III you folks want anything here, or if
/ can do anything for you, please tell
me and III try and accommodate you"
As sure as fate, that voice was a
strange voice.
Why, isn't this number 5l1?" the
man asked.
mo, it's number SIS. II you please"
They stood not on the order Of their
going, but went at once. Not, however,
before the woman had picked up her hat
and sundry other articles Of wearing
apparel, and had grabbed u frightened
little girl by the arm.
The next evening an extremely em-
barrassed young man made a brief call
to apologize for a blunder he attributed
to Il lack OF acquaintance with the up
pearance Of the building at night The
apology was accepted in good part.
II is said that people In the same fiat
building never get acquainted with
each other. The young man who was
mistaken for a brother and a brother
in-law now is wondering whether that
call was the end or only the beginning
Of social relations between the two
families. As he is the older tenant. he
says the problem is one his wife must
decide Chicago Inter Ocean.