Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1902-03-14
HOW'RE WENT WRONG
BY JoHN u. RAFTERY.

obliged TO put in some hard hicks toward
the close Of each month. Making state
ments and balancing accounts meant late
hours and rushing work from the 18th &c
the last day. 1t was his habit TO get a mid
night supper downtown on such occasions.
going home very tired and very sleepy, TO be
admitted by Mrs. Wilkins and to tip-tos
away into the alcove room with as little
noise as possible.
On September / the WiIlinses moved from
their third-hoo fiat on Fifty-first street TO
fourth-hoor fiat on the Midway. A family
named Piper lived under them. There Were
three Misses Piper and their brother, a man
of mature years but eccentric habits, whom
Mrs. Wilkins suspected of being 8
sport" for no better reason than that he
never came home before midnight. Night
after night he had rung the Piper door bell
as late as one in the morning, and the Wi
kinses agreed that it looked bad"
On the night of September %, Mr.. vii
kins having journalized, posted, added
checked and carried down balances" til
his head ached and his eyes swan, went
home half asleep with half-formed deter
mination to sleep till noon the next day
which was Sunday. He was so tired that his
knees shook as he slowly mounted the
winding stairway leading to his fat. He
had no latchkey because his wife always per
sisted in boiling the door on the inside
when he was absent. II was past one
o'clock when he found the electric button
gave it a gentle push and heard the bell
rattle slightly. He listened dreamily to the
patter of bare feet within, heard the lock
click and saw the door slowly swing ajar
The rustic Of a garment in the dark, the
sound OF retreating footsteps and the jolt
..f ~. eIs..,A ~
his entrance that he remembered.
He "barked" his shins against sundry
pieces of furniture as he passed through the
parlor into his alcove, but managed to find
his bed without lighting the gas and guided
only by the dim moonlight that glowed
against the window shades. He CROPPED for
his pyjamas, but not finding them, and being
unwilling to rouse his wife, who slept in the
rear bedroom, he slipped YEARLY between
the sheets and slept the sleep Of the over
worked bookkeeper.
Meanwhile Mr.. Piper, the suspected
sport" who lived in the fat below Wilkins
came solemnly numbering up the stairway
Arrived at his door, he tried his latchkey
and found that he was locked out. Then he
tried again, swearing softly to himself, and
pressing his knee against the door. Finally
he rang the bell. The patter of bare feet
followed by waiting silence answered him.
''WellY' he growled, losing his patience.
who is it?" asked trembling voice.
who do you suppose. It's me-"
There was more shutting inside, and Mr.
Piper could hear subdued voices in consul
tation.
'sIf you don't go away wen call the pc.
lice" ventured the oldest sister.
"Oh, come off, Cynthia" growled her
hrCthor 0afffnu anorfar avarv Tnnrnauf Oct
me in. Don't you know it's me, Ebenezer.
Let me in"
How did you get out? ?" asked the puzzled
Cynthia.
"Why, l haven't been in. +"
why, l let you in myself half an hour
ago."
He lighted the gas in the hall as he heard
his sisters placing chair by the door, and
the next moment three pairs of eyes were
Sizing him up" through the transom.
Mr. Wilkins dreamed that his cash book
was a million dollars short by his own fig
ures. The first of the month had come and
gone and he couldn't find the mistake. His
boss was getting impatient. Strange, fur
overlooking men were lowering about the
office. Finally, as his head was bent over
a particularly long column OF figures,
strong hand seized him by the shoulder and
a coarse voice roared into his ear:
"Come along here, you're under arrest"
He stared blankly up into the face Of
red-headed policeman, and then it dawned
upon him that he was in bed. The room
was ablaze with light. Three female figures,
all strangers, lowered behind the portieres
glaring at him with scared curiosity. Be
hind the policeman stood Mr.. Piper.
Where am II" asked Wilkins as he stared
stupidity at his unknown surroundings.
You're in my bed, that's where you are,
growled Piper, lingering a big pistol, which
he held in menacing position.
Come along, an be quick about IT,"
grinned the policeman, lifting Wilkins up by
the arm. "Pll put you TO bed all right"
There was a scurrying OF whitehead fig
ures a. the poor bookkeeper stood up en-
deshabille, but second later he heard the
first note Of hope.
"Tt's the man who lives upstairs" he
heard o voice say. Then there was a litter
in the hallway. Mr.. Piper left the room,
and Wilkins, a great light breaking upon his
consciousness, began TO pull on his trousers.
"I1l 20 this way" he explained TO the
policeman. And with his shoes in one hand
and his other garments thrown across his
arm he hurried out into the hall The door
closed after him, and he stood facing the
bluecoat.
"I'll give you a new hat II you don't men
ton this" he began. I'm wilkins, George
Silas wilkins, snd-I live in the fat above"
wen see" burted the copper, leading
his victim up the final fight.
Mrs. wilkins answered the bell.
"open the door," commanded the police
man. When II was open and the scared wife
beheld her woebegone spouse, the officer
roughly demanded: Does he belong herez"
She glared at wilkins for moment in
mingled astopishment and disgust as she
answered:
Its the first time ever saw him in that
condition. Eyes, he belongs here, I'm sorry
to say"
The policeman went wbistling merrily
down the stairs, but wilkins is still drawing
diagrams for his wife.-Chiesgo Record.
Herald.