Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-10-21
THE THOUGHTFUL GUEST.

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N~~r~~NSrN~N~SN~~~~~N
Sometimes the best intentions are
but traps; sometimes the loftiest en-
deavor ends In disaster, says a con-
utbutor to Pearson's Weekly, and IL
illustrates his meaning by the case OF a
friend OF his-a writer, already be-
coming famous. He did not live in
London, but at the time was staying
with some friends in town. One night
they took him to the theater. At the
end Of the play he said he would run
over to club, to keep an appointment
with a friend Would they let him
have a latch-key, so that he might let
himself in and not disturb anybody
when he got back OF course they did.
At 2 o'clock in the morning he found
that 1t was 2 O'Clock, and he jumped
up In hurry, got into cab, and
drove home. AS he opened the door
with his latch-key his blood ran cold.
Some foolish servant had left the door
on the chain! 1t opened about eight
inches, and no more
There was not light IN the house.
There was not a soul in the street
with whom he could confer, not even
policeman. Would he, after all,
have to disturb the whole household?
No. He suddenly remembered that
wherever a mans head could pene-
trate, his body could follow. Science
said that.
The door was open about eight inch
eR He wore a seven and three-quar-
tiers hat He tried to see If the top
OF the hat would go in. 1t would.
SO, carefully maneuvering 1t round
the brim, he gently deposited it on the
mat inside. Then, still planning to
avoid noise, he took his money, his
keys and his watch from his pockets,
and placed them beside the hat. After
that he took of his boots. To maze
the thing thorough, he took off his
coat, and laid that also inside.
Smiling at the humor of the situa-
ton, he lay down on the top step and
Eormed his head in through the door.
he tried then to get an arm In, and
found that lying nat on his face and
raising himself on his right arm, his
left arm would enter. Holding the
position Of an overland swimmer, he
undertook to get his right arm in 1t
would not go in, try as he might.
Besides, the strained position Of his
left arm was unbeara BILE He raised
on his right, and withdrew It. He
would get cut altogether on the door
step, and get cool and think 1t over.
He was alarmed then to hear tho hall
clock strike 4, and he tried to look up
at 1t, to see If he had heard Alright.
From this time-just as the clock
struck 4-he lost all faith in all the
scientific knowledge he had ever Dos
sessed. His head would not come out
again-1t had grown! Either that or
the door had closed o link or two
How time went after that he did
not know. He only knew that his
head and body were bathed in perspi-
ration, and that the wind had changed
and was blowing from the north. The
knowledge that his trousers had work
ed well above his knees, and his ex-
tremitiss were stone-coid, told him
the way the wind was blowing; and
he began to think that perhaps It
would have looked more heroic had he
died with his boots on.
At $50 o'clock the policeman on
the beat, passing that way on his
first round, saw the dificulty, and
knowing that the average burglar
does not wear silk stockings, made in
quiries. Explanations came in q muf-
fed and exha listed voice. He sent the
milkman for a locksmith.
A big crowd bad collected, and, as
the man was freed, it raised a cheer
Observation-Disclosures the house
hold.