The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-09-06
Eelert Misrellany.
The Wrong House.

Denis O'Mrara turned from the
perusal Of his notes as his friend
Patrick Hagan, burst into an ante.
room of the lecture hal! wherein Denis
was to deliver discourse. quarter
of an hour later on the Architecture
and Art of E .rly Christian Ireland.
"Look here, old fellow!'' Hagan
said, I'm awfully sorry. My wite's
mother was taken suddenly i'll and we
are obliged to 60 north tonight. Here
is the latch-key. Your room is first
floor on landing, and smack is left
ready in the dining groom. We had to
take the servant on account of the
youngster. The grandmother wishes
to see him. Number thirty-three,
Bedford square, you remember! I'll
be back tomorrow. Make yourself
comfortable. Hope the lecture goes
off all right. The cab is waiting"
Before Deais could make any reply,
his friend was out Of the room. 1t
was he who bad arranged that Denis
should lecture to the Irish men and
women of the big northern manufac-
turing town where Hagan was sub
editor of a daily paper. Previous to
Hagan's marriage and his settlement
in Maccleford, he and Denis had oc-
cupied the same rooms in London, and
shared each others good and i'll for
tune. Hagan in his migration north
ward had prospered, while Denis bad
begun to feel that he was never likely
to make much headway as journal
ist He was a singularly friendless
youth. His mother had died while he
was young, and his father had NOV ed
about from place to place, making a
precarious livlihood by his pen for
him self and his son till he, too, died.
Denis managed to please both him
self and his audience by his lecture.
1t was followed by supper; SO that,
by the time he reached the eminently
respectable square wherein his friends
abode was situated, most of the houses
were in darkness.
"The people here evide ntly go early
to bed" Denis said to himself as he
walked along, Let me see--yes, this
is thirty five"
The latch-key moved readily, and
the young man found himself in a
dark ball He struck a match and
saw door on each hand. He opened
one.
All, the dining -roou4!" he said, and
applied match to the gas, then
Invested himself of hat and overcoat,
and looked round him.
A cloth was spread on the center
table, and on it were laid loaf, some
butter and cheese, and pitcher of
milk.
"Hem!' Denis coughed, medita,ive-
~. Mrs. Hagan is evidently an
economical person."
He sat down, nibbed little cheese,
took glass of milk, and then lit
cigar and poked the fire to brig hter
biaz". The room was plainly furnish
ed, and in one corner was a safe OF
old-fa shioned make.
"Patrck, perhaps, keeps his manu-
scripts therein,' Denis said to him
self. ! wonder has he abandoned the
idea of writing the novel which was
to set he world on fire? What dreams
We dreamt in the old days!'
His cigar finished, Denis extin-
guished the gas; and asccLd,d the
stairs. His bedroom was by no means
Iuxuriously furnish ed, but D,nis was
not accust omed to more than ordinar-
lily comfortable quarters, and was not
above fifteen minutes in bed till he
was sound asleep. He was 'oused by
a sound in The room undcrn' All.
a ; he j .cnlated, when he be-
ca,I.. ,.l>cious OF where he WAS and
heard , unni-' akable sound Of feet