The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-11-12
A Blunder.
fOriginal.]

IOriginal.]
When left home for Miss Harmon's
school for girls my father lived in ILL
nois. When l was graduated he had
removed to Bankton, N. Y. He gave
me the street and number, but he was
a lawyer, and lawyers were in those
days proverbial for their wretched
handwriting. so found it difficult to
make out the address. AS near as I
could come to deciphering the name of
the street 1t was Lafayette. This was
not correct. 1t was ISABELLE street.
Leaving the station on my arrival,
took a cab and told the driver to take
me to SO Lafayette street. When saw
the house l was surprised that my
father could afford to live in it. had
left two story frame cottage in the
west to come to a four story stone
front house in the east.
l paid the coachman and, going up
the stoop, rang the bell. A maid came
to the door whom I had never seen,
and told her to tell mother that had
come from school. She asked me whom
she should say had come I told her
her daughter, of course and, going
into the drawing room, looked about
me at the handsome furniture, still
wondering how father had been able to
purchase it. The maid went upstairs
to make the announcement.
[ waited quite a long while for her
return. When she came down she told
me that no one was at home except my
mother, who had recently had a cata-
ract removed from one of her eyes and
was obliged to remain in dark room.
/ was surprised, for had not been in
formed of there being anything the
matter with her eye, and as the maid
stairs and through a room that had
been darkened so that one entering my
mothers room should not let in any
light. The chamber occupied by my
mother was so dark that could scarce
ly see my hand before my face. I
didn't know which way to turn till she
called me, and even then | went in the
wrong direction till she had done so
several times. Then I found her sit
ting in an easy chair and put my arms
around her neck.
why, child" she said, why did you
write us that you would come tomor-
row? Your brother would have met
you at the station"
l was startled. My mothers voice
had changed Could it be that her
trouble with her eye had broken her
faculties.
There's some mistake about that,
mother DEAR" I replied. II wrote that
was coming on Thursday. Thursday
and Friday by bad writer may be
made to look alike. Perhaps there's
where the error les
I was about to speak of her trouble
when I heard the door Of the ante
room open and shut. Then the door of
the room l was in opened, some one
hurried in, and mans voice said:
where are you, sis?'
'I'm here"
ELLEN told me you'd come. and come
a day ahead of time"
My brother Tom, ten years my
senior, never called me anything but
isis and "sissey," but there was some
thing wrong with his voice. I had no
time to wonder what had caused the
change when I felt myself clasped in
two strong arms and lips pressed
against mine.
whats become of your beard" I
asked.
Beard. l never had one. We've
been counting on your coming. Moth
er is shut up for the present. but she'll
come out all right The doctor says
she may have the light in one week
more. Awful glad to see you'll mean
to feel you, ha, ha! Can't see any
thing in here. Have to rely on the
touch" And he gave me another good
hug and several kisses. But come
out into the light. l want to see how
you've improved. You won't mind,
will you, mother?"
"Not if you don't keep her too long"
Putting his arm around my waist, he
led me out through the anteroom, and,
the threshold between the room and
the hall.
I say we stood there, and so we did.
We didn't get any farther, at least not
just then. Never were two people more
astonished, bewildered. We were en-
tire strangers to each other.
"Great Scottr' was his exclamation.
"Heavensr was mine.
He dropped his arm as if it had been
shot, and quickly drew away.
''How in the name off,
81 must have-got into-the wrong
At this point he regained his equa
nimity. IF you're not my sister, you're
certainly worthy to be any ones sister.
At any rate. I'm happy to make your
acquaintance, even by mistake, though