Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-03-09
In the Wrong House
By GEORGE KING

/ tdI0R NOME lIOD1 UuHiIteS anu shb
down in my room for a brief rest be-
fore dressing for dinner and fell into
a doze. l opened my eyes upon IA
| young lady who lived next door look
| ing down upon me in wonderment
had often seen her going out of and
coming into her house and had adj
mred her. She had long known me
| by sight, and nothing but the absence
Of an introduction had kept us from
an acquaintance. But what was she
doing in my room? From me she
looked about her wildly and, having
evidently become convinced that she
had got into the wrong house, was
about to take to fight when, hearing
the front door open and shut, she
stopped short
What shall I do?' she cried.
| took in the situation at once. Her
house and mine were exactly alike.
She had come into mine thinking that
she was in her own. On me depended
the question as to whether or not she
should escape the consequences of be-
ing caught not only in n mans house,
but in his room. My mother had gone
out, and | had been told on my return
that she was expected home any min
ute. When | returned in the evening
she invariably came at once to my
room for brief chat. My mother was
an lmpulsye person. and knew that
if she had come in and found n young
lady in my room she would be a very
hard person TO manage.
Within bali a minute of the closing
of the front door my mother stood on
the threshold of my room, looking at
the young lady and me standing like
two guilty creatures before her The
girl east an appealing look at me.
'M-m-m- mother / stammered, "this
young lady has made terrible mis-
take"
II should say So snapped my
mother.
What use TO stick to the truth--at
any rate. for the moment? | must
find some way of lcsitimatizing the
girls presence in my room and con-
fess the truth later. when | could get
my mother alone and convince her that
there was no criminality in it.
Mother" said, "let me introduce
my wife"
Your wife,
Yes. mother. have kept this from
you, expecting soon TO put through
deal which would enable me to nc.
knowledge my dear Susie as my wife.
1t was absolutely necessary that she
should see me for a few minutes about
very important matter, and she ran
in for the purpose. Your coming upon
us thus suddenly has simply resulted
in your obtaining a knowledge Of our
relationship a trifie earlier than you
would have otherwise received it,
Mother. congratulate me-
| went TO her. put my arms about her,
and she suffered me TO kiss her.
"Do you mean to tell me- she said,
chat you are really married."
There was no escape for the moment.
Leaving mother, I went to the young
lady, put an arm about her and said,
"Yes. | am married to the dearest girl
on earth. one you will. be proud, when
you know her. TO call your daughter
"And you have married my son"
asked mother of the girl.
My supposed bride, doubtless TO es-
cape the gaze of one to whom she was
constrained to tell a lie. hid her face
on my breast but made no reply.
"Oh. Arthur" said my mother to
me in a panied voice, at was bad
enough to introduce this person into
your mothers house Without
Eyes" cried the poor girl.
My mother stood looking from orc Of
us TO the other without speaking.
Backing against my room and not
twenty feet from it was an apartment
house facing on another street. My
window and one directly facing mine
in this house were both open. and an
elderly woman was looking in upon this
episode with an expression of intense
interest. Ny mother caught sight OF
her. and whatever of discretion there
was in her came to the surface. She
gave me a hasty kiss, then went TO my
supposed bride and repeated the per-
Torrance.
Better go downstairs to the library
she said. And while we obeyed her
command she went to the window and
drew downsthe nhade.
"Oh, heavens" cried the girl when
we were alone. I've are undone. That
horrid woman in the other house saw
and heard the whole thing"
You're right" l replied.
"Now we We another to explain to-"
IAN explanation will do no good. l
could have explained to my mother, but
this other person hearing me acknowl-
edge you as my wife and you acknowl-
edge me as your husband makes a great
difference
What difference"
owe ire legallN married"