Year: 1861




Was there ever such coniound ]
thing known Couldn', il have happot
al aoy other time, only this afternoon J
have just one hour ana three quarters -
get through, and here are fifteen minnlas
gone already without any chance Of 1i-
tcring The matter.


Another rauIe, aud another shake, tnd
another exclamation from the same yoi@


All If one had only been born q layk-
smith nov, what privilege il would have
been No long poking and twisting Of
keys No being kept out Of ones own
castle. No shiyering III cold entries on ii
November day, when a cheerful Gre is
burning just The other side Of a bit Of pan.
Fl. wonder what the editor viii say 10
morrow morning when be comes dows
aud finds that the nice little column he
confded to my hands with so much GER
tainty, is not done|


One more rattle and another shake, and
then the voice Of female


Can | do anything TO help you, sir?


Ii was soft musical voice that asked
the question, but the entry was so dark Il
was impossible TO see what style Of person
It belonged to.


Nothing, miss, unless you can asspS'
me in getting into my own room, from
which am shut out by something wren
in the lock-.


There was silence for moment, as
though both were earnestly thinking hov
the matter was to be bettered then the
soft voice spoke again out Of the dim light
Of the passage-way


Suppose you try some other key, | WI
lend you mine for the purpose


He thought it would be a good idea, and
the soft voice pattered away with soft steps
down the entry. He Strengthened up and
watched the form as it receded until Il
passed where the light from the stairs fel
upon il and moment after be saw il open
door not far distant. Then be knew iii
a moment that the soft voice and step Le-
ongcd to one Of whom he had caught a
distant glimpse once or twice through that
open door or upon the passages, but whose
face he had never yet seen. Nothing bit
a pretty face could accompany such
voice or such form, and the time had GER
iainly arrived whcn hc should see Tbs es
providing The coniounded door would
come open and let a little light on the affair.


There was rot much time to think over
the matter, ior she came back with the key.


Rattle rattle. rattle shake shake =
shake


How provoking! more 50 now than be-
fore, for now, there was double object
No The key would not go in, and the
door would MOI open.


What was to be done 2


She did not know. Was he cod !"


Mo- conscientiously speaking he was
not cold, the exercise Of the last twenty or
thirty minutes had put him in state rath-
er the reverse of cold, but had he known
what was running through the head Of tic
owner Of the voice, it is much matter OF
doubt whether conscience would not have
been crowded out, and an admission made
that freezing was about to take place In.
stead OF which a truthful confession was
made, covering the exact state OF things,
and explaining why, just at that particular
moment, the affair was very unfortunate.
He was a journalist, attached to the Heck
II .Ji,tq1er and Fashionable Reporter. The
paper went to press early next morning,
ana tie editor, secure in reliable talent
Of his assistant, had gone home and left an
important article to be written by him that
afternoon, and handed in before dark. He
had bat an hour and half to do it in, and
here was almost half an hour gone already,
and he could not get into bis room. To
start now and find pens, ink and paper,
and a place 10 write in would be fatal to
the balance Of the time.


It's very bad she said, and then, as
though talking to herself she repeated !;
pens, ink and paper J


Yes, it's very bad J was his echo.


If you could write in my room" " was
said in a very low, hesiiating way.


Could be If there had been enough
light in the entry to see the expression
upon bis face, there would not have been
an inslants hesitation about the ability or
the willingness.


And use such pens, ink and paper, as
can give you Z said the voice again, in
a still more hesitating aud timid style.


They would be just the thing


And 80 these two went walking away
from the obstinate key.hole toward tie
shelter that had been offered to avert that
greatest Of all evils, disappointment Of
the public.


Out from tic dim light Of the entry they
went into a cheerful, well-lghled apart
meui not very large. but so cosy, 50 clean,
so nea, and home-like, that be stood an in-
slant at the door and gazed around il with
thrill Of pleasure, such as he had not
known since the days when lac left the
quiet New England home where his boy
time had been 50 happy with the good
mother who was now dead. II was only
an instant that his eyes wandered over the
little apartment, but that instant was an
age Of thought. He compared the neat,
pleasant room, 10 bis own cherries, liz
tered, mnssy apartment; ard visions with