Year: 1879

It is perfectly true that am the cow ardliest coward that ever drew palpi- tating breath. wouldn't for the world have it known, and only tell it in the st1ictest sort of confidence, for where people are poorest, they are apt to be proudest. In my day-dreams am al- ways doing the most heroic actions, ard ask no favors of any; but let night come, and am the abject slave of the next person that can answer for companion. You can imagine, then, whether it was we'll with me or not when Reuben came in and proclaimed that he war obliged to run over to New York in half an hour from that time, and he might be detained several days, and so would take his hand- bag and he might leave for home next noon-he hoped he should.

 ssAnd what is to become of me P I cried.

 !" Youa" said Reuben. "Why, you'll go to the matinee, and you'll dine with cousin Teresa, and as you are always complaining of my waking you up too early in the morning. you'll go to sleep and get good nights rest.''

 " A good nights rest l" But there was no time for argument; the carriage was at the door, and time, tide, and the train wait for no man. Reuben kissed me, and was gone. And IT was very much provoked. Such an utter disre- gard of my welfare, such total indiffer- ence to my comfort, when he knew had never slept alone in my life, when he knew what night of terror it would be to me, when he knew what my horror of the dark was, and all my fear of thieves, of fire, of rats It was a mighty cool good-by kiss I gave him-I was sorry had given him any at all. I wished was at home with all the multitudlnous household there, the dogs, and cats, and birds, and servants, and burglar alarms. But it was useless wishing here was in this great boarding house, in the drawing-room on the first floor, using the back parlor for our bedroom, and with windows opening to the ground in front and rear, the rooms over ut empty. the bells ringing out in regions where at night there were none to at tend, and with nobody to hear me far ol near should I scream myself hoarse Well, it was not very cheerful outlook and what aggravated 1t all was that tho street itself was lonely one, and my bedroom windows opened on little are. connected with adark back alley haunted by 8 singular sort of beggars that cam' out only after dark, like the reaches ant beetles of the human race, and the gat of the area opening on the alley wa fastened by nothing but chip.

 Well, I went to the matinee, and be cause such things always come togethe coincidenly, the play was laid wit scenes shifting from costly villas t thieves quarters and I dined wit Cousin Teresa, who sent me home afte four hours recital of the burglariou Experiences of all her guests. You ca imagine that when entered my parlo1 and turnedup the gas in the front room was ready to see vile wretch in ever shadow.

 The first thing did was to look bt hind all the doors and under the plant I even lifted the lid of the piano, for never feel at all sure that burglar ma not have taken out the works and pl himself in their place. gave eve1 curtain 8 lift and shake, thrust Re1 ben's cane under the sofas and lounge and into the dark corners, and under u bed, which stood in partly curtaine above, and on which I had thrown n polonaise and skirts when I went out

 a hurry but was determined not

 be frightened by those things. Havi1 then explored the inside of the big war robe and the bureau drawers by u light from the front room-there was gas in that room, and either the hous maid or. the rats had borrowed my ca de and kept it-I felt as sure as adoul fu1 person could that there was nobo

 hiding in the rooms, and so locked {

 doorg et last let, nevertheless, ! fou