AN OLD MAN'S MELANCHOLY.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3221, 16 June 1879, Page 2

AN OLD MAN'S MELANCHOLY.

We wero impressed not long since with a brief experience of afgoo^ $1^ man who }W*4[ slightly; ifitdxicated > for* night •dd\f,-h* iidkwAJ t»y. himself. _7;• I we^it home angry and ashamed,"; h«.»9id,n;ind, half gone with horror in anticipation of what my wife Sarah would say about it, ; l took off my shoes and hung them on the gate-post in the excess of my *«kution find timidity. I.got into .the house with marvellous dexterity, and into the bedroom without making the slightest noise. Sarah always slept in front. The footboard was-; unusually high, find I was never much of a gymnast, but my success thus far bad impressed me so, much that I felt equal to almost anything" His, sadness was such that his, hearers were sad, too, and one young persdn was to much agitated at his long paUM and "deep sighs that he burst, forth— u t l see how it.is; you probably fell and broke your neck/ "No, my-'young friend;" replied the.old man, "it wasn't that. I climbed that foot-board slowly, painfully, and with the utmost caution 'i You/have heard, JJfJfharis, hb#' }exc'essivol|r large *rtd thi*f,jieniiig every noise is in the stillness of a dark nig^iplliicitflW ifhiiti BxufaT> trying to keep still yournelf, and oecaßionaJ^y >slrainingi yduri'lears': in 1 :) fear .holt s|me 'fiouud that is, i nevertheless, expeet|d and pretty sure to comq^ ; TJbate|wp what ailed me. Myrhearj; beat#*e|a drum, ancl the 'clock; % thtf v rcom ticked tfs^f itiwduld have liled to arouse the whole neighibourhdod. I got safely dpwii, and into -that"bed under the clothes. 11 lauehed-foinyself till the bed shook. Mj fear haft given] place io ;an;junnatural hilarity. I grinned . and chuckled, and rwas^ exceediagly .absurd.. ;I. can |]W r think of that time without shuddering arid wishing that somebody would hand me- ft »ponge..to .wipe it out. • It struck me suddenly that Sarah was uanatural'y still;-1 .put my hand over toher side of.;the bed,v»nd,mercitpl heavens!" Was she dead P" 'inquired the young persoc, his jaw falling and bju eyes standing out with intense-anxiety. "No, young feller," replied the good old map, "she was not there., .She,uad.gone to a neighbour's to pass the E'gh., «p», insufforable idiot that i wpi,]l)had forgotten all abqut it/Vr^ekow6^ ! in bis trembling hands, and the tears ran his; fingers and;,down Ins lobg greybeard. ;|' l|! I,]