The Midnight Murder Cry That Was Only a Baby

A good story is going the rounds among the residents of a certain part of Union Street. The female members of a household were awakened by blood-curdling yells of murder near the hour of midnight some days ago. With fear and trembling they aroused their neighbors, and the party, about six in number, crossed the street determined to learn the trouble, take the law into their own hands, and bring to a speedy end the cause of the alarm. When they reached the alley across the street they were reinforced by two men with clubs, who, having also heard the yells, were coming to the rescue. The party held a consultation and were thinking seriously of breaking into the house, but some of the number warned them to be careful, as he was a dangerous man. Presently the door opened and the man of the family appeared on the threshold.

“What’s going on here?” was asked.

“We want to know what’s going on in there,” was the reply of the spokesman, as he stepped to the front for the protection of the ladies.

“Yes, we want to know what all this noise and trouble means,” responded a second.

“Well, it’s only an increase in the family and no occasion for alarm.”

Nothing more was said, and the ladies returned quietly to their homes, and after entering “laughed till they thought they’d die.”