The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-02-27
:. Births Wrs. Heck, OF "a son"
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

My name is Meek. I am, in fact,
Mr.. Meek. That son is mine and Mrs.
Meek's When | saw the announce
ruent in the Times, I dropped the pa
per- | had put it in, myself, and paid
Tor it, but it looked so noble that it
overpowered me,
AS soon as I could compose my feel
ings,I took tie paper up to Mrs. Meek's
bedside. "Maua Jane" said /, q al
lude to Mrs. Meek you are now a
public character" We read the re-
view of our child, several times, with
feelings of the strongest emotion; and
sent the boy who cleans the boots
and shoes, to the Office for fifteen cop
les. No reduction was made or ta>
king that quantity
It is scarcely necessary for rae to
say, that our child had been expected.
In fact, it had been expected, with
comparative confidence, for some
months. Mrs. Meek's mother, who res
side, with us-of course the name is
Bigby--had made every preparation
for its admission into our circle.
| hope and believe | am a quiet man.
viii 90 farther. 1 b5,o,c l am a quiet
man. My constitution is tremulous,
my voice was never loud, and, in point
of stature, | have been from infancy,
small. have the greatest respect for
Maria James Mama IN my opinion
she would storm j town, single hands
ed, with a hearth-broom, and carry
it. / have never known her to yield
any point whatever, to mortal man.
She is calculated o ,erufy the stout
est heart.
Still-but ! viii not anticipate.
The first intimatioH had, Of any
preparations being IN progress, on the
part of Maria James Mama, was one
afternoon, several months AGO, came
home earlier than usual from the office
and, proceeding into the dining room
found an obstruction behind the door
which prevented it from opening free
". 1t was an obstruction Of a soft ma
utro. On looking in I observed it t.,
be female.
The female III question stood in the
corner behind the door, consuming
Sherry wine From the nutty smell o
the beverage pervadin@ the apartment
have no doubt She was consuming
second glassiuI, She wore a blacl
bonnet OF large dimensions, aud wa
copious in figure. The expression o
her countenance was severe and dis
contcuted. The words to which she
gave utterance on seeing me, were
these Oh, git along with you, Sir
if You please; me and Mrs. Bigb,
don't want no male artjeS here"
That female was Mrs Prodgit
Immediately withdrew, of course
was rather hurt. but / made no re-
mark Whether i was that | SHOWED
lowness OF spirits after dinner,in con
sequence Of feeling that | seemed t.
intrude, | cannot say But, Mari;
James Mama said to me on her retiI
ing for the night, in Il low distinc
voice, and with a look Of reproacl
that completely subdued me, " George
Meek, Mrs. Prodgit is your wife.
nurse -
l bear no iIlwilI towards Mrs. Prod
git Is it likely that |, writing thii
with tears in my eyes, should be capa'
bic OF deliberate luminosity towards ;
female, 50 essential to the welfare Q
Maria Jane? / am willing to admi
that Fate may have been to blame
and not Mrs. Prodgjt; but it is undo.
niably true, that She latter temal
brought desolation and devastation in
to my lowly dwelling.
We were happy after her first APP
pearance we were somewhat exceed
ingly so. But whenever the parlo
door was opened, and Mrs. Prodgit!'
announced, laHd she was very Otter
announced,) misery ensued, | coulC
not bear Mrs. Prodgit's looks. tel
that | was fir from wanted. and hat
no business to exist in Mrs. Prodgit'.
presence. Between Maria James Ma
ma, and Mrs. Prodgit, there was {
dreadful, secret undersJandiug-a dark
mystery and conspiracy, pointing me
out as a being to be stunned. APP
pemed to have done something that
was evil. Whenever Mrs. Prodgit
called, after dinner, | retired 10 my
dressing-roOm-w the tempera
ture is very low, indeed In the wintery
time Of the year-aud sat looking at
my frosty breath a. It rose before me.
and at my rack OF boots; serviceable
article OF furniture, but never in nay
opinion, an eXhiIelating object. The
length of the councils that We're held