The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-05-04

rs we'll acquainted with Mr.. Badgery's favoritc
notions and habits as am with my own. II may
interest the reader i'll report that my taste in
carpets il not equal to Mr.. Badgerys; that my
IDEAS on the subject of servants wages are not so
generous as Mr. Badgery's and that ignorantly
pei sisted In placing n sofa in the position In
which Mr.. Badgcry in his time, considered To be
particularly fitted tor an armchair. could 60
nowhere, look nowhere, do nothing, say nothing,
all that day, without bringing the widowed incu.
bus in the Grape garments down upon me mmc-
dately. tried civil remonstrances, tride rude
speeches, tried sllky silence-nothinE had the
least effect upon her. The memory OF Mr.. Badg-
cry, was the shield Of proof with which sue ward.
ed of my fercest attacks. Not until the last art-
Gle of furniture had been moved in, / did lose
sight of her; and even then she had not left the
house. One Off six men in green baile aprons
routed her out OF the back garden area, where she
WAS telling my servants, with foods OF tears, of
Mr.. Badgery's virtuous strictness with his house
maid in the matter Of followers. My admirable
man in green baize corageously saw hei out, AMI
shut the garden gate after her, gave him half n
crown on the spot; and II anything happens to
him. am ready To make the future prosperity
OF his fatheress family my own peculiar care.
The next day was Sunday; and l attended
morning service ut my new parish church.
A popular preacher had been announced and
the building was crowded. | advanced a little
way up the nave. and looked to my right. and
| SAW uO TOOI. DeIOTc COulu lOoh w "y Nhs
felt hand LAID persuasiyely on my arm. turn
ed round and there was Mrs. Badgery. with
her pew door open, solemnly beckonng me IN.
The crowd had closed up behind me; the eyes OF
dozen members OF the congregation, at least.
were fixed on me- had no choice busto save
appearance, and accept the dreadful invitation.
There WAS vacant seat next to the door OF the
pew. tried to drop into II, but Mrs. Badgerly
stopped me. Ellis seat" che whispered, aud sign
ed TO me to place myself on the other side of her.
| 1t il unnecessary to say that had to climb over
a hassock, and that knocked down oil Mrs
Badgery's devotional books before succeeded IN
passing between her and the front Of the pew.
she cried unnterruptedy through the service,
composed herself when II was over, and began To
tell me what Mr. Badgcry's opinions had been on
points of abstract theology. Fortunately there
was great confusion and crowding at the door OF
the church, and escaped ut the hazard OF my life
by running round the back of the carriage. |
passel the intervals between the services alone In
| the fields, being deferred from going home By
fear that Mrs. Badgery might have got there be
| fore Inc.
Monday came. positively ordered my ser.
wants to let no lady In deep mourning pass inside
| the garden gate, without first consulting me.
After that, feeling toerably secure occupied my
self in arranging my books and prints.
I had not pursued this employment much more
than an hour, when one Of the servants burst eI.
citedly into the room, and informed me that n
lady in deep mourning had been taken faint just
outside my door. and had requested leave to
come in and sit down for few moments. l ran
down the garden-path to bolt the door. and ar
rived just in time to see 1t violently pushed open
By an officUus and sympathi!ing crowd They
drew away on either side when they saw me.
| There she was, leaning on the groocrs shoulder,
with the butchers boy in attendance, carrying
her camp stool Leaving my servants to do what
they liked with her, ran back aud locked my
self up IN my bedroom. When she evacuated the
premises, some hours atterward, received
message Of apology, informing me that this par
ticular Monday was the anniversary OF her we'd
ding day, and that she had been taken faint, in
conseq quence, at the sight Of her lost husbands
house.
Tuesday forenoon passed away happily, with
out any new invasion. After lunch, thought
| would go out and take n walk. My garden door
has sort Of u peep hoei II, covered with wire
grating. As I got close to this grating, thought
| saw something mysteriously dark on the outer
side it. bent my head down to look through
| and instantly fonnd myself face to face with the
Grape veil. "Swect, sweet spot ~ said the muifi
ell voice. speaking straight into my eyes through
the grating The usual grOans followed, and the
name Of Mrs. Badgcry WAS plainly pronounced
before could recover myself sufficiently to re.
treat to the house.
Wednesday Oh which nm writing this narra-
tive. II is not twelve O'Clock yet, and there Is
every probability that some new form OF sentl.
| mental persecution is in store for Inc before the
evening. Thus far these lines contain n perfectly
true statement of Mrs. Badgery's conduct toward
me since entered on the possession Of my house
and her shrine. What am | to do! that Is the
point wish to insist on-what am to do! How
am to get away from the memory Of Mr.. Bad
gerry, and the unappcasable grict Of his jisconso'
late widow! Any other species OF invasion 1t 10
possible 10 resist; but how is man, placed in'my
unhappy and unparalleled circumstances, to de-
fend hilnselfy can't keep dog ready to fly Mt
Mrs. Badgery. Ican't charge her at police
court with being oppressiyely fond OF tho house
in which her husband died. can't set man-traps
for woman, or prosecute a weeping widow as u
trcspasser and nuisance. | am helplessly in
volved in the unrelaxing folds of Mrs. Badgerys =
Grape veil. Surely there was no cIaggeration In
my language when said that wasa sufferer un-
der q perfectly new grievance Can anybody
advise met Has anybody had even the remotest
experience OF the peculiar form Of persecution
which am now enduringl II nobody has, IL
there any legal gentleman in The United Kingdom
who can answer the all important question be.
cause IL was uppermost in my mind. II il upper
most in my mind still, aud therefore beg leave
to conclude appropriately by asking II again,
| Is there any law in England which will protect
me from Mrs. Badgeryl
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