, 1871-12-28

A sERIO-cONIc SKETCH.

Elnathan Stiggers was raving. Elna-
than Stiggers was mad. Elnathan Stig-
gers was jealOus-ss jealous as man could
be. And thus it was:
Elnathan Stiggers was forty years Of
age, and until within year Of the time of
which we write he lived the life Of a
grasping bachelor; but al length he had
taken a wife. Whether he had loved
Maria Brown as true man ought, to love,
we cannot say but we can say that no
sooner had she become his wife than be
sought to guard her from the admiring
eyes of the rest Of the world. Maria was
young and good looking. As child she
had admired the Stiggers' mansion, and
as a woman shs had accepted the position
of its mistress. People said that Stiggers
had concluded it would be cheaper 10
maintain a wife than to hire hcusekaep-
er; that Stiggers had made mistake il
he anticipated that he was going to bend
Maria Brown to the-Foke of his penuious
purposes.
We have said that Stfggers was jealous.
He had discovered that yonng and dash>
ing-looking man had visited his house
during his absence-that he had been
there twice, at least-and that on both
occasions he had been closited with Mrs.
Stiggers. He had received this informa-
tion from cid lothian Judkins his man.of-
all work about his place TI3Fe
"Sartin sure, SIR declared lothian,
I" themanis been hers-twice within q week.
First time he ak d me, was my master to
hum; and when told him No, he put
straight for the house, and ax'6 for the
missus. She come to the door, and he
went in. Three days afterwards he come
agin. When he went away thia last time
was standin' close to the porch; and 1
heerd Missus tell him to be keerful, not
TO breathe word OF what hal happened ~
did. sir,sartin sure"
"Oh! the scoundrel Oh, the perfdi-
Gus wretch !"
Stiggers ground his heel into the sand aud
when he had sworn TO his hearts content
or, as much as he thought Jothan could
bear--he started for the house, and in the
hall he met Polly Piper. Polly was the
young maid-servant, and warmly attached
to her mistress. Stiggers took her BY the
arm, and dragged her into sthe drawing,
room. LEa Af- -
"Polly Piper, if you value your life,
tell me the truth p He stamped his foot.
and looked furious. osdinsEilX Folly
would have been frightened by such an
exhibition Of madness on the part ofa man;
but Elnathan Stiggers was hardly made
up for frightening any body, particularly
a quickSwitied woman.
There has been young man here to
see Mrs. Stiggers--a dashing mamie
has been here twice :"
Eyes, sir" answered Polly.
"Ah!-yOu acknowledge It What
did he come for s"sN ~re n,
"I cannot tell you, sir.', n
Don't you know :"
Polly looked up almost wickedly. r.
"Aha!-Oho !-you know, ehl And
what did he come here for p
Polly Piper looked resOlute, and yet
the wicked expression-an expression such
as only bright-eyed, saucy girl can wear
was upon her face. - 1855 q.
&" cannot tell you, sir" -
"No. sir"
Polly Piper, ifyou value your life,
tell me -
{" I cannot" '.1 '..- ~
"Why moi :" ...L .-.T
"My mistress made me promise.
made you promise not to tell why
that young william came here :" 60
Made me promise, sir, not to tell why
the beautiful young gentleman came here"
"Wrstch !-HyprOcrite Worn =
Leave my house You are no longer in
my employ! But stay. Did you bear
this creeping. sneaking, villainous abom-
inalion of a mau use terms of endearment
to Mrs. Stiggers r. ,-.- r....,.
g think he had reason, sir, to bless
her."
."Ha!-he did! Aud for what ,"
al cannot tell You, sir"
&" You promised Mrs. Stiggers not, eh -
Yes. sir" rrs -H.
"Outwith you, vixen! Pack up your
contemplate wardrobe, and leave Let
me never set eyes on your. detestahle
6endish face again -
Eluathan Stiggera went to the sideboard
in the diniug>room and swallowed tum-
bier full of brandy, and then sought bis