Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-17
MIR. PLUNKETT'S MISTAKE.
BY EBEN f. REXFORD.

1t has come to be a popular belief
among most people "of this day and age
of the world" to quote Deacon Snodgrass
of "our town." that all the mischief in
the neighborhood is set afioat by the
women Now don't believe this. / know
better I'm one of the stronger sex, but
/ don't like to see my brothers priding
themselves on superiority which they
don't possess. If anybody likes gossip
the men do, and have heard as much
scandal retailed among group of four
or five of them, of an evening, as any
dozen women could have disposed of in
the same length of time. And because
I've grown tired of hearing the blame
all laid to the women, where enough
really does belong, I'm going to tell you
about the mistake Mr.. Plunkett made,
and show you that men can get up dis
turbance if they only see fit to do SO.
And if you lived in "our town" you'd
find that they see fit to quite often.
"There goes John Marsh and his wife,"
said Mr.. Plunkett one Saturday morning.
"She's got her little girl with her. guess
she's going over to her mothers to stay
over Sunday"
Like enough answered Mrs. Plum
kett from the kitchen, where she was en-
gagged in the laudable business of scrub
bling the face of one of the young Plum
ketts.
That afternoon, when Mr.. Plunkett
was going down to the postoffice, he saw
man and woman in the garden back
of Mr.. Marsh's house. OF course he felt
it his duty to know who they were. Mrs.
Marsh was gone. 1t wasn't just the thing
for Mr.. Marsh to be quite so attentive to
other women, especially in his wife's alb
sence, as he seemed to be to this one !;
they pretended to be picking currants,
but Mr.. Plunkett hardly felt prepared to
state that pulling woman's sun bonnet
over her face and holding it together
while she was trying to get away was
the best method of pursuing that branch
of domestic business, and that was what
Mr.. Marsh was doing, for Mr. Plunkett
saw him, and what Mr.. Plunkett saw
must be So.
And that wasn't all Mr. Plunkett saw.
Just as he got directly opposite the
house Mr.. Marsh slipped his arm around
the woman's waist, and then-Mr. Plum
kett wouldn't have believed it if any
body had told him of it, but he had to
believe his own eyes-gave her a good,
rousing kiss, for which he got his ears
boxed; "but," said Mr.. Plunkett to his
worthy helpmeet that night, when he re-
lated the shocking story of Mr.. Marsh's
disgraceful conduct, "but she didn't act
as if she meant it,
No, of course not" said Mrs. Plum
kett, Indignantly. 1.-THE good-for-
ing creature! I'll warrant she'd catch
it if Mrs. Marsh were to hear about her
carrying on when she's out of sight.
Somebody ought to tell her of it,"
In less than a week there wasn't a
dozen persons in GRAVITY Corners who
hadn't heard about the scandalous affair
OF Mr.. Marsh making love to their hired
girl in his wifes absence.
II allus thought he wasn't jest what
he'd orter be-" said Mrs. Thompson, TAX
ing pinch of snuff by way of emphasis.
# do pity Miss Marsh. Poor innocent
critter! It'd nigh about kill her If she
was to find out about her husbands
actions"
"An' / never did like the looks o. that
Mary Ann Brown, neither" said Mrs.
Jones she's got an impident, sassy way
With her. But Miss Marsh needn't had
hired girl then. She might done her
own work, as you an do, Miss Tnomp-
SON."
That's what say" responded Mrs.
Thompson. She amt no better to
work. But then Miss Marsh, when she
was girl, always felt her importance
considerable, and she's gettin to be kind
o. stuck up, IN my opinion. She don't
associate with us common folks much. L
don't remember as she's been in the
house in six months"
wonder eff she'd leave him If she
were to find it outs" said Mrs. Jones.
wouldn't live with him another minnit,
l declare"
=" Nor ! nuther," responded Mrs.
Thompson. She'll probably go back to
her folks. / wonder what'd be done
with the baby? Shed keep it, most
likely, though he might set up to be con-
trary, an take it out o. her hands. It's
In them Marshes to be awful mean eff
they set about it."