Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-09-23
A Story for Scandal Mongers.
DIGTowN CORNER. Sent. 1G,


a Story for Scandal Mongers.
DIGTowN CORNER, Sept. 1G.
Dear Editor:-Every community is a
miniature world representing the loves
and hates, hopes and fears, shame and
suffering Of the whole. Digtown is no
worse than the average of small towns,
still some Of its inhabitants might be q
good deal better and not run any risk of
being translated, especially those regular
dogS-in-thC-mangcr, who won't enjoy life
themselves nor let their ncighbors. The
following story will show that sometimes
| these uncomfortable people get come up
with so completely that they are glad to
hide their diminished heads for shame.
Or course we have Reform Club.
Every place not hopeessly lost IL the
mirc Of conservatism, has one. The
evening it was organized, Tom Jones, q
jolly good fellow and general favorite,
was elected President, but he upset the
hopes Of his friends by promptly declin-
ing. "He wasn't going to set himself
up to be laughed at" Then a small ma
!iority run in Jim Blank, whereupon the
minority seeded in disgust. "They
wouldn't train under no such captain. ,,
But jim proved such faithful and zeal
Gus officer, that most Of the dissatisfied
party shifted sides. A few held out, how
ever, and made up in venom what they
lacked in numbers. They declared the
club should be broken up, and they near
ly worked themselves to death trying to-
find something against the President
But you can carry water in sieve if you
only wait long enough, and at last their
hearts were gladdened in most uncx-
pGcted manner.
One afternoon, Mrs Flyaway told her
friend, Mrs. Gadabout, as a great piece
Of news, that she "saW woman up to
jim Blanks"
Now Jim was bachelor, or pretended
to be, and lived alone in 4 li5uc tumble
down cottage on the outskirts of the viii
lagc.
"Do you suppose it was his wife or
mother or sister," inquired Mrs. Cad
about, with dilating eyes.
81 dent know, I'm sure, but she must
have gone there real sly or l should have
seen her"
Mrs FlyaWay generally kept one eye
doing guard duty over her neighbors, and
she was grief stricken that anything so
palpable as live woman had slipped by
without being challenged
"Ill find out before tomorrow night,
you see if | DON'T" was her parting
proclamation.
At the supper table, Mrs. Gadabout OBJ
served to her husband that at seemed
Jim Blank was married, after all, aud it
didn't look very well il him to pretend he
wasn't"
Then that worthy man just mentioned
it to half dozen select friends, adding
that che was probably too mean to dress
M tSNSilb3 H' Nt Jg IItI SllIG UI) III nome.
Before week the Reform Club was all
by the cars half the members declared
they would have their names removed
from the pledge, unless the President was
removed from Office. Reports grew in
number and intensity. Dick Jones was
passing after dark and heard jim call
Sternly, Minnie, come here to me this
minute!"
"MuSt be awful ugly to her." was
Dicks comment when he repeated it.
The milkboy, when quizzed on the sub
ject, said he ''never see no woman, but
he'd heard old Blank call somebody
pretty pet and little sweetheart and ask
her to kiss him."
"HoW very ailectlonatc all at once,
sneered Miss Walker But the culminat
ing horror was reserved for Mrs. Curious
to report at the sewing circle.
81 was Walking out one evening with Il
friend-Sad evening was colder than
Greenland and darker than pocket-and
when right opposite Mr.. Blanks, we
heard him yell, you miserable Jade. I'll
break every bone in your body there
was rush across the fiocr and the sound
of blows, mingled with fierce impreca-
tons. We couldn't keep quiet and hear
a helpless woman abused Ike that, so we
run up and raped on the door, go in
to the bedroom, and stay there, we heard
him say, and it sounded as though he took
her right up and threw her in We were
afraid to stay till he came to the door.
and run away"
As she finished, gro0n of Indignation
rose from the men, and q sob of pity
from the women.
"The cowardly wretch" exclaimed
Judge Smart, raging round the room like
II Gagged hyena, "Ill prosecute him the
first thing l do"
At this point, when overy ones "heart
was hot within him." some one suggest
cd that 1t would be about the fair thing, T
to sec tho accused and give him chance
TO defend himself No sooner said than
done Jim sat calmly smoking on his