Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-06-28
DOMESTIC DIPLoMAoy.

~ ACS ICSOs
| DOMESTIC DIPLOMAGy.
iasw Jsnss Secured tine Respect oi
MRS. Jones.
vicksburg Herald
| Mrs. Jones was standing in her
back yard feeding the chickens, when
Stonewall Jackson come running in,
crying as though his heart would
break, and told her that Bill Brown
had slapped him for nothing. Mrs.
Jones never said q word, but she grit
her teeth hard, and went into the
house to cut cabbage, and chopped it
so fine, thinking it was Bill Browns
head, that you might have sifted it
through a cOb-web. While Jones sat
eating his dinner that evening, Mrs.
Jones told him of the outrage that
had been committed, and asked him
what he was going to do about it.
Jones pondcred. Bill Brown was
fully twenty-one years old, shining
light in the Fire Department, pitcher
in baseball club, and had the gen
eral reputation among experts of be-
ing "a good man. After consider
ing these things carefully, Jones came
to the conclusion that the best course
to pursue was ito treat Brown with
silent contempt" and SO he told his
wife, adding, by way oc' pareAthesis,
"My dear, such cattle are beneath,
our notice."
"All right, Mr.. JONES'" said Mrs.
Jones, 'if you're not man enough to
protect your. family, thank God ! I've
got BROTHER" and she swept from
the room with look that Jones knew
only too well. He had seen that same
look ON his wife's face once before,
when be brought, . friend LONE to
dinner on washing day, and he knew
it meant war. There was no help for
it; it flashed upon Jones With the
swiftness Of lightning: there would
| be no peace in the Jones family until
the insult of the morning had been
wiped out with blood.
| That night the boys were all sitting
in a neighboring beer saloon, and the
genial proprietor was telling them
what he would do if he got the NOM
nation for Alderman. This gentle
man, whom we will call Mike, be-
cause that was not his name, was an
excellent prize fighter, could barely
write his own name, and was, in many
other respects, especially qualified
for all Alderman. He kept good beer
and offered it with that lavish Iiber-
ality and recklessness Of expenditure
for which Vieksburg candidates are
famous. Jones came in, took his pro
rata of beer, and sat himself down to
mediate upon the Brown affair. At
last happy idea seemed to strike
him he called for another ..shoo-fly,"
and slapped his knees together in
gleeful anticipation.
At last he said to Mike, with a
careless air, mike, is Bill Brown one
of your supporters"
"YOu can just bet your munkev-
muck on that said Mike, "there's a
boy do stand solid with"
"Thats strange." said Jones.
"What's strange p said Mike. with
that uneasy, suspicious air so COM
mon among candidates.
"Oh nothing" said Jones. myster-
iously, II don't think l ought to tell. :"
"Iones," said Mike. solemnlv, elf
you're q friend of mine you'll tell.'
"Well. WILL said Jones. 'but You
must keep it confidential"
"All right; go ahead" said Mike.
anxiously.
"Weli.' said Jones, Il just came
from the Centennial bar-room. and
heard brown say that you didn't
know your head from u shotgun !:
that he caught YOU one day reading a
newspaper upside down: that he'd
sooner vote for the lowest down nig-
ger in the ward than vote for YOU,
and that if You were elected city
scrip would go down to cents on
the dollar. and taxes go up so high
you couldn't reach them with bal
LOOM"
Mike put Oh his hat and coat and
made bee line for the Centennial
bar-rOom.
Jones went home. and sat down on
the front gallery, smoking his cigar
with that peace of mind which only
one can kaOw whose bosom is dis
tended with the proud consciousness
of having done good action.
About half an hour attcfssard he
said TO his wife, who was sitting in
side: f
"Mrs. Jones, l don't think Bill
Brown will hit our boy any more"
"Why?"
Z 'sCome and see'
Mrs. Jones stepped to the window,
and looked out, They were bringing
Brown home on shutter. with both
Of his eyes bunged up and his nose
dripping blood at every pore.
Mrs. Jones turnedto her husband.
and said: fS afas
"Darling, can you forgive me z"
Jones drew himself up haughtily,
and replied, with withering sarcasm !;
"Mrs. Jones, don't think am able
to protect this family; yon'd better
send for your brother
| Mrs. Jones was crushed.