St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-07-20
A Comedy of Errors.

Misapprehension of the meaning of
kilograms has frequently led to cOmical
results, but there could scarcely be any
thing more comical than the following,
narrated in the Liverpool (England)
Mercury:
''A few days since a gentleman resi-
dent i'll the neighborhood of Everton
went on a visit to Newcastle, and, being
anxious to possess some mementO of his
trip, he purchased copy of Mr.. Jenk-
mss celebrated work, THE Devils
Chain On the evening before his re-
turn home he sent the following tele-
gram to his wife: Shall be home to-
morrow evening about nine o'clock.
Am bringing ''The Devils Chain" for
you.' Not knowing of the existence of
the book in question the good lady be-
gan to be somewhat terrified at the
threatened bondage implied in the mys-
terious telegram which she had receiv-
ed, and the bare possibility of being
manacled by some dreadful instrument
forged in the regions below drove her
almost to the brink of desperation. BY
what mental process she arrived at the
conclusion we do not know, but at last
she became convinced that her husband
was insane.
To prepare for any emergency which
might happen on the return of her
better half she enlisted the services OF
two grown-up brothers, who were to be
concealed in a cupboard, and whose
supper had scarcely concluded when
the well known knock of the husband
raised all in the house to the tip-toe OF
expectation. Screwing her courage to
the sticking point she FASTENED to the
door to meet her husband, but the re-
membrance that he was the bearer OF
'The DEVILS Chain for her was toe
much, and she tainted in his arms. On
recovering consciousness she naturally
inquired why he had sent her such 4
telegram, to which he replied: THE
telegram was nothing to be alarmed at
it contained nothing but the truth and
here am at the stated time This re-
mark, and his cool, self-possessed man
ner, still more astOnished her. But
where is "The Devils Chain ?"' she
asked. How impatient you are l have
it in my pocket was his reply. At the
utterance of these words she screamed
out: 'Oh, my pet has gone mad what
shall do what shall dOP and at the
same moment the brothers rushed from
their hiding place, and, seizing the sup.
posed maniac by the collar, threw hin
upon the couch, promising at the same
time that if he would remain quiet he
should not be hurt.
At first he was quite bewildered a
the strange treatment to which he was
subjected, but the light dawned upor
his mind, and he began to see that 'Tht
Devils Chain had OccasiOned all the
mischief. As soon as he could release
one of his hands he drew from his pock
ct small parcel which he threw upor
the table, exclaiming There is "Tht
Devils Chain," and l have brought i
to benefit both my wife and myself.
Although no sound like the clanking o
chains accompanied the deposit of thu
parcel upon the table, yet one of thu
courageous brothers was so terrified
that he ran out of the room. This CAV,
to the supposed maniac an Opportunit!
of tearing the cover off the packet, ant
when the true nature of its content
became known, the men heartily laugh
ed at their folly, and the affrightet
wife returned to the embraces of he
sensible husband, glad to discover tina
THE Devils Chain was nothing more
formidable than Jenkins's work on tenn
perance, which, in celebration of tn
terrors which were awakened in he
mind, and with hope of reclaimin.
some victims of strong drink, she in
tends circulating among her neighbors.