Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-05-17

eyes, this is Mr.. JONI" answered

Here's card they gave me: "Mr.
Owen Jones, No. 99.' Well, I've
brought your master from the Welsh
dinner. He've been enjoying of his
wine a goodish bit, l should say, and
L can't wake him up nohow.,'
''You don't mean to say he's taken
too much?"
"Well, miss, that depends. I don't
think myself, in a general way, a gen
tleman can take too much; the more
the merrier, I says. But he's pretty
far gone, anyhow"
The maid rushed in to her mistress,
who was sitting in the dining room.
''Oh, ma am here's master come
back in cab from the Welsh dinner,
and the cabman says he's fast. asleep,
and quite tosticated!"
''Nonesense, Mary!" said her mis-
tress, angrily, and advancing into the
hall ''thcre must be some mistake. -
''No mistake, me'em," said the
cabman, touching his hat respectful
ly; I've brought the gent from the
Welsh dinner, and here's his card"
Good heavens?" said Mrs. Jones,
recognizing her husbands card, ''it
is too true. o dear, however shall ]
survive this shocking disgrace? Mary,
go downstairs know | can rely on
you not say a word of this dreadful
misfortune to the other servants"
Mary retired accordingly, and Mrs.
Jones continued
Cabman, must ask you to as
sist Mr.. Jones up to his bedroom; it
is the front room on the first floor;
you will find the gas ready lighted. l
can give you no help; for l think it
would kill me to see him in such
condition."
Lor, don't take on so, ma
am, said the cabman, good-natured-
ly, lit amt nothing when you're use
to il. Why, some o. them nobs does
it every night. My old horse'll stand
as still as Il church, and I'll have tie
genelman up stairs in a jify."
Poor Mrs. Jones returned into the
dining-room, holding her handkerchief
to her eyes; and after moments
pause she was made aware. by Il sort
Of a sculIiing in the passage, accom-
panied by exclamations OF ''Wo-ho!"
Hold up" and other CALCULATIONS of
Il horsey nature. that the cabman was
assisting Mr.. Jones upstairs. After
an interval of about ten minutes,
which seemed an age, he reappeared
a. ct1bmndafinar fnstia edaor- and said in
I've got the gentleman into bed
quite comfortable, mum. He was a
little okard to undress, but / done him
at last proper; and he's sleeping like
n baby"
Mrs. Jones dismissed the man with
IL fee beyond his widest expectations,
and resumed her seat, feeling as if her
peace of mind was forever lost. She
felt that she could never have the
same respect for her husband again.
He, who had always been all that
was dignified and gentlemanly, a very
pattern husband, to come home help
lessly drunk from a tavcrn-dinner! 1t
was incredible; and yet the fact was
beyond question. Surely there must
be some mystery about the matter.
Could he be i'll? But no; he never
was in better health than when he
left her a few hours previously. and to
send for u doctor would only be to
publish his disgrace. Could his wine
have been drugged: But surely at a
public dinner, at first class place Of
entertainment, this was equally out of
the question. There seemed no alter
native but to suppose that carried
away by the excitement Of the occa-
sion. Mr.. Jones had fallen into one Of
those sudden frailties to which poor
human nature, even that of the
best, is subject. At first the weep
inc wife had felt az if the offence was
beyond all pardon; but gradually a
softer feeling came over her, and she
felt that, though the wrong could
never be forgotten, it might in time
be possible to forgive it. And then
she mentally rehearsed the painful
scene which would take place between
herself and her erring husband on his
return to consciousness and self re-
spect; and she had just arranged q
few little speeches to be spoken more
in sorrow than in anger, when sud-
denly q latch-key was heard in the
door, and i'll walked Mr.. Jones him
self, calm and unrufiied, without :
hair out of place, or a crease on hi'
SNOWY shirt front. Mrs. Jones gazet
at him a moment, scarcely believing
her own eyes.
"Owen and sober!' she eX
claimed then flung her arms aroun'
him, and went into a fit of decide
Mysteries.
'My darling wife, what on earth
the matter
20, Owen, ] am so thankful, sal
the little wife, as soon as her sol
would let her speak-'T am so thanl
: full But then who is the man i'll OIL
= bed!' H
'' The man in our bed!' said h'
husband whatever do Won mean? p