Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-02-12

say It's. I'm not in the way of hearin
snything Till every body else has picked
it clean. What is it nowP"
"0h, well. nothin' really worth men,
tioning. But, then, you may as well
know as me. It's nothin', though. that
care o.have go from me; you know
don't wish to be mixed up in this scrape.
mo, your name shant be mentioned.
But what is it, Mrs. Jenkins2 What Is
itp Do, pray, tell me sudden, for I'm
dyin' 20 know
"lIs no great affair, after all, though.
Still it's something. But this is all there
Is of it; Mr.. Jones has got TO abusin' his
wife most dreadlully; and he declares
that if she th inks o goin' out visitin',
he'll surely shut her up where she can't
get out soon"
"Of all things in the worldm
Yes, and more than that; he's even
gone and forbidden her going to evenin'
meetings What do you think of such 8
man as that ~
IL think he's a monster J"
"And so do !, but that aint quite all.
He jaws her all the time, abuses her,
threatens her, and keeps her in mortal
fear OF her life Only to think of ii !"
How did you hear about itl Won
der if folks generally know ii. How did
you hear about it. Id like TO know?"
well, I'd as lief tell you as not. Mrs.
Tau,og; but then you must promise not
tell anybody else about it,"
Lob, TO be sure not. Why should |
want 10 be gaddin' about the neighbor-
hood. tellin' hard stories about respecta-
bic folksP Who did tell You. though P"
Nobody told me, exactly; but hap
pen to know it come in the first place
from ,he.minister's."
You don't say SOL"
Mrs. jenkins nodded.in silence.
We'll, do declare now! Who'd ever
a thought Of such a.thlng of Mr. Jones
But I've seemed 10 take notice back
along. that his wife was q good deal
down hearted and sort o. melancholy
like. And that must be the reason that
explains it ALL"
Yes" said Mrs jenkins. that's IT,"
The latter lady did not stay very long
after uubosoming herself ol her heavy
secret. when Of posted Mrs. Tautog,
armed aud equipped Tor the brave busi-
ness she bad in hand The first house
she dropped into WAS Mrs Msllory's.
Mrs. Mallory" she said, almost as
soon as she was seated, have you heard
the news7'
why. no. answered the astouished
lady. What is il, pray ?"
And forthwith Mrs. Taulog narrated
all that Mrs. jenkins had been kind
enough to tell her and more-saying
nothing about the embellishments she
laid on in the course OF her story.
Mrs. Mallory was sstonshed. OF course.
aud q. soon as her visitor had Withdrawn,
she douned her bonnet and whips across
to Mrs. Dink's.
There the story was repeated with va
ria,ions and considerable additions
Then Mrs. Dinks took ii up. And then
Mrs. Murry got interested IN it, and Mrs
Filpot, and so on. ill every body had got
hold of 1t, and bad talked it up, and had
passed Judgment on the man who WAS
guilty OF such gross malpractice toward
his family. Ii it had stopped right there
perhaps it would have answered; but it
didn't. 1t spread like q circle in the
water, till in the end Mrs. Jones herself
heard of il; and heard, oi course. that
the author OF the story WAS the minister's
own self.
The next thing TO be done was for Mr.
Jones and his family 10 leave Mr.. Ca
per's church, and go somewhere else
The clergyman was greatly troubled
about il, and sent his wife over to see IL
she could discover The cause. Mrs. Jones
received her with sgreat deal OF coldness,
and seemed hardly civil. Unable to en-
dure il any longer, Mrs. Capers asked
the aggrieved lady frankly what the
trouble was. Mrs. Jones frankly told
her; that was well. Tor now the latter
knew exactly what the matter was. and
what it was necessary 10 do.
Going home and imparting the intelli-
gence 10 her husband, he manifested
quite as much astonishment as she. he
sat and thought it over awhile, in order
the better to collect himself before taking
single step, and then started of direct
for Mr. Jones himself. He told Mr..
Jones what be had Just heard, and de-
clared the whole an untruth from begin
ming to end. Mr.. Jones went on with
the minutest particulars connected with
the affair. and making the most OF the
case in his power against the minister.
Still the latter positively denied his guilt.
and declared his determination 10 ferret
out the author OF so base slapder, il it
was within human possibility. And he
hurried back and set about il.
For some weeks it was a mystery still /;
he could get no clew TO anything. 1t