Daily globe., 1879-02-09

in hand The first house she dropped
into was Mrs. Mallory's.
MRS Mallory" said she, almost as soon<
as she was seated, "have you heard the
news?"
"Why no." answered the astonished la
dy. What is it, prav?'
And forthwith Mrs. Tautog related all
that Mrs jenkins had been kind enough
to tell her, and good deal more, saying
nothing about the embellishments she
laid on in the course of her story.
Mrs. Mallory was astonihsed, of course;
and, as soon as her visitor had withdrawn,
she dons her bonnet and shawl and whips
across to Mrs. Drinks. There the story
was repeated with variations and consid-
cradle additions. Then Mrs. Brink took
1t up; and then Mrs. Murry got interested
in it, and then Mrs. Filpot, and so on, till
! every body had got hold of it and had
talked it up, and had passed judgement
upon the man who was guilty Of such
malpractice upon his family. If it had
stopped right there, perhaps it would
have answered; but it didn't. It spreads
like circle in the water till in the end,
Mrs. Jones heard of it. and heard of
course, that the author of the storys was
| the minister's own self.
The next thing to be done was for Mr..
Jones and his family to leave Mr.. Caper's
church and go somewhere else. The
clergyman was a good deal troubled
about 1t, and his wife went over to see if
she could discover the cause. Mrs. Jones
received her with a good deal of coldness
and seemed hardly civil Unable to en-
dure it any longer, Mrs. Capers asked
the aggrieveG lady, frankly, what the
trouble was. Mrs. Jones, as frankly.
told her; that was well, for now the lat
ter knew exactly what the matter was
and what it was necessary to do.
Going home and imparting the intelli.
gence to her husband, he manifested
quite as much astonishment as she. He
sat and thought it over little while. in
order the better to collect himself before
taking single step, and then started on
direct tor MIR. Jones himself. He told
Mr. Jones what he had heard. and declar-
ed the whole of it an untruth from be-
ginning to end MIR. Jones went On with
all the minutest particulars connected
| with the affair, and making the most of
the case In his power against the minis
ter. Still the latter positively denied
his guilt, and declared his determination
to ferret out the auther OF so base a SIAN
| der, If it was within human possibility.
And he hurried back home and set about
| it.
For some weeks it was mystery still;
| he could not get no clue to ANYTHING.
1t perplexed him beyond conception.
Finally bis wife came running down
stairs one DAY, her face flushed and excit-
ed, and said to him in unsteady breath:
s'Mr. Capers, have you noticed that
knot-hole in your study foor2"
sWhy, no." said he. "Where is it and
what of it?'
"Just come up stairs and see."
And up they went together. She
pointed to the tell-tale spot, land remarked
in whisper:
Il just caught Mrs. jenkins with her
ear to that very hole.''
That was the first step toward the un-
ravelment of the mystery. In few days-
more the whole of it began to come cut.
He had sent his wife round to make a
few innocent inquiries; and she had
brought back just such intelligence as he
expected and required; and, putting this
thing and that together, and recalling
certain ideas that up to that time had
passed out OF his mind altogether, he
! thought the matter was explained at last.
| SO he went over to Mr.. Jones' once
| more.
"Come," said he, eff you will consent
to 60 home with me for short time, I
think I can explain some things that
have hitherto stood in the way of our
friendship" Mr. Jones did not happen to
love malice well enough to refuse and
accordingly took walk with the minister
over to his residence. The latter at once
took him up into his study and shut the
door.
"In the first place. said he, 81 suppose
| you know that Mrs. Jenkins lives in the
LIZ
s'Yes."
''Well, and you observe that knot-hole9"
"Oh, certainly"
"And this Is my study"
"Yes.'
"And where my wife often takes the
liberty to come and sit with me-"
Mr. Jones said ne understood that
"Now, then," continued the clergyman,
| II am IN the habit Of frequently reading
aloud to her. And, once upon time, I
happened to be reading from this very
book picking up volume of 6ctlon
from the table,) and here is something
out of that very same book that I am
| going so read to you," and he went en-
to read to Mr.. Jones several paragraphs,
in which occurred the following;
"Mr. Jones got to abusing his family
at last. He declared his wife should not
go out visiting, and threatened to shut
her up if she dared dlsobey him AS for
going to these evening meetings, he de-
clared he meant to put stop to it; he
had had enough Of it. It did not do her
any sort ofgood, and made great deal
OF trouble and expense for him. He
should put sn end to it at any and every
| hazardo' Mr.. Jones burst out laughing.
''Is that all?'' said he, his face as red as
the setting sun.
THAT and the knot-hole," said Mr..
Capers, smiling good naturedly.
Mr.. Jones offered him his hand. From
tina. moment they were friends again. He
went back to church the next Sabbath as
he should have done. But Mrs. jenkins
has never heard the last of it.