Daily globe., 1879-02-09
News Through a Knet-HOIe.

-7ensleys Magazine.
News Through a Knot-H01e.
Mrs. jenkins lived in the other part of
Rev. Mr.. Capers' house, and thought her
self fortunate in the enjoyment OF so great
a privilege. Most good people like to be
as near a minister as they can. Mrs. Jen-
klns did. Fer part was merely an L..
built on the NAN structure. Her little
attic: therefore, was neighbor to the min
ister's study. Just in the corner of the
minister's study floor was knot-hole,
trifing sort of thing in itself; but
when once found to open into Mrs. Jen-
kins' attic, Of the widest importance in its
consequences.
When Mrs. Jenkins finally became
aware Of SO close a connection with the
minister's family, she sat down to fold her
hands and congratulate herself. Next
she formed her resolution not to let anv
good opportunity slip unimproved to in
form herself OF matters that would other
wise remain dark to her. Day after day,
therefore, her ear and that knot-hole re-
newed their acquaintance with one an
other. Sometimes she picked up quite a
little bunch of news, and sometimes she
went off down stairs as hungry as ever.
There was as much variation from day to
day as there is in the price of stocks on
exchange.
Going up to the little attic one after
noon to hear if anything special was doing
ia the adjoining apartment, she was de-
lighted beyond expression to catch the
sound OF a voice. It was Mr.. Capers in
conversation with his wife. Up she
climbed, walked tiptoe across the garret
floor, got down on her knees, and put her
ear as close to the knot-hole as she could
getit She even shut her eyes, lest some
of the good things should escape by that
Wav.
For awhile she did not understand
anything clearly. Now she heard Mrs.
Capers laugh; then Mr.. Capers stopped a
a minute and laughed too. This served
to excite her the more, and she pressed
her head so close against the rough par
tition that when she came to go away SIZE
carried off splintersSin plenty in her ha1r.
Finally she heard something with dis
tinctness. .zMr. Capers was telling his wife,
who appeared to be in great glee, OF a
man who had been saying hard things to
his wife. Said he in the course Of his
remarks:
"Mr. Jones got to abusing his wife, at
last. He declared his wife should not 90
out visiting, and threatened to shut her up
if she dared disobey him. As for going
to those evening meetings, he declared
he meant to put a stop to it: he had
enough Of it. It did not do her any sort
OF good, and made great deal of trouble
and expense to him. He should put an
end to it at any and every hazard.''
Mrs. Jenkins started up in blank sur
prise. "Now I want to know" said she
to herself, "If our minister saws that of
Mr. Jones2;'
Without waiting to hear any more,
Mrs. Jenkins folded her arms tightly
bout her. and started down the stairs.
The next thing she did was to throw on
her things and start off at high speed
for her friends, Mrs. Tsutog.
s'Now I want to know" said the latter,
as Mrs. Jenkins came through the back
entrance, ''do tell if that's you? Sit down,
do. What's the word this afternoon?
Heard anything very new lately?"
''Ol, we'll, no-I do'no either; p'raps it
may be new to you, though"
"Why, what is it?' said she. "I dare
say it's. I'm not in the way of hearin'
anything till everybody else has picked
1t up all clean. What is it now?"
"Oh we'll, nothin' really worth men
tlonin. But then you may as we'll know
as me. It's nothin, though, that care
to have 60 from me; you know I don't
wish to be mixed up in this scrape.'
mo, your name shant be mentioned.
But what IS it, Mrs. Jenkinsy What is it?
Do pray tell me suddin', for I am dyin'
to know"
''It's no great affair after all, though.
Still it's something. But this is all there
is to il, Mr.. Jones has got to abusin' his
wife most dreadfully; and he declares
that it she thinks of goin' out visitin',
he'll surely shut her up where she can't
get out so soon."
"Of all the things in the worldp'
eyes, and more'n that; he's even gone
and forbid her goin' to evenin' meetings.
What do you think o. such a man as
that2"
II think he's monster!"
"And so do I. But that amt 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 it!'
"How did you hear about it, Iwonder
if folks generally know it. How did you
hear about it, I'd like to know?"
"Well, I'd as lief tell you as not, Mrs.
Tautog, but then you must promise not
to tell ANYBODY else about it."
"Oh, to be sure not. What should I
be gaddin' around the neighborhood for,
tellin' hard stories about respectable folks.
Who did tell you, thoughs'
"Nobody told me exactly, but I hap
pen to know it come, in the first place,
from the minister"
"You don't say sol"
Mrs. jenkins nodded in silence.
''Well, do declare now! Who'd ever
thought Of such thing of Mr.. Jones!
But I've seemed to take notice back along
that his wife was good deal down hearted
and sort o. melancholy like. And that
must be the reason, 1 know,-that ex-
plains it all"
"Yes," said Mrs. Jenkins, that's it."
The latter did not stay very long after
unbOsOming herself of her heavy secret