The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-02-21
MY LAUNDRESS' REVENGE.

"And TO think that was once within NJ
ace of marrying that womani'
What, you, Jack; you within an ace o
marrying Mrs. Bostockr
ats n fact, my dear fellow, l assure you
the lady in question had very narrow es
cape indeed Of being made Mrs. John Sach
everel."
The speakers were two well-dressed mid
dle-aged men, who were leaning over tn,
Park ratings watching the endless stream o
carriages in the height of the season" AnC
the object of their comments was large
horid, coarse.looking woman, seated in q
victoria, with little. pompous, rotund
shiny-fsced man beside her. who was evil
IDENTIFY her "lord and master" in the conven.
tional sense of those words, though none
knew better than Mr.. Bostock himself how
different the conventional fiction was from
the actual fact.
After each had INDUCED in long stare at
Mrs. Bostock the second speaker turned to
his companion and said:
"Well, / must congratulate you, Jack, at
any rate, upon your escape. But tell me,
how was it? l never heard of that cpl
sodei your career. and yet l thought /
knew most of your antecedents.'
''Let Us stroll on, then. till we find seat,
and I'll tell you."
Having, after much difficulty, discovered
secluded resting place. Mr.. John Sach-
everel proceeded to unfold his tale to the
listening ears of his bosom friend, Charley
Suckthorpe.
IL need hardly tell you, Charley he be-
gan, that there was time when [ was des-
perately hard up-sbout as hard up, by Jove,
as ever fellow was in London. l had de-
cent rooms, however, and managed to keep
up the outward appearance of swell.
dressed well. though had seldom shilling
In my pocket, and on the strength of my
name and family connections mixed good
deal in society, and cut, on the whole very
presentable figure there. But things went
from bad To worse, and my prospects were
about as black as they could be; when luck
threw Mary Campbell in my way. She was
about fve-and twenty, an orphan, with &c.,
600 entirely at her own disposal. Moreover,
she was rather stylish looking, and though
decidedly vulgar even then, she gave no
promise Of the forid coarseness into which
she has since developed 1 took careful
stock of her, and decided that with 100000
to gid the matrimonial pill could swallow
It, Having come to this decision, 1 lost no
time in laying siege TO the fortress. 1 was u
good-looking fellow then, Charley-we were
both good-looking fellows at 80, old man,
and We both flatter ourselves that we are
still, eh, don't WEI"
Speak for yourself jack I'm not vain,"
said Charley, stroking his well-cultured mus
tache.
"Well, as l was saying, I was a good
looking fellow then. though l say it who
shouldn't, and 1 soon found that had made
an impression upon Mary Campbell. Then
/ began to make desperate love to her, and
things went on swimmingly toward the in
evitable proposal, when an event happened
which at one fell blow blighted all my
hopes.
Il was at the nadir of my fortunes I pos
itively didn't know where to go for half q
crown. i had pawned everything that my
accommodating uncle would consent to adj
vance money upon. Ny scanty wardrobe /
chung to, and i could therefore still venture
to show myselfin the West End and still dine
out or go to hop without feeling ashamed of
myself. But in the matter of linen l was
terribly reduced. In fact, had only one
shirt that | dared to wear in evening dress.
In despair / went to a shirtmaker with whom
i had previous dealings. l confided to this
worthy tradesman enough to supply me with
a dozen new shirts. The dav after / had
solved the shirt problem, | received an invi-
tation to dine with the Pilkington's in Chester
square, where Mary Campbell was then stay
ing. / saw at once that an opportunity might
thus be offered me of bringing matters to a
crisis, and it was Of vital importance to lose
no time
at was on Tuesday that I received the
invitation to dine with the Pilkingtons, and
the evening fixed was Thursday | hurried
to my hosier; he said he would do his best to
let me have a couple of shirts by Thursday
but could not definitely promise. Thursday
came and brought no shirts. 1 had been
wearing the only decent shirt / had left
There was but one thing to be done; L must
send that shirt at once To the laundress, have
it washed and ironed, and wear it that even
ing. The shirt was sent early in the morn.
ing with strict injunctons that it was to bt
returned ironed and starched by 7 o'clock in
the evening" sharp. A message was brought
back to the effect that the shirt would b.
ready for me by the time named.
AT a quarter to l had completed my
toilet up to the point at which the shirt comes
in, and sat shivering in my dressing gown
waiting for that indispensable article
Punctually to the minute of there was
knock, and my laundress was shown in. Sh,
carried in her hand the precious shirt 1 ad
vanced smiling to take it from her.
40, thank you, Mrs. Mageep exclaimed
in my most gracious tones Il am mucl
obliged to you; it is exceedingly good of yo'
to be 80 punctual.'
"But Mrs. Magee met my elusive excla
nations of gratitude with no correspondent,
cordiality. On the contrary, her hard, freck
eled face-she was big, raw-boned, red
headed Irish woman-wore an expression tn
of 10 Ubi Il M a
all like. L saw that there was a storm gath
ering on her knitted brow. 1 was not lon
kept in suspense. The storm soon burs
Keeping the shirt well behind her with he
right hand, whilst her left was lifted with
threatening gesture at me, she suddenl
broke cut with a torrent of words at the higf
est pitch of her voice:
Ono, Mr.. Muster Satchival'ts such was he
hideous abbreviation of my distinguish
patronymic); mo. SURF, Se shall not hev W
shurt till I've had me money. I'm a poo
wilder women, but I'm not to be impose
upon. Ye ought to be ashamed of yesrelf I
kape poor woman 80 long out of her none
You've owed me three shillin this six weel
and more, and divil a bit of yer shurt wi
We get unless We hands me over 18 pent
this night
when she paused for moment in b,
volubility | struck in with:
".But, my good Mrs. Magee, can NJ
give you 18 pence tonight. declare to yC
solemnly that have not shilling in N
possession
a.Ah, git away wild ye" exclaimed Il
irate Irish woman. Dye think don't kno
better than that? It's tryin' to chate a po
widder out of her honest dues ye are, mo