River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-23
A CONJUGAL COMPLICA-
TION.

The Rev. John Horeydrop. vicar of
Stanley Parva, was an excellent pa
son in every respect, and : model of
cOnjucai fidelity and devotion; but on
that account, possibly, Mrs. Honey
drop was most Unfortunately jealous of
her handsome and popular spouse.
For Mrs. II. was one of those uucOm-
Portable women who, being themselves
profoundly religious and altogether
without spot or stain, made up for her
perfection by holding the meanest
possible opinion of the rest Of mankind
in general and of husbands in particu-
lar. In fact, the difficulty which his
wife experienced in catching the Rev.
John tripping merely stimulated her
TO fresh exertioDs, for she attributed
his innocent behavior 10 artfuluess and
his geniality to profound hypocrisy,
which she determined to unmask at
the earliest convenient season. Not
that Mrs. HOneydrop was by nature a
spiteful woman or discontinued
wife; By no means; she was merely
jealous alike Of her husbands superior
attractions and of his unaSsailable
character, thinking that IN common
fairness she ought no to monoDolize
all the amiable qualities Of the house
hold. For she was q good ten years
older than her husband and not of 4
specially pleasing exterior or fascina-
ting manner. ami when every one spoke
well of him she iOnged in her heart for
some perilOuS secret which she could
use against hinl-nOt in public. for. to
do the good lady Justice. she would
never have said q word TO his discredit
openly, but in the privacy { : the family
circle, 80 that the heart OF the Rev.
John might be humbled, and he
be brought to confess himself after all
s-n erring and inferior mortal.
But Mrs HOneydrOO's opportunity
was long time IN coming. The Rev.
John was u universal favOrite. both with
his own and the softer sex; out when
he was asked out To dinner, as very
frequently happened. not even the keen
scrutiny of his partner could discern in
his demeanor the smallest token of in
ebriety. and. though ne wa upon eX-
cellent terms with the people, members
of his flock. Mrs. ii. had never succeed
ell IN discovering any indications that
this intercourse with them was other
than of the most platOnic and harmless
nature. Once only she had though
that he was unduly attracted by the
charms. physical and mental, of a GER
sa-r NJ Mavr- U,..rs-r,
aud lively Girl with a fair cOntraltO
voice; but Mary Brown had disappear
ed years ago under somewhat myster-
iOuS circumstances. and. though the
good peopleOf Stanley EParva shrugged
their shoulders and lifted their eye
brOws when her name was Mentioned,
none ever though of aScribing to the
vicar and hand in her absence from
among them. SO the worthy Mrs.
Honeydrop did her duty in her own
sanity and narrow minded fashion.
keeping her eye ever fixed upon her
husband movements, but At the same
time c0nceaIng from him as much as
lay in her power any doubts and fears
which so unreasOnably tormeuted her.
There were certain seasons of the
year when Mrs. HoneySdrOpS. jealousy
became Internationally active, and
these occurred when various societies
Of which her husband was prominent
and esteemed member held their peri
odical meetings at Exeter Hall and
elsewhere. and demanded his cOOpera-
ton in their discussions.
Usually Mr.. HoneydrOp went to Lon
don accompo MED by his wife, and put
up at the house Of 4 brother clergyman
VINO held cure of souls in the neigh
borhcod Of BriNton; but In the year of
grace 1856 it so happened that MIR.
HOneydrop's friend had been ordered
to Aigiers for his health, and cOnse-
quentlv the vicar of Stanley Parva was
forced to seek accommodation else
where. But a bachelor friend, hap
peGing to hear of this. offered Mr..
Honeydrop a bed at his chambers, and
after a prolonged argument with his
wife, IN y hose breast the rival passions
Of jealousy and economy were striving
for the mastery. the worthy clergyman
decided to accept it. Scarcely. how
ever. had Mrs. Honeydrop gwen her
consent TO this arrangement than she
bitterly repented of her weakness.
Her husband appeared to contemplate
ALiE LttAAAAD2 .EAltiA tlAAOI " an
in fact even with sort of chastened
Joy; and the good lady's suspicious
were reused TO fever-pitch by an incl
dent which unfortunately took place
within a very few days ofthe date fixed
for the Rev. Johns departure to Lon
Ion.
y most distressing thing has hap
pened. my dear. he remarked one
afternoon on returning to the vicarage
from his daily round. Jane Thatcher
has disappeared. and 1 fear she has
gone to London to join that scape-
+ grace. Tom Bolt
Jane Thatcher was the daughter of
+ a game-keeper aud a nice looking girl.
f in whom Mr.. HoneydrOp had always
/ taken a according 10 his wife,
an undue-interest and Tom Bolt. as
F the clergyman had intimated. was a
gOOd-fOr nothing sort of individual,
+ who had recently accepted the position
OF gentecl penciler to Il London book
T maker. Jane and he had kept COM
panv after a clandeStine fashion for
Z some time: but James father would
+ have none Of him, and Mr.. Bolt had
taken his leave of the village. as most
people hoped. forever.
The abandoned girl.' calculated
F Mrs Honeydrcp.
But her husband was man over
/ flowing with the milk of human kind
ness. and he replied;
Il am sorry for the poor thing, and
I I wish knew how 10 rescue her from
+ the fate which feel sure will overtake
her. Perhaps we may meet in Lon
don" he added. abstractedly.
joint" cried his wife, If you meet
+ the shameless creature. do YOU mean
TO say YOU would degrade yourself
/ bv bandyiDg words with her?'
Yes, my dear. l certainly should.
+ responded Mr. HOneydrOp. startled out
OF his usual equanimity; land there
are others whom | should be equally
pleased to arrest in their downward
course
Aud he abruptly left the room, for
he occasionly found his wife's austeri-
IL q little irving.
He Is thinking Of Mary Brown.
reflected Mrs HoueydrOp. who, though
she learned little neve forgot any
thing. - she thought over her hus-
band 5 unlucky remark her features
assumed an unpleasant expression, and
she poudered how she could best cir
cumveut the nefaTiUus designs which
she attributed 10 the innocent John.
4