Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-08-05
CHAPTER V.

Mr.. Hableton was a lady with q griev.
ance, as anybody who happened to be-
come acquainted with her soon found out.
It is Beaconsfeld who says, in n of his
novels, that no one is q interesting 'as
when he ia talking about himself; and,
Judging Mrs. Hableton by this statement,
she was an extremely fascinating individ-
ua, as she never by any chance talked
npon any other subject. What was the
threat of q Russian invasion to her as
long as she had her special grievance
once let that be removed, and she would
have time to attend to these minor
details which affected the colony.
The grievance Mrs. Hsbleton com.
planned of was want of money, NOT
an uncommon one by any means, bat on
being reminded of this, Mrs. Habletou
would reply s~nsppishly, that she "know'd
that, but some people weren't like Other
people" the meaning Of which mystical
remark was simply this: She had comeout
to the colonies in the early days, when
there was not 80 much difficulty in making
money as now, but owing to a bad hus'
band, had failed to make any. The late
MI. Habletou-for be had long since de-
parted this life-was addicted to the In
temperate use of the flowing bowl, and al
the time when he should have been earn
ing money, was generally to be found in 9
drinking shanty, spending his wife't
earnings in standing treat for himself and
his friends. The constant drinking, and
the hot Victorian climate, soon carried
him of, and when Mrs. Hableton had seer
him safely under the ground in the Mel
bourne Cemetery, she returned home to
survey her position, and see how it could
be bettered. She gathered together n lit
tie money from the wreck of her fortune,
and, land being cheap, purchased a small
section of st. Kilda, and built q house
on it. She supported herself by
going ont choring, taking in sewing,
and acting as q sick nurse. So,
among this multiplicity If occupations,
she managed to do Iairly we'll, and even
put a little money in the bank. But she
was very bitter against the world for the
treatment she had received, and often
spoke of it. ~ ought to ave bin in my
kerridge, and e in the 'Ouse," she would
say bitterly, eff e admit bin such abrute,
but you can't make q man out of q beast,
whatever them Darwin folks say"
And, indeed, it wa a hard case, for jusi
at the time when che should have been
resting, and reaBing the reward of her ear
IL industry, she had to toll for her daily
bread, and all through no fault of hel
own. Depend upon it, that if Adam was
angry at Eve for having eaten the apple
and got them driven out OF the pleasant
garden, his descendants have amply re-
yenged themselves on Ewes daughters fol
her sin. Mrs. Hableton is only the type OF
many women who, hardworking and
thrifty themselves, are married to men
who are a curse both to their wives and
families. Little wonder it was that Mrs.
Hableton should have condensed all her
knowledge of the masculine gender
in the one bitter aphorism, Men
is brutes.". This she firmly believed in,
and who can say she had not good grounds
for saying 30? ''They is brutes," said
Mrs. Hsmbletop, "they marries a woman
and makes her a beast of burden while
they sits at 'ome swillin' beer and calling
themselves the lords of creation"
Postum Villa was m u~npretentiout
looking place with n bow window and
narrow verandah in front. 1t was sur
rounded with a small garden and a few
sparse flowers in it which were Mrs. Ham'
bletor's delight. When not otherwise en-
gagged che tied an old handkerchief round
her head and went out in the garden
where she dug and watered her flower.
until they all gave up attempting to grow
from sheer desperation at not being left
alone. She was engaged in her favoritt
occupation about q week after her lodeeI
had disappeared, and was wondering
where he had gone.
Lynn drunk in n public house, I'll b,
bound" she said, viciously pulling up
weed with an angry tug, "a-spendin' Vi
rent and a.spil;n' 'is inside with beer-ah
men is brutes, drat 'em!m
Just as she said this, q shadow fell acres
the garden, and on looking mp, she saw
a man leaning over the fence looking o
her.
"Git out" she said, sharply, rising from
her knees and shaking her towel at TIT
intruder. 81 don't want no apples 10
day, an / don't care how cheap you SELL
'em." ,r
Mrs. Hableton evidently labored undsI
the delusion that the man was a hawker
but not seeing any hand-cart with hin
she changed her mind.
You're takin' a plan of the 'ouse to rol
it, are you?" she said. "Well, you
needn't, cause there amt nothin' to rob
the silver spoons as belonged to my father
mother 'avin' gone down my 'usband'
throat long ago, an / amt lad money 4
buy any more. Pm a lone pusson as il
put on by brutes like you, an I'll thsnl
You to leave the fence l bought with my
own ard earned money alone. and git out.
Mrs. Hableton stopped short for wan
of breath, and stood shaking her towel, ant
gasping like o fish out of water.
my dear lady," said the man at TIT
fence, mildly, ARE you"
mo, 1 amt" retorted Mrs. HANDLE
ton, fiercely, II amt neither a member o
the 'Ouse, nor a school teacher to answer
your questions. I'm q woma as pays my
rates an taxes, and don't gossip nor reat
your Iubbishin' newspapers, nor care fo
the R~ussings. no how, 90 git out"
Don't read the newspapers" repeated
the man, in a satisfied tone, "Ah! that &C
counts for it,"
Mrs. Hambleton stared suspiciously al
the man who made such a peculiar remark
He was q burly looking man, with
jovial red face, clean shaved, and sharp
shrewd-looking gray eyes which KEEP
twinkling like two stars. He was wei
dressed in q suit of light clothes, and wor,
q stifly starched white waistcoat, with {
massive gold chain stretched across it. Al
though he gave Mrs Hambleton the i'm.
preston of being q well-to-do brakeman,
and she mentally wondered what b
wanted.
"what d'y want9" she asked abruptly
Docs Mr.. Oliver Whyte live here?'
asked the stranger.
HE do, an he DON'T" answered Mrs
Hambleton, systematically, q" aim
seen i'm for over week, 81
l s'pose 'e's gone on the drink, like th.
rest of 'em, but I've put sumthin' in tn,
paper as ill pull him mp pretty sharp, ant
let i'm know I ain'ta carpet to be trod on
an if you're q friend of i'm, you can tel
i'm from me 'e's q brute, an it's no NOR
but what I expected Of i'm, % bein'