Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-02-08

gent with you was a-playing Of Il little game.
He only pretended to pay the WAITER
playing a little game, was he" gasped
the Infatuated Tiger. "lf don't play a little
game on lin when get a chance my name
is not Edith d Aubigne, the nasty mean beast
-tho'---
'Pcrmt me, marm," said George putting
G. shilling on the table, which the waiter took
and went away. 81 can't bear to SEQ a real
lady like You in difficulty"
"Wel, YOU are q gentleman, you are" she
said.
Not at all, marin. That's my way. And
now, marin, won't you have anotherin
No objection was raised by the lady, who
had another, with the result thGssSho bec.ne.
if not exactly tipsy, at any rate nit far Off IT,
Shortly after this tho buildinicsvas cleared,
and George found himself standing in Exhibit
ton road with the woman on his arm.
"Yourc going &c give me a lift home, amt
yong she said
eyes, marin, for sure 1 am said George,
signing rs he thought of the cab fare.
Accordingly they got into hanson, and
Mrs. dAubigno having given the address in
Pimlico, of which George instantly made q
mental note, they started.
"COme in and have a drink" she said,
when they arrived, and accordingly he paid
the cab-half Il crown it cost him--and was
ushcred by the woman with a shipper into the
gilded drawing room.
Here the Tiger had another brandy and
soda, after which George thought she was
about in a fit state for him to prosecute his
inquiries
"Wondcrful place this London, marin;
niver was up hero aforc, and had no idea
that | should fird folks SO friendly AS l
was a-saying to my friend Larger Quest,
down at Boisugham, yesterlayn-
"HJloo, what's thatl" she said. do you
know tie old manln
'Ifyou mean Larger Quest; why i'll course
! do, and Mrs. Quest too. All, she's pretty
one, she is
Here the lady burst into food of inco-
herent abuse which tired her SO much that
She had fourth brandy and soda; George
mixed it for her, and he mixed it strong.
SIS he richl" she asked, as she put down the
glass
'NWhat! Larger Quest! Well, should say
that he is about the warmest man i'll our part
of the county,
'And here l am starving" burst out the
horrible woman, with food Of drunken
tears Starving without shilling to pay
for cab or a drink, while my welded hus-
band lives in luxury with another woman.
You tell him that 1 won't stand it; you tell
him that if he don't find thou pretty quick
I'll let him know the reason why"
Il don't quite understand, marm," said
George; "Jheres lady down in Boisingham
as is the real Mrs. Quest"
'lts a lie!' sho shrieked, otis lie He
married me before he married her. / could
have him in the dock to morrow, and l would,
too, if | wasn't afraid of him, and that's
fact"
Come, marin, come" said George, "draw
it mild from that tap"
"You won't believe me, won't you?' said
the woman, on whom the liquor was now be-
ginning to take its full effect; "then I'll show
sou," and she staggered to a desk, unlocked
1t, and took from it a folded paper, which
She opened.
1t was marriage license, or purported SO
10 be; but George, who was not too quick at
ais reading, had only time to note tho name
Quest, and the church, St. Bartholomew,
Hackney, when she snatched it away from
him and locked it up again.
There" she said, sit isn't any business OF
yours, What right have you to come Yrying
into the affairs of poor lone woman?S And
she sat down upon the sofa beside him, threw
her long arm round his neck rested her
painted face upor us shouli2r, and began to
weep tho tears of lnenx;catioa
"Well, blow mae saii George to himself,
elf this amt mastsr ene! l wonder what
my Old mzsus would gsy if she cav me in this
fix. ] say, marm"---
But at that moment tho door opened, and
IN came Johnnie, who haS evidently also been
employing the inter yal in refreshing himself,
for he rolled like n ship i'll n sea.
swell" he said, "and who the deuce are
you' Come, get out of this, you Methody,
Il