The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-18


to receive the offender, and to give greater
authority to the discipline. Mathew came
not He positively and discourteousl
refused to obey
There il would seem. was direct break
ING of the law or. at least, contempt for all
thority. upon which Imprisonment. dare
say might have followed But. whether
from lenlency or on account of thai
difficulty connected with the late venture
his worship refrained from severity and
ordered instead that Mathew. for violence
ard ontuEiacy should dc penance in the
church Here, indeed, was righteous retri
button He would stand, thought. in
the very place where he had caused Ralph
made to rise up before all the people. and
n loud voice to ask their pardon. and to
pcite the Lords prayer hope am not
vudictive woman. yet ] confess that
reloced on learning from the fugleman
I hat this punishment had been meted out
the evil doer We both rejoiced. and
re congratulated each other. because W.
hought that Ralph would also rejoice
little did we know of that great and lofty
uild when we foolishly imagined that b.
would ever rejoice over the fall of his
'nemy
There was great excitement in the town
hen it became publicly known by means
: h, barber who had it direct from his
-orshlp that this godly discipline was to
e enforced on the person of Mathew
ilumble-a substantial man. statesman,
4 miller, a man supposed (but errone
,usy) to be wealthy and a man al
ready "a years of age or Whereabouts
Why fer a schoolboy or a lad of Il
II plain rustic to stand up in this white
,iieet was joy enough. but for such q
snow of such a man this. if you please
was rapture indeed for the simple people
| confess that | for one looked forward
with pleasure to the spectacle
Alas who would believe that man could
be found so daring7 Mathew refused
ontumaciously to perform the penance'
This was great blow and heavy disap
continent to all Of us. and we looked to
see he vicar excommunicate him But
he did not. saying that disobedience to tn,
church brought of itself excommunica
lion without need Of any form of words
Let Mathew look to his own soul And
Is there seemed no means of enforc
ing the punishment if the offender re
fused to undergo it. there was nothing
more to be said
The behavior of Nan at this time was
worthy of admiration On Mathews re
turn but not until then she walked to
he mill and Informed Barbara that. as
her brothers wife. she was herself the
mistress but that. being accustomed to
ler own cottage. she should not for the
present modest her in her occupation.
Then she sought her husband
1t was really terrible to mark how the
ravages of drink and disappointment to
getheI had made havoc with the appear
ince OF this unfortunate man Unfort
innate. call him though his punishment
was bat the just reward of his iniquities
The failure of his plot. the consciousness Of
the rldicule which overwhelmed him, his
shame and discontinue. the thought of
he old woman whom he had called his
wife. the messages which he had received
from his worship and the vicar-his disc
rlt il partnership III the recent venture,
i dreadful vague looking forward to th+
future and the constant terror lest Ralph
should return Iied his mind with agita
ION. and gave him no peace. night or
lay He neglected the work of mill and
arm he would take no meals save by
and he drank continually
He looked up from his last half drunken
,orpor when Nan came i'll
Il expected you before" he said
. What are You going to dor
She poured out a dram and tossed it off
Il came to see my bonny husband she
said before | am widow once mrre
Eth. man it's all unlucky wife ye have
gotten
''Wifer he repeated. "wifel Yes.
suppose You would pretend"-
Iark We brother cried Nan bring
ny down her cudgel on the table with an
-nlphass which reminded Mathew un
EASILY of the second husbands lot. bark
We Sail on another track or you'll have
A broadslde that Ii rake you fore and aft
from stem TO stern. Wife | am husband
you are, wherefore all that is yours is
mine She h.ched rope into - ~ -
handle of the stone jar contain. fro
brandy and ierked it over her shot..
The mll Is mine, so long as ii is yours
which won't be long shipmet Last
light | read your fortune. my lad By
Ill | can discover you and me shall part
company before long But whether you
'Vlli hang yourself like my second man.
II be hanged, like my first. or whether
:ou will be knocked O. the head
which Is TOO good for such as you, OF
vie, her you will die by reason of takin
90 much rum aboard. which is fatal to
many al honest Jack OF whether You will
lie by hand of doctors whereby the land
Ubbers do perish by multitudes-l know
not Short will be our company. SO. a.
ong as we sail together let us share ant
share alike, and be merry and drink about
Ioney-now. ! want muucv
He refused absolutely to let her hav
ny money Without any more wore.
his terrible woman prepared for actio
That is to say. she took off her ROT.
iilor's jacket. rolled up her sleeves and
eized the cudgel with gesture and look
d menacing that Mathew hauled down his
ulors
How much do you want2" he asked
Short will be the voyage. she said
Give me ten guineas Yes. will TAKE
Ell guineas to begin with But don't
hink it's pay day I'm not paid off no.
'hall be so long as Pity tbs that can
cad those cards palmer Well. my dearie
m going If | think | should like the
mill better than my own cottage. I'll com,
ind stay here You shall see, off and Oh