Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-02-21
MRS. BLANKS HUSBAND.
A STORY.

Pretty Mrs. Blank had a very unpl"aS-
AM experience in Bay Grove, N. j., and
it was all due to mistake. When she
moved herself and her baby and her
pu5 and her other household goods to
rsey along i'll the spring, the villagers
seemed to be ready to take her to their
arms and their hearts. They gave her
teas, they SHOW ed her all the show sights
OF the neighborhood, they posted l'er
Oh the proper church to attcnd and the
proper people to know.
They almost had dinner in her honor,
and that is something that had not even
been dreamed of since an unfortunate
affair of several years back when a
heartless detective had happened at a
feast and had carried away with him
one who for a brief month had had all
Bay Grove at his feet 1t was the re-
membrance of that touching incident
that made people Hesitate, and by their
hesitating Mrs. Blank lost her dinner.
She was bright, her maids caps were
irreproachable, and what flirting she did
was artistic enough to be a pleasure to
look upon. But it was seldom that Mrs.
therefore she was popular with matrons
and maids. The men liked her, too, and
all went merry as a marriage bell for
many day and until somebody ill nat
uredly asked question.
"Where is Mr.. Blank and who is he?"
quered this busybody.
Nobody but Mrs. Blank could an
swer this, and she didn't volunteer any
information on the subject. So, gossip
having nothing to feed upon grew rap
idly, as is generally the way, and in a
week Bay Grove began to believe that
something must be wrong somewhere.
Now, it happened that Mrs. Blank had
brought one letter of introduction to
Bay Grove. This epistle had been hur-
riedly penned by a young woman about
to take flight to Europe, and, under the
scrutiny OF female committee OF inves-
tigation, it appeared to lack satisfactory
details about the nominal head of the
B ank family.
81 do so hope you will like Mrs. B., "
it ran. "She can see so little of her
husband, you know, that it will be very
dull for her out there unless you look
after her bit. think she frets over
her husband sometimes. but how can it
be helped now? But then she has"
And here the writer drifted into mat
ters that were never intended for the
public eve. When the letter was re.
ceived the sentence about the husband
had attracted no attention; but now,
with suspicion resting heavily upon
them, the committee women agreed that
something must be very, very wrong
with Mrs. Blanks spouse. 1t came
about, therefore, that Mrs. Blank was
soon put to the question.
"When are we to see your husband ?"
asked one of her friends in a guileless
way.
Mrs Blank pouted. Really, l don't
know" she said. He's in Auburn now
with that poor wretch Kemmler, l be-
lieve
Auburn happens to contain a prison.
Kemmler was then in that prison. 1t is
not difficult to put one and one together
and get dozen if you aye in proper
frame of mind for the achievement
So it happened that when Mrs. Blank
entered the church the next day there
was a rustic of silk all through the pews
and with it general feeling that the
sermon should deal with hypocrisy. But
it didn't. 1t was devoted to mercy.
Which only goes to show that preachers
are not always in touch with their con-
gregations
When Mrs. Blank joined the group in
| the yestibule after the service, the
church thermometer hanging there
dropped half dozen degrees. Nobody
quite cut her-the sermon had been
really good one-but the social atmos'
phere was full of little icicles. Mrs.
Blank went home alone, wondering what
was the matter.
The next day one of her closest friends
called upon her. Just as the visitor was
departing she indulged in sort OF
spoken postscript. saving the important
part of her business for the last, just a'
if she were writing letter.
"How is Mr. Blank p she queried.
ale has been sent to Elmirl, was the
answer
AS there is reformatory in Elmira,
this proved to be very unfortunate re-
sponse. Bay Grove posted itself on New
York's penal institutions, and the next
day three acquaintances of Mrs. Blank
failed to see her on the street
Nobody called. and her name did moi
appear on the list of patronesses of
straw berry festival the village was
pledged to make glorious success. She
attended the festivities and was puzzled
| by her treatment Everybody seemed