Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-17

''One OF the-what?
lone of my gentlemen friends wants
me to marry him, and | want to know
what marriage Is like
Then Softly told her what marriage was
like-not his, perhaps. but marriage as
he conceived it to be in most cases-and
he told her so much that she grew quite
interested, and thence he passed by nat
ural connection to love; and it appeared
that she had some experience of that de-
lightful passion, and told him all the cir.
cumstances. And then she felt draught,
and he suggested that they should change
seats, and she did change hers. And they
grew still more confidential, and she told
him what a hollow, frivolous life one led
on the stage, and how tired she was of it,
and that she was only anxious to leave it
and marry, and how she should worship
her husband If she could only get one who
would love her, and Simperly rejoiced to
think that he had brought her into such a
becoming frame of mind And by that
time they were very near London.
"And you really will keep your word?"
said Simperly, pressing her hand, as the
train left Wlllesden.
81 will" she answered, looking away
from him. And she added to her own
soul, "or won't"
That's dear girl, and here's some
Thing to buy little wedding present from
your old parson.' And the good man
slipped into her hand little check that
he had drawn to pay for. some books that
he had long wanted
Hello, SoftIy!' cried young Wilgoose,
the squire's son, meeting him on the plat
form at the Euston and humping b m on
the back till he quivered all over. and
what are you doing in the modern Baby
lon without your wife,"
'I'm up on BUSINESS said Simperly
with conscious pride.
"ln--deed; and may ask who was
your fair friend with the tan shoes?''
Simperly blushed. II think, said he.
nervously, you must remember her
Maria Jenkins, whose father had the
postoffice at Dulcote.'
W1lgoose gave long whistle. Marian
Jermyn, by Jove! | thought | knew her.
Well, | hope you had a pleasant journey. "
Simperly blushed again under the lad 8
eye.
"Oh, yes" he stammered, livery
pleasant. She told me she had gone on
the stage"
That poor stage!'
But she promised me to leave it, and
said she only wanted to get married and
lead good life
Married! Marian Jermyn married.
Did you believe her?"
''Of course did," said Slmperly indig-
nantly, "a girl is not altogether lost be-
cause she is an actress! And | gave her a
little wedding present, too.
''The deuce you did! | say, Softly, what
would your wife say to that?"
cit was only little check for 81 that |
happened to have in my pocket said
Simperly, with nervous laugh.
"a check! | say, you're getting on.
What an awfully indiscreet thing to do.
How do you know she won't alter it into
e20."
Simperly turned pale at the idea.
"Wh- what makes you say that%'
ooh, we'll, I didn't quite mean that
But it's all bosh about her being on the
stage. She's in with an awful bad lot,
and | shouldn' t care to have my name
knocking about among them if were a
psrson, said the lad, shaking his head,
weighty with the profound experience of
three and twenty. ''Do you know what
'blackmriF means?"
Simperly had vague idea that it meant
something unpleasant, but he would not
inquire what it was, and went agout his
business, wishing from the bottom of his
heart that he had not been quite so-gen-
erous. However, he forgot his indiscre-
ton in the company of his wife's uncle,
who was much more genial than his niece,
and gave him a luncheon that put more
colcr in his cheeks than had been seen
there for some time. Alter which they
paid a visit to the stock brokers', where d
safe, but not remunerative, investment
was soon found for Mrs. Softly's 1000,
and, the necessary check having been
duly drawn and handed him, Simperly
hurried away, SO as to be home for tea.
A few days after the curate's lamentable
falling away from grace letter arrived at
Mrs. Softly's house addressed to him with
''private'' written across the seal, and the
housemaid, who, like the rest of the world,
was fond of her meek master, found means
to convey it to him in the absence of her
mistress. He opened it with horrible
sinking inside him and read the following
words:
Dear Sir. Your account appears to be
overdrawn in our books in the sum Of e3
g Cd, and shall be obliged by your re-
hitting us that sum at your earliest con-
venience. Yours faithfully.
Fred Wilson, Manager.
The letter drop ped from his hand, the
room swan round him and he fell into a
chair as though he was shot He saw it
all in an instant. Wilgoose was true
prophet, and this is what he meant by
blockmail. Only, instead CT altering his
figures to G20 the heartless wretch had
altered them to e2OO, and he was penni-
less! His bank account represented all the
money that he had in the worlo, iuclud-
ing what was left of the wedding present
of his only solvent relative During tie
afternoon meal he sat and shivered with
fright under the inquiring eye Of his wife,
and when tea was finished ae took his
courage In both hands and began in a
h0arse, low voice:
A-hem, a-hem, Boad :cea-I' N sorry to
say that I've had bad news to-day"
Mrs. Softly started at him and said
nothing.
'You--you-you remember Martha
Jenkins, whose father had the postofic?''
Yes said the lady, shortly. Il re
member her. Go on
"Well, she was in my carriage going to
London Tuesday,
On, she was, was she? Well, Shipper
ly, go on
"Oh! She told me that she had gone
on the stage, and
Mrs Softly rose, with a face like a
prayestone