Middletown transcript., 1891-05-28
THE WIDOWS BABY.

~ attempted to smuggle anything
from the Continent and fell
into the hands of Captain Peter Mug
gins, of her British Majesty's Customs
on landing at Dover, never forgot the
affair.
The captain was the one to vindi-
cate the honor of the. said British
Majesty. He was sholt, stout, red
faced, well-fed and exceedingly i'll
tempered son of Mars. His martial
tread and loud voiced oaths did not
convey the idea Of a carpet-knight.
yet he had never faced the foe, nor
z sought for glory even at the caD-
mons mouth" No, he had contented
himself with filling the Queens Tobac.
co pipe, as the kiln where contraband
goods are burned is somewhat profane'
Iy styled.
He was not only caution to
evil-doers," but also terror, instead
of a protection, of those who did well
He had a pale-faced, shrinking
wife, and a trembling, spirit broken
daughter.
He was that meanest of all things
a domestic tyrant to helpless women ;
for his only son had long ago been
driven from home after being perse-
cuted almost into his grave by petty
tyrannies.
Of course, when the boy left home
his mother and sister were forbidden
ever to hold any intercourse with
him.
However, this had nothing to do
with the widow and her baby.
Captain Peter Muggins had for a
long time boasted that SO much as a
"piece Of laeeAno, nor cigar, by
CAD !" had ever escaped his vigilance.
He openly scoffed at other officers
whose hearts were touched by the
sweet smiles Of womankind, or the
cigars and French braudy of the
stronger sex.
His virtue was incorruptible, his
hawklike glances searching to the last
extent. He emptied the trunks Of
fair maids and blushing brides; he
scattered their belongings far and
wide, and took with ruthless hands
their silken hose and dainty gloves,
their fine perfume and cobweb lace,
and all to 60 into the ugly black kiln
and be burned remorselessly for the
good Of the British Lion with big L.
They can't humbug me p he was
wont to exclaim. 81 am none of
your confounded puppies who won't
seize anything because it belongs to a
pretty girl. I'm Her Majesty's Off
cial, and I'm devoted to the service,
by CAD Duty before sentiment, by
Jove!'
The captain lived on with credit
and renown, and one day he was
waiting the arrival of the steamer
from France in a thick, cold fog, and
he was in very bad humor.
That day he had made a discovery
which caused his red face to turn
crimson, and his ugly, queer, overfed
eyes to stick out from the beds Of
wrinkles by which they were sur
rounded. His wife received letters
from her unfortunate son!
She had been caught in the very
act of reading one, and crying
]" Yes, by King Arthur ! crying over
,itp
He gave her and his daughter such
lecture, garnished by such a pro-
fame expenditure of Scriptural Ian
guage, that he felt satisfied when he
left them, for their misery was sufi-
cient, if it had been properly spread
out, to make whole city wretched.
The captain was prepared to "fix "
anyone who carried ashore one cigar,
or one inch of lace, pair Of gloves,
or any other item.
As he stood thus, watching the
coming ashore of the passengers with
a "stony British stare" he espied a
lady who walked with the gentle,
appealing, uncertain step Of young
widow.
She was followed by nurse, wear
ing the cap and apron of French
bonnie; and in the arms of this nurse
was baby, in long and flowing white
robes.
The captain was on the alert.
The lady came up to him, and,
throwing back her long Grape veil,
addressed him in deep, musical ac-
cents
You are the custom officer, sir ?"
II am" responded the captain,
rather gruf1y.
Now, the widow was sufficiently
beautiful to disarm even the ill-nature
Of: Captain Muggins, and just the
style Of beauty he would be sure to
admire.
The captain was blonde, ola high
ly aggravated, mashed-turnips style OF
blondness. His hair, aggressive eye
brows, and bristliDg mustache and
whiskers, were all of the same hue.
A friend might call them auburn, but
spinster ladies from whom he had
ruthlessly wrested gloves, laces, etc.,
called him a " carroty old fox !" and
suffered no pangs of conscience from
applying such term to his hirsute
adorBments.
The widow was beautiful. with q