The Indianapolis journal., 1892-05-22
THAT ACT OF PARLIAMENT,
AUTHOR o

BY GEORGE r. SIMS.

ments you've just uttered I'd sooner beg
my bread from door to door than be be-
holden TO you for q crust"
And. without waiting to see the effect of
his magnificent burst of heroic sentiment
upon his astonishsd wife. Jim Dester
turned on his heel indignant heroes al
ways turn on their heel, and went out OF
the door and down the stairs into the tirst
public house he came to. and 1T wasn't un-
til he'd called for n whisky cold and
drained it to the last drop that he discOv'
ered that he hadn't q copper In his pocket
to pay for 1t. Under these Illuminating
circumstances he borrowed shilling OF
the landlord, who knew him. and went out
into the world again with the Cd change.
hearth broken husband and Illuminated
man.
He walked about for a couple of hours.
he went to quiet little walters club
where there was a tape and ready-money
book and q lot of walters. native
and foreign. like himself most of them out
of employ ment, but all finding somehow or
other a few spare shlllinGs to lose at cards
or to put on horses, and there he succeeded
in borrowing five shillings of an "old par
who had backed winner and won couple
of pounds.
He was determined to show his wife that
he was independent and earn his own liv-
ing and DO without her assistance. and he
had fully made mp his mind that he would
not go back until she came and apologized
for her cruel words and humbly begged
him TO return to the conjugal roof.
Towards O'Clock In the afternoon, how
ever. he found himself in front of his house
thither. He walked ND and down on the
opposite side of the street smoking his pipe
and keeping his eye on the door.
Presently he saw his son come out. Tom
was looking very dOwncast. so his father
crossed the road and spoke TO him.
''Seen your mother. Tomp he said.
"Yes: l don't know what's come to her.
She's been going on at me. Says Pm as
bad as you. and no good to nobody"
"A nice way to talk to boy about his
father. that" exclaimed Jim.
amt going s y9% sa sad SHc Tom. 4 amt nH ago asoin
to be grndged what l eat and drink; Pm
can tell mother If pm-if Pm shot in battle.
i don't bear her no grudge.
And before his astonished father could
reply Tom Dester had marched off down
the street. and was speedily ont of sight.
himself This comes of them = Radical
hacts o. Parliament Where's the sane
tity o. marriage. l should like to know
when q woman can turn her husband out %
doors, and send his only son to be shot at
by the Rooshena What's the good O. send
ing msshuns TO the heather when this sort
of thing goes on in a Christian country ac-
cording to the hact o. Parliament"
Mr.. Dester's mind was so full of the
CHASTITY state of affairs that he gave up
watching his front door and went back to
the club, where he spent the remainder of
his 8 shillIngs. got DRINK and was put out
into tho street at O'clock In the morning
for throwing q spittoOn at the head of Q
Radical member after q violent political
argument in which he Mr.. Dester) had at
the top of his voice denounced the follow.
ers of MI. Gladstone as "a set O. 'owlin'
hatheists who were undermInin' the Brit
ish empire and knocking the marriage
service into cooked at"
And as after his election Mr.. Dester
hammered violently at the door and in q
loud voice demanded everybody's blood.
the police presently came upoD the scene
and marched him of to the station and
provided him with nights lodging.
And for once in his life he had earned it;
a worm will turn, and so will o married
woman. She loved her husbund and her
son, but the sight of her dismantled home
had been too much for her. and she had
turned upon the lazy, gOOd-fOr. nothing
pair one after the other
She didn't get over her indignation till
Tom had marched out of the house. and
then she threw herself down in the only
chair and had q good cry.
She was crying when q knock came ut
the door, and the landlady. who inhabited
the lower regions. came up to say that Mrs.
Dester was wanted at once.
Mrs Dester went down and found it was
n messenger from q doctor, who was one of
her patrons-a lady who was not expected
to require Mrs Dester's services for another
month had been taken suddenly ill, and
would Mrs. Dester 90 mt once.
There was nothing for the poor woman
to do but to pack up few things and 90.
But first she wrote o little note to her hus-
band and stuck il on the man telshelf. 1t
was little message of forgiveness. asking
him to forget what she'd said, and also to
tell Tom she WAS sorry. and that she'd try
and come home for an honDOn Sunday and
see how things were getting on. and she'd
left Jim half Q sovereign to go on with, and
she hoped that he wouldn't part with any
more OF the furniture or her W 8rdr0be, as
it cost snch a lot to get the things back
again. Then she went of to the lady and
tried to forget her own troubles In the
cares and anXieties of the sick-room.
She would not have succeeded so we'll as
she did had she known that night that her
husband was sleeping off the effects of five
shillings' worth Of whisky in Q damp po-
lice cell. and that her son had taken the
shilling and enlisted in one of her Majes-
ty's regiments, and that her little forgiv-
ing note had the deserted home all to itself.
The next morning Jim Dester was duly
charged at the police court. He felt very
sick and he looked very sheepish when he
was put in the dock. The proprietor of
and the police having nothing against the
prisoner his case was soon disposed of: Mr..
Jim Dester being fined 20 shillings. with the
alternative OF seven days
Jim hadn't got the 20 shillings and he
objected to the seven days, 40 he sent q
messenger to his wife, and the messenger
hearing at the house where she was went
off to the address. and bluntly informed
the good lady that her "ol6 man" had been
fined sovereign for being drunk. and that
he was being kept as hostage by the
police unit. his ransom was duly paid.
Mrs. Dester was naturally horrified. She
wasn't able to leave the lady. so she sent
the money by the messenger, and wrote
little note asking jim to call on her at
once. and n few hours afterwards Jim.
looking very seedy and generally the worse
for wear. presented himself to his wifes in
dignaDt gaze.
The interview took place in the hall. and
was naturally carried on in an undertone.
Mrs Dester not wishing the servants to
know that her lord aud master was just
fresh from an interview with outraged JUS
tice.
Don't 90 on at me. Maria" said Jim,
'don't say nothing ard. Gus can't bear
it."
Ppm not going to say nothing hard, Jim;
all hope Is as it'll be a warning to you."
Its wus than q warning, Maria It's n
blow; and it's n bit below the belt. and it's
clean took my wind away. Pm knocked
out. Maria. and l can't come up to time"
why. you amt got to come mp again.
woman. horritied: Il thought the case was
disposed Of"
I'm speaking fgurative. Maria. shall
never hold my head up in London again; at
least not till this orfui humiliation Is forgot
Lend me a couple o pounds. Maria. and Pll
60 down and see my old gov'no as has took
n resterong at Manchester. He'll give me
a berth or get me one. ri pay you back
out of the hunderd Pm bound to WIN over