Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-01-23
MY LADY'S WRATH.

There could be no doubt about 1t.
Lady Biggeto was very much i'll used
woman. Perhaps she should never have
been so foolish as to marry Sir John
Biggeto. 1t ought to have been obvious
to her that the baronet was only wooing
her money, and that, this being the
case, there was no reasonable prospect
Of married happiness between them.
But wherever the original mistake lay
every ounce of subsequent blame at
tached to Sir John, who, even if he
were unable to love his elderly and
commonplace spouse, had, at any rate,
no excuse for neglecting her SO shame
fully as he did. Why, he was always
away from home-by himself. The
number Of business appointments that
he had in London and elsewhere were
legion. When his wife pressed him for
details and particulars, he invariably
grew evasive. When she offered to ac-
company him, he emphatically declined
to take her. He had abandoned the jour
neys altogether. Of course this spoke
for itself 1t pointed to disgraceful
conclusion. So said Lady Biggeto. So
said Lady Biggeto's friends, and SO in
deed said all right minded persons who
were appraised of it.
What made it worse in Sir John Big
geto was that he was by way Of being
one Of the elect. 1t was in this charac-
ter that he had wooed and won his wife
-relict Of Croydon alderman and fell
low worshiper with the baronet at the
church of Trinity in the Marshes.
Trinity in the Marshes was served by
that evangelical light, the Rev. Mat
thew Madden.
1t was the more scandalous, therefore,
that Sir John, a member Of Matthew
Madder's flock, should be behaving as
he was in his private life. His spouse
had serious thoughts of applying to
Matthew Madder himself and request
ing the fiery servant Of the Lord to tao
kle her recreant husband. Some years
ago she had adopted these tactics in ref
erence to her nephew Tom, her only sis
ter's child, who had fallen away into
flagitious paths.
But Lady Biggeto hesitated at pres
ent to invoke Matthew Madder's assist
ance in reconverting her husband. There
were several reasons why she hesitated.
One was that, having boosted not lit
tie Of Sir Johns devotion to her before
her marriage, she was now naturally
loath to acknowledge the complete fail
ure Of her expectations afterward. An
other was that she was still without
proofs of Sir Johns infidelity, and that
she felt it would be wiser to secure these
before making any decided move. And
a third-and still more cogent reason
was that Lady Biggeto, after much
scheming and continuing, was now in a
fair way to achieve the fondest wish Of
her heart - namely, be presented at
court. Any public scandal, and when a
scandal passed into Madder's charge it
did not remain private, was, from this
point of view, to be strongly deprecated.
The only person therefore whom she
took into her confidence for the discov-
cry Of Sir Johns iniquities was her
nephew Tom. The young man under
took to keep close watch upon Sir John
Biggeto and report to his aunt oil that
he might hear and see. 1t was about a
fortnight before Tom was able to make
any definite report. At the end Of that
time he called one day at his aunt's
with very meaning and important look
upon his face. Lady Biggeto saw at q
glance that he had made some great dis
covery.
"Well, Tom, what is it you have to
tell me?" she inquired rather nervously.
care my worst fears realized?"
"They are, said Tom, with grave
nod Of his head. 1.-THE very worst. ("
"What? Is there-have you began
Lady Biggeto, with some excitement.
HAS he"-
There is lady in tho case, said
Tom, with solemn expression.
"Ah! was sure Of it! Who is she?"
demanded Lady Biggeto.
"She goes by the name Of Mary
JONES'" replied Tom. "It appears that
Sir John has been constantly with her
for more than year past. Shot
"What sort of person is she2 Old or
young?" interrupted his aunt agitatedly.
young young, aunt.
"And how far has this intrigue gone?
Tell me all. Hide nothing from mel"
exclaimed his aunt, now in great state
Of excitement and rage.
"The intrigue has gone to shocking
TO shameful extent" said Tom III a
mournful voice. Sir John has evidont-
~ been spending lot Of your money,
aunt, upon her. He
"The-the brute! The hussy" she
cried, turning from red to white. "Go
on, Tom, go on. +"
"He has, in fact, been-um-er-
keeping up an-an- establishment for
her. continued Tom, lowering his
voice in evident shame at mentioning
such Q thing, land smart and costly
establishment it is. Dear, dear aunt, ]
am sorry, indeed, sorry and sad to tell
you this.
IT have ascertained, continued Tom,
''that Sir John is going down into the
country-into Yorkshire, in fact-next
week with this Mary Jones. Now, If
you and Mr. Madder could follow
them
II will! As I am an outraged wife,
willl'' cried his aunt suddenly and
with most vehement determination.
"And it seems to me, pursued Tom,
with a knowing nod, THAT if you could