Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-01-20
My Lady's Wrath.


Lady Biggeto was very much ill US
ed 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 reason
able prospect of married happiness
between them. But wherever the or
iginal mistake lay every ounce of sub
sequent blame attached to Sir John,
who, even if he were unable to love
his elderly 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
for details and particulars, he invari-
| ably grew evasive. When she offered
| to accompany him, he emphatically
| declined to take her. He had abandon
| ed the journeys altogether. Of course
this spoke for itself. 1t pointed to a
disgraceful conclusion. So said Lady
Biggeto. So said Lady Biggeto's
friends, and SO indeed said all right
minded persons who where appraised
of it.
What made it worse in Sir John Big
geto was that he was by way Of being
one of the elect. It was in this charac
ter that he had wooed and won his
wife-relict of a Croydon alderman
and fellow worshiper with the baronet
at the church of Trinity in the
Marshes. Trinity in the Marshes was
served by that evangelical light, the
Rev. Matthew Nader.
1t was the more scandalOus, there
fore, that Sir John, member of Mad
der's flock. should be behaving as he
was in his private life. His spouse
had serious thoughts Of applying to
Matthew Nader himself and request
ing the fiercy servant of the Lord to
tackle her recreant husband. Some
years ago she had adopted these tao
tics in reference to her nephew Tom,
her only sisters child, who had fallen
away into fagitious paths.
But Lady Biggeto hesitated at pres
ent to invoke Matthew Madder's as
sistance in reconverting her husband.
There were several reasons why she
hesitated. One was that, having boast
ed not little of Sir Johns devotion
to her before her marriage, she was
now naturally loath to acknowledge
the complete failure Of her eXpecta-
tons afterward. Another was that
she was still without proofs Of Sir
Johns infdelity, and that she felt it
would be wiser to secure these proofs
before making any decided move.
And a third-and still more cogent
reason-was that Lady Biggeto, after
much scheming and contriving, was
now in fair way to achieve the fond
est wish Of her heart namely, be pres
ented of court. Any public scandal,
and when scandal passed into Mad
der'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
discovery of Sir Johns iniquities was
| her newphew Tom. The young man
undertook to keep a close watch upon
Sir John Biggetto and report to his
aunt all that he might hear and see.
1t was about fortnight before Tom
was able to make any definitive re-
port. At the end of that time he call
ed one day at his aunt's with very
meaning and important look upon his
face. Lady Biggeto saw at a glance
that he had made some great dis
covery.
"Wen, Tom, what is it you have to
tell me?" she inquired rather nervous
ly. care my worst fears realized?"
eThey are," said Tom, with grave
nod of his head. ''The very worst"
"What? Is there-have you''-be-
gan Lady Biggeto, with some excite
ment. "Has he''-
"There is a lady in the case" said
Tom, with a solemn expression.
ssAh! 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. She''-
s'What sort of a person is she? Old
or young?'' interrupted his aunt agi-
tatedly.
"Young-quite 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.