Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-26
OF A JEALOUS NATURE.

Scroggs says that he is not by ma
ture a lover of human gore, but he
assures me on his honor, as a man and
a brother, that if he can find the man
WI sent him on a Wild-goose chase
the other night he will drink the
blood warm from his veins.
1t has been a source of wonder to
the boys that such a good-looking
girl would consent to marry such a
spider-legged, lantern-jawed, cadever-
Gus skeleton as Scroggs; but women
are h .rd to fathom, and she really
liked him and gave him no excuse for
his ridiculous and brainIess jealousy.
He never found out anything against
his wife, but this only served to con-
I vince nm ,..-.. i, was assumed virtue.
and he was bound to sneak till he
rosed out something.
Of course this could not go on with
out the boys finding out something
about it, and few OF them put their
heads together, with the following re-
suits:
Somebody serenaded Mrs. Scroggs
when her lord and master was sup
posed to be absent. Scroggs heaving
in sight, the serenaderS fed. This
Was continued, until at the first faint
tinkling of a guitar in the distance,
Scroggs went for his gun, and swore
that he would shoot the first man who
perpetrated note under his window.
Finally, as Scroggs was going to the
office, he found a note in the road,
which he read. 1t was from one who
signed herself Amelia S., and appointed
a meeting with her darling Charles
at the side of the river after sunset.
The jealous old hunks''-here Scroggs
ground his teeth till they started at
the roots-"will not be home till II
O'Clock, and we shall have pleasant
row on the beautiful river, and forget
that such monster exists
IN be there" said Scroggs, dane
ing about like a chestnut on a hot
stove. I'll be ON hand. l knew it all
the time, and now I've caught them.
Darling Charles, of course. I'll go
down there and-stop, let us think"
Night came and the beautiful moon
was rolling up in the summer SKI. The
sound of musical laughter, the splash
of oars in the clear water, and the
tones of the guitar could be heard in
the silent night.
Apart from all the rest, their boat
| resting idly on the water, sat two per-
! sons, who seemed to forget that the
world had any other created beings in
it. Hand in hand they sat, and,
though the lady kept her veil down,
a pair of languishing dark eyes shone
! through the folds of the lace.
The man was cousin Charles GER
tainly, and who could the other be
! but Amelia? So thought the man muf-
fed up in a cloak who was evidently
Padding about on the stream, evident
| ly undecided what to do. At last-O!
| horrible sight!-he saw cousin Charles
snatch a kiss, when, with a howl of
rage, he propelled his boat against
theirs and glared furiously into
Charles face.
"Faithless woman, he gasped,
dare you before my face?"
See here said Charles. Il don't
know who you are, but if you don't
! keep away from this boat there will
| be a funeral in your family
Serpent" Kissed Scroggs, IAN in
/ jured husband demands vengeance"
The lady was shrinking timidly into
the bow of the boat, and still kept
her veil down.
so 1 am jealous old hunk, am 1?
I'll be away till IL O'Clock, will l?
| Yours till death, my darling Charles.
I'll show your face to all these people,
and let them know
He dragged the veil from her face,
and to his horror saw face unknown
to him, which was quivering with sup
pressed laughter.
Then Charles caught the jealous hus-
band and dragged him out Of the boat
| Il don't allow any man to insult g
lady who is under my protection. One
-two-three- bounce" and Scroggs
tmade a hole in the water about ten
feet from the boat, amid the laughter
J of every one On the river