The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-23
AN ERROR RIGHTED,

S. Barng-Gould in Cornhin Magazine.
A good season for pilchards brings as
its concomitant good season for fair
maids When in autumn the catches by
the trowlers have been exceptionally
abundant, then the catches by the mar
riageable maids are proportionate
On the day that succeeded Christmas
there were as many as nine couples unit
ed in the parish church in a little port in
the west of England. And all the males
belonged to the nautical profession.
Some were fishermen, and some had
barges that piled with Bristol or Cardiff.
The vicar belonged to the old school
a school in which nothing was taught and
almost nothing was done That which
had of necessity to be done was per-
formed in a perfunctOry manner.
And when on this particular bank holt
day nine couples had been spliced, the
function was performed en- bloc, and only
such parts of the marriage service were
distributed to the several pairs as could
not possibly be carried out otherwise.
The rite concluded, the little vestry was
packed with the parson, divesting him
self, the clerk, the brides and BRIDE
grooms bridesmaids, best men, and pro
TEN. fathers, so that the utmost confu-
sion prevailed during the making out and
the signing of the registers.
The dense mob only broke into articula-
tons as it discharged itself through the
churchyard gate, when it differentiated
itself into pairs with their proper satel-
lites, and these latter fell into rear, to
allow the happy couples to exchange
mutual amorous passages.
The first to disentangle themselves
from the crowd were Samuel Lee and
his just acquired wife FloIibunda, or. as
IL, ia
Florry
Well said Samuel, wiping his mouth,
that's done"
And" added FIonbunda. cant be
un1one"
q hope it's all right" observed the
former.
How can it be other" asked the lat
ter, now that you have got me?"
4 didn't mean that. dear.
"Then you should make your meanin'
palmer"
81 mean as how there was a terrible
mUddle in thiclley there vestry, and one
Gu d scarce use ones aims. L wish I'd
got a copy of the lines
What shE'd you require them for?'
asked Floribunda. Them lines can't
bind Us no faster "
explained Sam.
I'm satisfied" observed the lady, land
I reckon that's enough. Now what 'ud
the lines ha' come TOP"
eighteen pence, or thereabOut"
Eighteen pence throwed away Wot
did you give the pass n and clerk?"
81 gave the vicar ten shillin' and the
clerk five"
That's just seven and six too much"
/ well, I won't do it again"
Il shall take care you shan't. And
YOU, Sam, WOs a gOin' to chuck away
eighteen pence more. That Just proves
as 'ow you ain 10 be trusted wi money
Give me UP your purse
Amt got no purse"
Then you turn out your pockets 70
vance. I'll be your purse in future
There are few sights more piteous than
that of a noble brig that lett port new
rugged fresh painted and in perfect trim,
after a gale in the Atlantic that has car
Tied away her masts. battered her sides
and rent her bulWarks But a more
piteous object was Samuel Lee four
weeks after marriage, the honeymoon set
in nurk, sitting on a chair with mis-
head against the wall, in his own house,
the picture of dependency fringing on
despair. \ ct that house was in Spick and
span condition. The floor was so clean
that it might have been eaten off, and
one would have preferred doing so to sui
lying the secured table, white and spot,
less DIS q new DIGdQ IIGICIi0I- 1 he l6uu-
er, the irons, the brass, the tin, were all
FURNISHED to the utmost brilliancy.
Nothing was 20 be seen that was rusted
or battered, save the owner of the cot
tage, who presented an almost hopeless
crushed and WOebeg0ne appearance, seat
ed, as already minated, in a chair with
his head leaning against the wall.
One lunar month had done it.
And yet more daprer, cOmely young
JUo hardly ha found than We c
Floritunda Lee. She was healthy in
color that flushed her smooth cheeks, her
hair was glossy brown and her eyes
clear as a mountain stream. Her every
movement betokened vigor.
Now then! now them she exclaimed
as she entered the room. Sam! dom
nothin'! Yes. worse than nothin. Just
you look how you've a gone and creased
the wall wi rubin of yer cad agln' it.
Il amt 'ad no bears grease on since We
wos married, last Bank 'OHday," ex-
planned he.
'"rhen it's dirt" said Floribunda stand
ing with her feet apart and her arms
aklmbo; land dirt is wuss.'
1T can't be Florry," protested her hus-
hand seeing as you do comb my cad
all day, and ave been these four weeks,
wiout stoppin' to breathe"
Now, none O. your importance" ex-
claimed Mrs. Lee. Just you jump about,
and move out Of that"
Samuel took his chair and transferred
it to the middle of the room, seated him
self across it, and, resting hts arms on
the back, leaned his chin on his arms.
How am I to clean that bit O. wall I
don't know. Scotch soda may take out
the STAIN said Floribunda NOW, Ehen!
what be you doing there, swinging on the
chair and heavin' it out O. joint. You
get along out of the house to vance"
Give ms some money to buy a bit of
baccy," pleaded Mr.. Lee.
Give you money! exclaimed the wife.
That's bold as brass you be, aXing for
it. You pretend that you handed your
money over to me, and 1 knows, by the
way you fumbles wi something in your
pocket, that you're keeping back of a
part. You're a veritable Ananias-Sap-
hira, and II come to just to same bad
end"
Mr.. Samuel Lee rose with sigh and
left the house. When outside he unused
scratched his head, and drew half q
crown from his pocket.
d just like t0 make sartain," said he
and took his way to the vicarage, where
he inquired for the parson.
On his Introduction to the study he
asked if he might make so bold as to
have copy Of his marriage entry.