CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume 4, Issue 35, 25 January 1895, Page 2

CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.

By G. Bunstev.

Mr. Penticost Purblind was —and is, for that matter —a highly moral man. That is to say, lie has no pity or sympathy for those who are not highly moral. . This is a very comfortable position, which, as I have observed, ia frequently assumed with success by the “ leaders of thought,” To the sceptical and scornful —to the lost sheep—in short, the aspect of the moral poisene is sufficiently contemptible. But it is also amusing, eminently so ; and hence it is that while we may be disposed to spit upon the farceur, we restrain our indignation in the interest of our sense of amusement, it is in tins light that I approach Mr. Purblind, and reveal to the ! shocked cars of society how it catne to ; pass that Mr. Purblind fell into the 1 trap of his own cunning and contrivance, i It is a noticable circumstance that your ’ highly moral man, who proclaims his own virtues, and denounces other people’s, from the housetops, is, as a rule, of an amative disposition. Tobin and Molicve have exhibited this fact in their plays, and every man a'd woman of the world know how true the satire is. Mr. Purblind was no exception to the rule. He was assusceptible t. the teuderpassions as Monsieur Tartuffe himself, and had as keen an eye for a pretty woman as the gayest gallant abroad. But then this was only known to Mr. Purblind himself, iTo the public Mr. Purblind appeared far above such miserable vanities. He said so, at any rate, and as he had, and still 1 has, a large following of believers, we may suppose that bis assertion gained him the credit it angled for. Now the way in which these people set about their evil business is well known. Ladies have a great liking for tho ! society of such canting hypocrites, and i so it comes to pass that they are so frequently guests at the tea fable of sympathetic dames and damsels. There they hold forth, and are listened to with admiring interest, and there it is, that they so frequently sow the seeds of discord, jealousy and misery in many v household. For the moral expounder *.f this type is ever on the alert to hint darkly at v,lukedmas m others, which in truth resides only in himself. Mr. Purblind was what ladies call a “ fine looking man”—tall, erect, dignified, slow in mov> merit and speech. Phrenologically speaking, his bold head exhibited quite a wonderful array of interesting bumps. He had straight features and cold grey eyes. The latter revealed his character bo the physiognomist, for if he watched them lie would iOOK in vain for a kind 1 v gleam of sympathy van as Mr. Purblind’s tongue wagged about the loftiest of moral senti-

ments. Mr. Purblind was a bachelor, on the lookout for a rich wife, and it came t« oa-s that he cast, a longing eyfc upon Mr?. Dumarsey, a wealthy widow -if abom "hirty years of age. Now Mrs. Dumares had a great admiration for Mr. Purblim ts amoral teacher, but not the slighte-t dea of him as a prospective successor to nor late husband. On the contrary, of ier many admirers she favored, in seer > bought, ayoungand rising barrister. Mr Purblind pyeceivecLfhis, and at once set :,o work' to undermine the lawyers repu ration with the lady. He did this cleverly enough, professing great admiration of Mr. Philip Vasey - talents, praising his wit, and _so forth But there was always a reservation, unexpressed by speech, but inferred by certain facial signs—a drawing down the corners of the mouth, a contraction of . the brows, an uplifting of the eyes, or some one or another of the signs by which as “ Hamlet "tells us, so much injury may be done to a reputation without resort to apt ech. And nobody is quicker to perceive and uud rstand these signs ' than a woman ia—especially a widow—who may be specially interested in the subject on whom they refer, and once curiosity is aroused in such a woman’s bieast, she never rests until she hears the worst. “ Mr. Purblind,” said the lady one day, “ I want you to he candid with me.” “Madam,” said the genii man unctuously, “ I’m always candid. Truth” —he pronounced it “ Teruth ” —“ is dear to me, and I wou# not sully the glory of t hat principle by equivocation. Beau-! if ul—jteruth !” i And he turned up his eyes to the i ceiling. But the next moment they rested furtively on the lady’s face, (t was I turned to him in nr -fib- • h*— ■ 0.-i upon luff hand, as she leant her elbow on la table. ! “ Well,” said the widow, at last, I 'have noticed that whenever you speak of Mr. Vasey, you—you —” . t “Appear to reserve an opinion prejudicial to that gentleman 1” interrupted , Mr. Purblind. “ Why, yes —that is what I mean. “ Are yon deeply interested in him?’ asked the gentleman. “ Well," said the widow, with a quick | blush, “ that is beside the question. I j certainly do like him, because X think him a perfect gentleman.” j Mr. Purblind sighed. “ In my view, madam, no man can be a perfect gentieI man who ia not perfectly moral, j “ Good gracious ! Mr. Purblind.” Mr. Vasey is clever, fascinating, kind natured. no doubt. But Iquestionhiscluim to the title you have conferred upon him as judged from my standpoint.” j The widow’s cye3 filled with tears. Mr. Purblind noticed this circumI stance, and ground his white teeth. “ Well, sir,” said the lady, “in what respect does Mr. Vasey sin against your high standard ?” “Alas! madam, ho is even as most young men of the present day. He is gay—that is what they call it—to gamble, and drink, and —and—lead the life of the unregenorate.” “ Mr. Purblind, these are very serious charges.” “ They are none the less teruth, madam,” said Mr. Purblind. “ Heed not the voice of this tempi er, madam. No happiness can result from an union with a man who does not cherish the purity of his soul even as the apple of his eye.” , _ r “ But, Mr. Purblind, perhaps Mr. Vasey is not given to vice. The world is so wicked that it is liardly possible to pass through' it unsullied.” “ 1 know not, madam," said Mr. Purblind, loftily, “ how that may be. But 1 know that I—l, Pentioost Purblind —a simple Christian man, madam, have contrived to preserve the white spotlessness of my moral nature unsullied. Madam, let me entreat you to pause. Marry not the nffiu of vanities. Wed with one who would lead you in the right path, love you with Christian love, cherish you for your soul’s sake. In short, madam, me.' 1 , Hero he would have taken the lady s hand, had it not been for tho circumstance tiiat his coat collar was suddenly seized ■ from behind, and he was hurled to the 1 other end of the room. Even aa he 1 pirouetted under the force of this attack

be perceived tliat it had come troni the man whose character he had been malignmg. “ You canting scoundrel,” gasped the young lawyer, “ so you have been caught in your own trap, eh ?” You a moral man — you a Christian saint— you , you foul wretch, to seek to wed this lady. It makes my blood boil to think you should have ever so much as touched her hand.” Tile discomfited Mr. Purblind glanced at the widow. He saw at once that he had been made the victim of a preconcerted plan to expose him. “I forgive you,” said he, with a wretched effort to assume his usual magnanimous manner. “ I forgive you,” and he turned to leave. “Stop,” roared the lawyer. “Not yet, you villain !” And Mr. Yusey went to the door and threw it open. A young woman with two children entered. Mr. Purblind gave a great gasp, and staggered back. “ Now, sir,” said the lawyer, “ do you know this person ?” “I do not!” desperately answered the moral toucher, as he mopped his forehead with his handkerchief. “ Oh, Bartholomew !’’ cried the young woman, “ how can you ?’’ “ 1 know you not,” cried the philanthropist. “Let me pass.” “Not yet,’’said Vasey. “Tell us,young woman, what you know of this precious person ?” “ He is my husband,” said the woman. “ His name is Bartholomew Vance.” “It is not—it is not,” gasped Mr. Purblind. “ That was the name he married me under,” said the woman ; “ seven years ago, in Auckland. When he left me, he said he would return within a few months—that is four years ago. I only heard from him once, when he sent me ten pounds, and said that business called him to England. He commended me and the children to the care of Heaven didn’t you, Bartholomew?” “ Woman !” groaned the wretched Mr. Purblind, “1 know you not.” And with a desperate rush ho escaped from the room, followed by his wife and hildren.