The Broken Engagement

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1346, 7 June 1905, Page 4

The Broken Engagement

. Mrs, B, D. E, N. Soiithworth '

Author of . " The Lost Heiroßs,"" Vivia," " Eudora,' 1 etc. ''

.CHAPTER VII (Continued) "Please, ycr honor, it wur mo as met tho young gent fust avter her ran out of Black.s," said tho tramp, coming forward, and pulling bis forelock. .."Weil: tell us all about it" '' Yy, you seo, zur, as I was standing in front o'.Black's, vailing to open, carriage ... doors for a penny, ven all of a sudden this young gent spins out of the door as if Old Nick bad pitches him; he looks about the street wild as luny, and, sez he, 'Vat shall J do?" iiml then I miido so bold lo hint ; as to give a poor man a penny moighfc be about the right thing to do. And lie :. answored how hp didn't seo it, aiid he was ; another, and served mo right, nnd nil such like-randotny talk as had nothink to do with what I asked him. Awl thon, zur, he went, to moaning and complaining mid bewailing hissf-lf, 'ncause lie said ho hadn't a wifj and fifteen email children, :. mostly twins, specially the three last; which your honor will own uo man, unlcvs - hd was stark triad, would ever want, and ..'. which it is clear this young goat could no* popsibly 'a' had, even if ho'd got niarriod at ten years old !" . " Well, well, never mind/ that 1 What next? "Whv, he tossed me a crown, and made off with himself, and th».t was all f saw ot him un'il f saw him in a raving mad fii : at the 'bus stand, and wai called to help to take him, a job we had of it, . I'll never help to tiki a man ag'iin, I'm bit in a dozen places at le«st; look here 1" a iid the mnn. showing the wounds . received in the conflict, " Shookng! absolutely shocking 1" . h Now, zur, as ypu'ro a modical man, ' I'll like you to tell ma if I'm like to i:o mad along of it; and if so bu I am, I'd thank you to givo an ante—what's it's name, to stop it." ." lou are not in any darger; the bile of a maniac, (loos not cau?o hydrophobia like - that of a rabid dog, so that ycu will not require, an antidote. Yon may go," Thettampdid not "go," he was too much interested in the proceedings; but he withdrew lo an obscure corner of tho room, and stood watching the sierio quite unconscious of the gross exaggeration in hia testimony, " Now, friends, if tbcro is aDyono here who saw this unhappy young man in the ntot stage of hisjproeeeding , I should. li!:o . to hear their account of it," said the doctor.: ... ". Come, my. poor darling I liisunplens- . ant, I know, but it's your boundon duty," ;. said Mrs Molly, urging forward a young girl, whom Bhe at length led np to the doctor, saying: "Here, doctor, this is Miss Boll,potr child; sbo saw Joseph early in the afternoon; they were to liaye been married Boon, poor children, tut Lord I who can tell what ut day may bring forth 1" ... " How did Mr Morris appear saw. bitty my.child?" inquired the doctor. ~ Lizzy had her face bmied in her pocket handkerchief, and was sohbiug, or pretonding to sob, os she answered: . " Ho eaoie to see me at about one o'clock this afternoon, and he behaved most cruel, violent, and insulting to mo 1", v'" Teli me, my dear, what ho did and Skid?" "He frowned at me, and stared at mo horribly—onough to frighten mo out oi my wits, and ho called mo a perfect fright, ai.d a regular devil!" This was Lizzy's translation of tho mild ; and ; truth phrases " not a beauty," and "by no means an angel," But Miss Lizzy was fortunately* not upon her oa'h, " And what else, my dear ?" " Oh. a great deal of tho same sort. And.please don't ask ms a';y more it was/ i so dreadful ! and now I hope nobody will expect me to keep tny engagement and : marry a madman bec.tuso (c.m't dii it?" sobbed Lizzy. ." Certainly not, tny child! at leau not j

Mrs, Molly, wccjpiug. " What do yon think, doctor ?" " I think it would lm the only safe pi m." "Thon tho aoooel' it is done tlio better, Will somebody lunand cull a cab?''inquired Mr. John Morris, giving n terriliid glanco toward Joseph, who, notwithstanding tho t'.'ct flirt his hands and feot were tightly honnd, had mnnaged, by ilie violont wriggling of his boby, lo raise liituself in n sitting pjsturo upon the sofa, where ho rom»iuod, "laving around the company. "Oh, lots! Oh, dear! his fit is coming on again 1 Run—run, somebody, for a cab, and lot us got him off baforo hi does mischief 1" cried Mrs Molly. The tramp started on the errand; but as lie opened tho door, he stepped baok to make way for two visitors, who had onterod the hull unannounced, but whom he heraldod us: " Another lady and gemman as known summut abjiit romctliin' I" And Helen Lyle and liarry Blowitt cntored the room. Joseph Morris made n hound to meet his betrothed, but was itnmediately seized and held down by the doctor and Mr John, ' To if continued

nit present," said t'.ie doctor, wlvi wis loo; much impressed by Miss Lizzy's i- fan'iu- j beauty to pbreeivo her besrili;g>nes?, | V " No. neither at pre yent or in ilie futu e! I want that to bo distinctly unte-OKI, fur | I think that- when an engagement is Volt-! ea off, especially witli a ni;>dm,m <t hod ; better never bj lenotved " -nii the eolfi<li ■ Miss Lizzy. ."res, iiiy darling; it eh-If be just as .. you say. Poor thing i She i-sofrvlitciipil. and upset by all t : migs, (hut alio duson't know what siio is talking about,' 1 said Mrs Molly, leading lic-r awny, • •.•"'Ye?, but Jt do know what I am talking about ; and I want eierybody conci mid to understand that the enga«'-mor>t is fore■oyerat an end,"persisted Lizzy. I " Well, Will, my dear, wo will talk of that sctne other timo, when yon are yourself, yon know," answered Mrs. Molly, who could not be made to recognise Lizzy Bell's utter selfishness.

"Andnow, sir," awl old John tofcho doctor, " yon havo heard that wo know; :and what do you think ? Ho semis quieter liow; and mightn't wo venture to keop him here to-night ? I hardly like to send tlio pour fellow off to-night," " I fear," replied the doctor, " that it is the riicro quie'tido of menial and physical exhaustion, I fear that when his strength iotums k may break out into fury again." *' Oh yos, doctor, to be sure 'o will I Hi know something of madness myself, 'aving 'ad several men young man go raving mad on my account. J>on't trot him, Mr John, Hit's all 'is heart to deceive you. Madmen aro wonderful cunning," said Miss Robinsou, who bad no iden of having myindulgerjc<! granted to tliia victim. "Oh John, so ho might! and then finish up by jumping into tho river poor innocent] It's very painful John, but indeed Ini afraid ho had better be sent away lb-night, 'I ho doctor knows a nice place kept by a friend ofhi-t, where the poor boy niifihc be t«ken caro of for a few days, unci wo can sou what to do with him," said