POOR MARY ANN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 72, 30 January 1879, Page 2

POOR MARY ANN.

OutWe3t'Bronipton way a gehtleiha'n''" had reason to think that his maid-of-alK' : work was in the habit of using his paraffinto start the morning fires. He placed Ms suspicions in. the form of a charge, which, was indignantly denied, and proof; demanded. He wasn't ready with his testimony, and the case was dismissed for lack ■ of evidence. But his suspicions'increased, and ho-ordered a secret investigation, and appointed himself chairman of the' committee, with powers to send .for persons and papers. He laid his plans with care, and the next morning he followed'.' his maid-servant downstairs at a carefuh- — and respectful distance, and hid himself near the kitchen door, .where he could hear very distinctly what was said and done. The rustle of paper and tho rattle of firewood was succeeded by hasty steps to and from the cupboard where the lampoil was kept. Then he heard the gurgling of a liquid, as though it was bubbling out of a small tin spout, He heard the can set down and then the scrape of a match. "H'm," he heard the maid-servant, a little petulantly. Another match snapped. Grimly smiled the silent man by the outer door.

"H'm," remarked the maid-servant, a little petulantly. Another match snapped and blazed up. The smile'on the face of the man deepened into a grin, ■" Well, I never did!", came from the kitchen, and again was heard thesound'of gurgling and the contract of a tin vessel with the brick floor, Again was more silence.

" Well, did you ever?" queried the queen of the kitchen, evidently anxious to obtain testimony coroborative of her own experince, and set forth in her previous statement that she never did. The man sitting outside the door .throttled himself with both hands and softly beat the ground with his heels. Something evidently excited him, aiid whon ' the next match snapped ho caught himself by the legs and bit fiercely into the comer of the door fraino in a frenzied effort to smother a hollow sound. "Old Scratch is in the ile, Ido believe," * said a troubled voice in the kitchen, aud/ more pouring ensued; Another ttiatchpS**other, another. Aiid the man hugged his , knees, with,many insane expressions and silent demonstrations of interest, when he heard the angry voice inside the kitchen say-

"Plague on such ile! I'd like to pour it all down old Skinnyflint's back!" Another match, then a confused sound of rattling and scraping, and a tearfull woman came to the door, and hurled an armful of soaked paper and firo-wood out . >. into the coal-hole, and kicked an oil-can : after it. The smiling man crept back up- N stairs unseen. Breakfast raslate that morning, and when the queen of the kitchen was asked the cause, she said somebody had left the coal door open, and all the' firewood was damp, And no man that ever filled an oil-can with non-oxplosive water ever looked half so innocent as the man who sat at the head of that table choking over a half broiled bloater. .