The Wreck of the South Pole and Other Strange Tales — page 190: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

That Deceptive Telegram. 18 3 while she was a Simon-pure Baptist, who believed in con- versions, baptism, and a godly life. Owing to the diversity in their ages, the wife had good reason for being jealous of him. So the two ladies en- joyed themselves all Wednesday afternoon and evening, the one telling of her husband’s derelictions, and the other telling of her suspicions. Meanwhile, all unconscious of his wife’s close prox- imity, the Rev. Alfred Brown was enjoying himself im- mensely. His bachelor friend knew the north end, and was able to give him surprising knowledge with regard to that part of the city. They drove in a carriage to the principal points of interest, visited Lincoln Park and saw the bears in the bear pit. Only two things marred Mr. Brown’s happiness. He thought of his wife, lonely in Quincy, and of Mary Candee’s sad future. Before a day had passed he had another trouble. His former parish- ioner, the girl who had gone wrong, followed him. She had seen him in a cab, had followed and dogged him on every trip, begging for half-dollars. He wished to help her, but her persecutions almost made him decide to take his friend’s advice and hand her over to the police. But Mr. Brown was soft-hearted. | Mrs. Brown inherited from her Puritan ancestors a horror of the theatre, but her old school friend overcame her scruples enough to induce her to go and see Irving in Batiste ys. cys “Tt is improper,” the rector’s wife said. “But the moral is good,” her friend replied. Cconniclooolk (©)