A Husband in Trouble.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 41, 24 August 1870, Page 7

A Husband in Trouble.

Last Tuesday night, as Mrs Stanshury was about to bring a bucket of water from the hydrant, she found an old basket suspended from the knob of the front door. Putting her hand into the basket, she found something “ alive and kicking,” but so enveloped in soft material that no further discovery could be made without unwrapping the object. A piece of paper, like a letter, lay beside the animate bundle. Mrs Stansbury very quickly turned into the house, and by the light of the lamp she examined the billet. It was addressed to her husband. In a great state of excitement. she broke the seal and read as follows :—“ To Joe Stansbury. • Sir, —I send you little Tommy, which you will please take good care of and bring up right, so that it may turn out to be better than its ! daddy. Oh, what a sly old rake you are ; Who would think that such a staid, sober old spindleshanks could be such a tearing down old sinner. Look at it!—it is Joe Stansbury all over. You deceived me most shamefully, letting on to be a widower ; but now do a father's part.—Your brokenhearted Nancy. P.S.—Don’t let that sharp-nosed wife of yours see this letter. Gammon her with some kind of a story about matters and things.” Mr Stansbury was in the basement kitchen, quietly eating his supper ; and little did he imagine what a storm was brewing over his head. The door of the kitchen staircase was violently thrown open, and Mrs S. yelled out angrily, “ Stansbury, you villain, come up i here ; here’s a mess for you !” Stansbury, quite astounded, hurriedly washed his mouth but, and obeyed the summons. “ Don’t you want to see Nancy—the dear, broken-hearted Nancy V’ cried Mrs Stansi bury, when her guilty husband hobbled 1 into the room.—“ Nancy ?—what Nancy’s j that 1” said the sly old rogue, in feigned perplexity.—-“ Why, Nancy, the mother of Tommy, who has been hung at tire door, Mr Stansbury. Oh, you look mighty innocent ; but just read that letter, and then look in that basket. Don’t be afraid ! it won’t bite : it’s got no teeth, poor thing ! j. You’ll know it, for it’s just like you, all , over. And, please goodness, I’ll expose you before everybody I know.” And in ’ less than five minutes, Mrs Stranslmry had collected together a roomful of spectators to witness the proceedings. Anxious ex--1 pectation sat upon every countenance as the enraged lady tore away cloth after cloth from the body of the foundling, the vigorous movements of which astonished everybody. “It is full of the d 1 already,” said Mrs Stanshury. “That 3 shews it’s his. You'll see.that it’s like 0 him iu everything else.” The swaddling clothes were at last removed, and out jumped the baby, and made its escape '■ through the open door. It was a large e tom-cat. The joke was played upon them by a mischievous young lady who lived next door.—American paper.