Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
318
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
·
James Wilson Hyde
237
"Oh
no,"
said
the
officer,
"you
are
a
big
man,
and
we
must
have
two;"
and
beckoning
Mrs
----
to
leave
the
room,
he
turned
the
key
in
the
door,
and
went
for
the
police.
During
his
absence,
the
household
was
in
a
state
of
wild
excitement,
the
lady
of
the
house
being
in
a
high
state
of
nervousness,
while
below-stairs
the
servants
were
in
no
better
condition.
Meanwhile,
one
of
the
females,
either
through
sympathy
for
the
idol
of
the
kitchen,
or
in
pursuance
of
womanly
curiosity,
which
is
not
less
likely,
sought
the
vantage-ground
of
a
water-butt
at
the
rear
of
the
premises,
in
order
to
make
a
reconnaissance
through
the
window,
and
ascertain
how
the
butler
was
comporting
himself
in
the
new
and
extraordinary
situation
where
he
was.
But
one
glance
into
the
room
was
enough;
she
sprang
to
the
ground,
and
ran
to
her
mistress
screaming
that
John
was
cutting
his
throat.
Sure
enough
he
had
been
engaged
in
this
operation,
using
a
pocket-knife
for
the
purpose;
and
the
officers
of
justice,
on
opening
the
door,
found
him
streaming
with
blood
from
the
self-inflicted
wound.
At
this
juncture
the
Post-office
official
left
the
matter
to
be
dealt
with
by
the
clergyman
as
he
might
see
fit.
He
felt
sufficient
interest
in
the
case,
however,
to
make
inquiry
subsequently
as
to
the
fate
of
the
culprit,
and
learnt
that
he
had
recovered
from
his
injury;
that
his
kind
master
and
mistress
had
forgiven
him;
and
although
they
did
not
receive
him
back
into
their
service,
they
helped
him
in
other
ways,
and
were
assiduous
in
their
endeavours
to
keep
him
in
the
paths
of
rectitude
and
honesty.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
