Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1875 — That Sneaking, Skulking Mr. Jaskins. [ARTICLE]

That Sneaking, Skulking Mr. Jaskins.

“ Can I be protected here, Mister?” asked a woman yesterday as she entered the office of the Chief of Police. ’ “ Yes’m.” “Can my family—my innocent children —also he protected?” she demanded, striking the floor with her umbrella. “ Yes’m.” “If there is any law I want it,” she went on, dropping into a big arm-chair; “ if there isn’t I propose to take a club to him!” “ My dear woman, this world is full of sorrow,” said the Captain as he looked up from his Writing; “ each one of us has liis own separate and distinct grief to grieve over. Tell me yours.” “ Do YOU know Jaskins?” she askecl. “ Jaskins? Jaskins? Seems as if I had heard the name some time.” “ Man with a limp—one eye gone—red neck—sandy hair—got a skulking, sneaking -way with Rim, she said.” • “And he has stolen your poultry, eh?” “Poultry! Naw! It’s worse than poultry —it’s next to arson or murder!” “Goon, madam—go into the particulars!” “ Well, lie boards next to me. I’m a widow. Been alone these fourteen years, and if I do say it myself I’ve always had the respectabiest kind of a- name. I’ve a daughter Jane. She’s seventeen. She’s a good girl.” “ Yes, madam.” “ And that sneaking, skulking Jaskins is after her!” she exclaimed. “ Possible!” “He just is! Was after me first. For weeks and weeks he’d hang around our gate, and smile at me and inquire if I wasn’t lonesome, and send up strawberries, and look his lovingest out of that one eye!” “And then?” “ And then, when he found I wouldn’t marry him to save his neck, and he could not get my property to run through with, wliat d’ye s’pose he done?” “Cut his throat?”

“Naw! He turned right around and went to loving Jane! He has sent notes to her in those long, pink envelopes; he has sent her bouquets and cocoanuts, and perfume and cherries, and he’s skulking around don’t do no good. If suntliin’ ain’t done I believe Jane’ll marry him!” “ How does she act?” “ She’s a grinning around and looking soft and loving like, and she won’t inina half I say, and is getting notes and writing answers, and—and ”• And she broke down. She wiped her eyes, softly rubbed her nose, and after a moment jumped up and demanded': “ Is there any law?” “ Lots of law—dead loads, madam.” “ And you’ll put the law to him ?” “ I will, madam—l’ll make this town a vblcano' for him before he’s a week older!” “And you’ll break up the match?” “ Either that or break his back !” • “Good! The police are wrorthsunthin’ after all! If you say you’ll wait on him and tell him he’s got to back right down or go to jail I’ll chain Jane to the tableleg and sit by her for four weeks but what I’ll make her forget him!” “ I’ll do it, madam!” “ Think of my Jane marrying a man with one eye ! Anctya red neck! And a limp ! O-h-li! wlen I think of that skulking Jaskins sneaking around my innocent Jane to make her his wife I could t-e-a-r his house down !” She sat dow r n and, they fixed up a plan, and Mr. Jaskins had better leave for the West this very day .—Detroit Free Press.