"Hang him? - how could they?" exclaimed a beetle-browed barrister, with
a hawk's nose - "the offence was not capital - no robbery nor assault had
been committed - no forcible entry or breaking into the premises - "
"My aunt," said the narrator, "was a woman of spirit, and apt to take
the law into her own hands. She had her own notions of cleanliness
also. She ordered the fellow to be drawn through the horsepond to
cleanse away all offences, and then to be well rubbed down with an
oaken towel."
"And what became of him afterwards?" said the inquisitive gentleman.
"I do not exactly know - I believe he was sent on a voyage of
improvement to Botany Bay."
"And your aunt - " said the inquisitive gentleman - "I'll warrant she
took care to make her maid sleep in the room with her after that."
"No, sir, she did better - she gave her hand shortly after to the
roystering squire; for she used to observe it was a dismal thing for a
woman to sleep alone in the country."
"She was right," observed the inquisitive gentleman, nodding his head
sagaciously - "but I am sorry they did not hang that fellow."
It was agreed on all hands that the last narrator had brought his tale
to the most satisfactory conclusion; though a country clergyman present
regretted that the uncle and aunt, who figured in the different
stories, had not been married together.
