122 William Waggleton. 



Dean of Maryborough, who live in a red-brick house, over- 

 looking the river, just outside the town of Maryborough, 

 never tire of relating how shocked they were, one hot 

 summer's day, as they were sitting under their big mul- 

 berry-tree on the lawn, when they suddenly saw a fiend 

 in human shape, who turned out, on inquiry, to be none 

 other than the depraved William Waggleton, deliberately 

 undress and betake himself to the water, for the purpose 

 of enjoying a swim. How they would have thought 

 nothing of that, for it was only natural, but when it came, 

 *' when it came," said Miss Penelope, with a shudder, "to 

 that dreadful person running round and round the field 

 with nothing on, literally nothing on, to dry himself, be- 

 cause I suppose he had no towels, it really, you know, 

 my dear, became beyond a joke." One can well imagine, 

 indeed, the two poor old ladies, hastily snatching up their 

 books and shawls, and fairly bolting into the house as our 

 friend was seen coming round for the third time. 



There is, indeed, scarcely a soul in the county whom he 

 has not roughed up the wrong way, either by word or deed ; 

 even cheery Tom Chirpington can't stand him, and, if he 

 catches sight of him riding up the avenue towards the house, 

 retires to his sanctum, and locks himself carefully in, until 

 he finds the unwelcome guest has departed. Did he not, 

 too, liken that worthy and energetic magistrate, Mr. Slow- 

 man unto an " Owl," only " without the wisdom " ? It was 

 not a bad simile, for, to say the truth, the worthy beak, as to 

 his countenance, is not at all unlike that sagacious-looking 

 bird, more especially when he is occupying the throne, as 

 chairman of the bench of magistrates. Of course, what 

 our eccentric friend had said came round in due time to the 

 ears of the great J. P. himself, and Mr. Slowman ever since 



