eminine of Joseph himself) hanging upon his arm, accosted our friend
the tinman.

"Stop!" cried the mayor.

"What for?" inquired John Parsons. "If it's a debt, I've already told
you that I'll be his bail."

"It is a debt," responded the chief magistrate; "and one that luckily he
must pay, and not you. Three years ago he married this lady at Liverpool
We have the certificate and all the documents."

"Yes, sir," added the injured fair one; "and I find that he has another
wife in Dublin, and a third at Manchester. I have heard, too, that he
ran away with a young lady to Scotland; but that don't count, as he was
under age."

"Four wives!" ejaculated John Parsons, in a transport of astonishment
and indignation. "Why the man is an absolute great Turk! But the
thing's impossible. Come and answer for yourself, Joseph Hanson."

And the tinman turned to look for his intended son-in-law; but
frightened at the sight of the fair claimant of his hand and person, the
bridegroom had absconded, and John Parsons and the mayor had nothing for
it but to rejoin the pretty Harriet, smiling through her tears as she
sate with her bride-maiden in the coach at the churchyard-gate.

"Well; it's a great escape! and we're for ever obliged to you, Mr.
Mayor. Don't cry any more, Harriet. If Frederick was but here, why, in
spite of the policemen---- but a week hence will do as well; and I am
beginning to be of Harriet's mind, that even if he had not had three or
four wives, we should be well off to be fairly rid of Mr. Joseph Hanson,
the puffing haberdasher."

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mr. Joseph Hanson, The Haberdasher, by
Mary Russell Mitford

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MR. JOSEPH HANSON, THE HABERDASHER ***

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