Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1872-06-25
The Man WHO Married a Man.

The Man WHO Married a Man.
One night in mid-winter | entered
the house of mine host Barrows, with
my hair frozen stiff about my ears,
and my moustach an icle in color and
feeling bno9ss ODD rol noi-eD'A s.
1t was bitter cold out O. doors, but
there was bright fire burning in a
broad old fashion fireplace, and around
it sat a group of sleepy looking men,
toasting their shins before the ruddy
blaze. fs,
The reader, for whose superior pow
ers of mind L have profound respect,
is also at liberty to guess where Bar
rows hotel is or was; but it is of no
kind of Importance, perhaps it may be
as we'll not to dwell upon the subject.
1t is an old stone building-not so
ancient perhaps as the Maple Inn that
Branaby Rudge was wont to visit, and
not destined to the. fate of that well
kept but unfortunate hostelry, and its
bar boasts no grove of lemonadcs.-
But Barrows himself was there, on
this night of mine, and his face looked
sour enough to have just swallowed q
lemon grove without sugar. 1t was
a good-natured face too, in the ordin.
airy, but tonight the less Of Barrow's
old heart had been subject to a stir
ring. o1'
I made my way up to the cheerful
blaze, and shook myself like water
dog, to the manifest discontinue Of
the group Of sleepy toasters, who shiv'
cred and shrugged themselves at the
sight of me, fresh and cold from the
drcary night. .r,.s .ae
"Coolish out, Mr.. Webb, said Bar.
rows, coming forward to take my over
coat and wrapper. saint had such o
stingcr afore this year-plays the dix
ems with my party"
"a party tonight, Barrows ?" said
L. ~
"Yes, was to have been, but the
dancers didn't come. Sleighin's thin
ye konw, and they wouldn't come in
Wagons on such night. I'm out o
pocket pretty figure by it."
And the lemon grove stood confess.
ed.
"Nobody come, eh ?" said 1, as
parted my coat-tails and turned nay
back to the fire.
"Oh, yes" said Barrows, contemp-
tuously; pointing to the shin toasters
-"and every one Of 'cm without a
woman. And what's a ball without
women ?o
"Ah, sure enough said +, "what's
anything without women? Women
are our solace in misfortune. our joy
in prosperity-in short the charm Of
this uphappy vale of tears, Barrows,
and no dancing party can be said to be
complete without them-except among
the Indians. If ever 1 marry, I shall
marry woman" e.
"Haw, haw, haw |" roared the Ian
castershire hostlcr, who sat in the corner,
and who thus testified the delight of
an appreciative mind at my brilliant
wit. "Why, you'd hare to marry a
wummun if you married at ALL"
"I knew a man once,p said a queer
looking customer, who sat smoking a
very long pipe, solcmnly, !"swlfo mar
ried aMan.p sa,,NSs,
The toasters started. sNG H.
"Tell us about that" said the Ian
castershier man. "Wo've been telling
stories afore yoy come in, and it was
my turn next. But yo'n tell better
nor j, / make no doubt" 30
"rllstell you the story in three
words,' said the, man of,the pipe
'But first L mean to hear your story,
Donny---so go ahead. And let it be
about q woman" aas .' 5, ...'fa p. s..
The Iancastershire man was coy,
but being urge proceeded :, III
"You see, this story that I've got in
my head is as true as the Book, sir.
1t happened in our town when l was
q young man Of twenty, and it we're
The talk O. the town for weeks about
Lknowcd the docthcr myself.
''Thc docther coorted 4 widow in
- -. L.. ....... 49,. II .f>.-.e.. I