Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-11-02
HIS FIRST WIFE'S RELA-
ITONS.

Hubert Stickuey's choice of seconC
wife was not generally approved. 1
| Mr.. Stickney had been an ordinary
citizen there would undoubtedly have
been talk enough in regard to the un
! suitableness of the match but Mr.
( Stickney was not an ordinary citizen
He was selectman, surveyor, master
of the Grange, general administrator
and advisor on all legal, moral and do
mestic subjects. The governor him,
self could scarcely be more in demand
than this well-informed and high-mind
ed Vermont farmer Now for such a
man to choose q companion from fash.
ionable city life was inevitably to cast
some doubt on the soundness of his
judgment in the past, and so friends
and neighbors shook their heads sadly,
and told each other that Stickney's in
fuence was thing of the past.
Now this gentleman, honorable as
he had certainly proved himself in
every department of life, had not been
quite frank with his lady-love He
had told her with some pride the exact
amount of bis income. He had pictur-
ed the fine old homestead with the
warmth of one who loves what he is de-
scribing. His intended wife had
known just how many elms there were
in front of the house, as well as their
ages and histories, The lawn, the
orchards, the mountains, the little lake
in the heart of the woods, she was
perfectly acquainted with. II fact,
there was nothing omitted from the
picture but the human figures occupy
ing the foreground, These were the
the trst wife's relations, and no one
knew better than Mr.. Stickney how
prominent were the positions they oc-
cupied.
The gentleman's voice did not seem
quite natural when he presented his
wife to the ladies assembled at the
homestead to meet the traVelers
Florence, he said, ALLOW me. This
is Mrs. Mazonson,' presenting the ell
derly lady, who certainly did not look
very gracious, 'and Miss Maria and
Miss Susan Mazonson,' indicated two
ladies of uncertain age, equally stiff
and uncordial.
Miss Susan Mazonson The young
wife, whose appreciation of the humor-
Gus was very keen, had all she could
do to keep from laughing in the faces
of the unbending trio with the comical
names. 1t was very good of Mr.
StickneY to invite friends to meet her,
she told herself, as she pleasantly
greeted her seeming guests. But why
had he selected such funeral looking
party? At the tea-table Mrs. Stickney,
fresh es rose in her pretty summer
silk and dainty laces, sat beside her
husband. The elder Mazonson presid-
ed at the tea-urn. This was more in
explicable then the rest but perhaps.
it was the fashion in Vermont to treat
the lady of the house as a guest for
time, and so this insult was good-na-
turedly accounted for The table,
though unexceptionably appointed, and
covered with every imaginable good
thing, was waited upon by her guests
This was doubtless another act of
courtesy, the new conner told herself
but the sight of servant would have
been an inexpressible relief 1t was
very annoying to be served by ones
visitors, but this being the fashion,
she must make the best of it. After
starting numberless topics of conversa-
.ion, and having them all fall dead
even her husband seemed suddenly
struck dumb-Mrs. Stickney was
obliged to give up the contest. How
different this was from the home-com-
ing she had SO lovingly anticipated |!
Such jolly times as they had all through
their six weeks wedding tour, and
now, in the twinkling ofan eye, every
thing had changed, or seemed to
change OF course it was all seeming,
the young wife told herself, but it was
surely very disagreeable. After the
wretched meal was over Mrs, Stick
ney, almost ready to cry, invited her
husband to take walk, but here was
Mrs Mazonson at his elbow.
Hiram had to go away this noon,'
she said so / suppose you'll have to
milk, Hubert
Mrs. MaZonson was very tall, very
thin, very dark, and her voice was so
unutterably deep and hollow that Mrs.
Stickney could not rid herself of the
notion that it belonged to somebody
else. The city bred young lady knew
that cows had to be milked, but she
had never associated her husband with
the one that performed the operation,
and now turned an astonished face to
that gentleman and the assembled
Mazonsons.
1T must be fun to milk, she remark
ed, determined to put the best poss-
BILE face on affairs. I'll go and see
you
Not in that dress, hope said Mrs.
as Mr.. Stickney left the
room. i was going to say, little
while ago. she went on, that seein
as you was dressed up, you needn't
mind about the dishes
The dishes What in the world
did this dreadful woman mean? Be-
fore she had time to inquire, her tor
menter had left the room, and now,
more perplexed that ever, Mrs Stick
ney went in search of her husband.
She found him in the barnyard, and in
the excitement of new sensation al
most forgot the disagreeable things
that had preceded it In dilapidated
straw bat, patched coat, and blue over
alls, she did not at first recognize her
husband but when she did she clap
ped her hands like child, and laugh
ed as merry laugh as ever was heard
on the Stickney farm.
is that the way the people always
dress when they milkp she inquired,
touching the old coat Caressingly with