South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-01-05
HIS SECOND WIFE.
BY ADA +. STRICKLAND.

uOOts duu hittit Ikdtldu tuteW Iler-
self in disordercd heap on sofa. Il
declare to goodness, May Harlan, /
am completely worn ont. Was there
ever such another man born? I'd ra.
Their go through the measles or the
whooping cough, than through this
interview with our respected father
one time, let alone once week, or
oftener, for lifetime. low did onr
poor mother ever stand it? l wish to
gracious he'd marry again
! why, kittie Harlan! Papa marry
again!' and the sweet blue eyes on
the other side the CRATE opened wide
in panied surprise, as May looked up
at her sister.
you know | haven't long to stay
here and significant blush dyed the
round cheek Of the speaker, 'and of
course your home will always be with
mo till you capture one of our own
There are no little children TO be
'bossed around, us Aunt Tilda says,
by stepmother, and do wart him
TO marry somebody with some force
of character. Somebody that will,
tiguratively speaking, take him by
the throat, and demand money G.
nough to run this establishment with
out having to account for every tea
spoonful! OF sugar aud grain OF coffee
used. You should have heard him
this morning. what, Katherine?
out of -four? and the coffee all gone?
Surely you arc mistaken. You can't
have used all | bought last month !!
Oh, if Harry ever dares to act that
way won't there be row?'
20 kttic, said the elder but inva-
Id sister, gently drawing the excited
giIl down 10 her side, .Ion mustn't
use such language, aud yon know
you don't want poor papa to be
| unhappy
He wouldn't he unhappy If it was
managed right said Kittio.
We'll, dear, | am inclined 10 think
part, at least, of your wish is soon to
be realized Annie wrote me that
when papa was there, he was very at
tentivc 10 a young widow, and since
he came back they have been CORES
ronding. She told me nothing Of her
character, though perhaps YOU know
her. IIer name is IIarcourt
Kittie sprang to her feet with rip
ping laugh
oh, goody / should think | did
Why, she used 10 be, and still is, one
OF my dearest friends. You have
heard me speak of Belle Armstead?
She is the very one | would have cho.
sen. She has had enough OF one
s.ingy man. Rob Iiarcourt had but
one fault, and that was he would med,
die in the household affairs, and it
was Ike drawing a tooth TO get dol
lar out OF his pocket. | wish you
knew Belle. You would see mt once
that she was the right woman in tie
right place
Bot will she be good to papa?' ask
ed TIE anxious May.
'Of course she will. IF she didn't
! love him she would never marry him.
You may ba sure. Bot she Will be
good TO herself too. But ] must go
now, to make my purchases with this
hard earned money! looking con.
temptuously at the purse in her hand
I'm going TO tell Harry this very
night that if he is not willing to make
me an allowance of as much az no can
spare every month To run his house.
and never ask me il i didn't spill n
few grains of coffee, or put lump Of
sugar too much in somebody's tea,
( then he'll have to find some one else
to be Mrs. Morrison And with q
merry laugh the lively girl was gone,
sure that her Harry would never wor-
~ her life about household expenses.
Ah! how many girls have been sure
( OF that, and awoko to find the gener.
ons>heartcd lover lost in the peruri-
Gus, peuny-wise husband. | heard
/ an eXaspcratcd woman say once that
she would almost as soon q man
would be drunk aud liberal, rs sober
aud stingy' and though / think that
IS going almost too far, yet there ia
nothing more wearing ON q woman's
nerves than 10 be afraid 20 tell her
husband that tie -four is getting low
in the barrel, or the meat all gone.
and TO tremble when he asks what
she did with that quarter Yesterday.
Mr.. Harlan was man who had
made his fortune by hard, pains.tak-
ing labor, and often boastcd that he
knew how every dollar came and
meant TO know how it went a sen.
timcnt all very well in It's place. but
surely man can trust the woman he
has chosen Of all tue world, TO be his
'help-meet,' to spend her part of il
wisely aud well. Mr.. Harlan had @ 4.
violently thought he couldn't, for his
gentle, lHy-wife's life had been n con.
tinual struggle 70 mako the few dol.
lars he gave her stretch from one
week to the next, without asking for
more Indeed, he very seldom gave il
to her, only just az it was absolutely
necessary, and every article must be
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