The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-07
The children turned as misty colcrs as

The children turned as misty Gn'frs es
the rainbow; Moses, who was constitu-
tiioonal nel you5, got behind his stepnoth-
er; Simeon edged little nearer to tao
poker; Marion swallowed her last morsel
of cake with so much precipitation as to
nearly choke herself; Adelina began to
sob and snivel under her breath.
"Mrs. Blidgefeld," said the irate far
mer, "will you be so good as to explain
yourself?"
ooh, certainlyp' said the late Miss
Nancy Bloom. "As long as l am mis-.
tress here / intend 20 consult my own
incinations. shall undertake to give
you good food, and to keep yourself and
your children comfortably clothed, but ]
shall choose my own method Of doing
it,"
MADAM" said Dir. Blidgefeld, loos.
ening the folds of his cravat, as if there
came an apoplectic pressure there, "you
will obey me, or you will leave my
house!"
"Oh, no; l guess not !" said Nancy,
serenely. "Its my house now. You put
it in my name, the day after we were mar
ried to escape taxation. But you were
mistaken then. / inteud to pay the tax
es regularly on it myself. 1t is no part
Of my policy to eyade my just debts.
And I've money enough, saved from
school teaching, TO run the farm very
nicely, with the help Of Leroy and
George"
"They shan't stay here!" shouted mir.
Blidgefeld, the veins starting out on his
temples like ragged whip cord.
"Of course they are at liberty to take
their own choice about that" said Nan
cy, calmly.
"I'll stay with you, Stepmother," said
George and Leroy, in one breath of chiv-
a'ric eagerness.
"Soll / |" squeaked Simeon.
And the three girls clung, with asser-
vations of the fondest affection, around
Nancy.
Mr. I,lidgefieid eyed the ia6leau with
impotsnt rage. 5Irs Biidgeield smi'ed
superior.
NOW, Ben," said she, in the coaxing
tone with which one cajoles little child.
"don't be fool You know. perfectly
we'll that you are in the minority. Ii
you choose to stay here and conduct
yourself as decent Christian man
should, III do my very best to make
your home pleasant. If not"
well" shouted Mr.. Blidgefeld, still
tugging at his cravat folds.
"Well, madam, and what then"
"Why, then," said Nancy, conposedly,
you can go about your business
Mr.. Blidgefeld remained to contest
the matter no longer. He strode out Of
the house, banging the door behind him,
by way of parting benediction.
"I'll consult lawyer" said be, "I'll
get divorce. l never, never was so
treated before in the whole course Of my
life !!
He consulted n lawyer, but the verdict
was not favorably to his side of tho mat.
ter. He remained outside of the fortress
for week, vainly hoping that Mrs.
Blidgefield and the garrison would capi-
tulate.
But they didn't. And then he lower
ed his own colors. Nancy had been too
much for him.
But she never twitted him with his
lack Of success. She only smiled a gra.
cious welcome.
"And I must confess" he afterward
added, "that never was so comfortable
afore as Nancy makes me-"
Tie children-poor souls l-said the
same thing, Their stepmother had
brought. new sunshine In the dreary old
farm house. She had even civilized their
father, in some degree.
And the neighbors all wondered how
1t was that Nancy Bloom got along 80
nicely with that old crab Of husband of
hers.