The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-02-07
The Two mRs. fuckers,
ny LosE TERRY eookg.


the hoss out. said Amasa Tucker. IA he
opened the back door ef gray house,
set ON top Of treeless hill, tracked
here and there with paths the geese
had made in their daily journeys to tho
pond below, and only approached al
the back by lane to the great red
barn, and rickcty board gate set
between two posts Of the rail fence.
This was wealthy Ann fuckers
homecoming, She had married
Amasa that morning ut her fathers
house in stanton. little village
twenty miles away from rect's Mills,
the town within whose wide limits lay
tho Tucker farm. and had come home
with him this early spring afternoon in
tho old wagon behind tho hony herse
that did duty for Amasa's family car-
riage.
Mrs. Tucker was a tall. thin young
woman, with sad, reticcnt face, very
silent and capable; the>e last traits had
been her chief recommendation IL her
husband. There VAS no sentiment
about the matter. old Mrs, Tucker
had died two weeks before this mar
riAge, hut Amasa was "fore.hamaea,
and knowing his mother could not live
long had improved his orrortnniti, =
and been "sparkina Wealthy Aan Minor
all winter, in inaieioas provision for
the coming event ot his solitude,
He had thought tho thing all over.
and concluded that wife was cheaper
than hired girl, and mere permanent
50 when he found this alert. tisna.loint.
ed, handy girl living Al her anelc,s.
who was Wiaower IN great farm the
other side Of tho village, Amasa made
her acquaintance as soon ~ possible
and preeeeted to further intmacs,
Wealthy liked better to work for her
uncle than for a step-father with six
secondary children, hut she thought |,
would he better still 10 have house ii
her owns 80 she agreed IL marry
Amasa Tucker, and this was the hea,
coming.
She opened tho door into Iinsy
room with an open fireplace al one
end. window on the north N Il one VI,
tho south side, small. ran,a With old,
green and imperfect glass, and let,lns
in but just enough light to work hs,
NS
toned oil 10 make a pantry, and door
by the fireplace le,l ont into the woei.
shed. The front Of the house con,
tanned two rooms, tine orened mts
the Kitchen and WAS 4 bed roem. fur,
nished sparsely enoughs the other was
4 earlor. with high.hackca raSh,ho,.
toned chairs against the wall. a round
table in the middle. a fireplace With
brass andlrons, and fire-lrons. family
Bible ON the table. and ~moa,nsns
piece painted in ground hair On III.
mantel. Green paper shades and
white cotton curtains, a rag earre,
fresh ~ ii came from the loeM~-if is>
dinginess could ever he called fresa-
and \ straightforward sofa covered viii
green and yellow glasel chin,r. maa,
IA dreary an apartment as could well h
imagined Wealthy shut the door he
hind her quickly. and w,ns Ia tie skei
for material to make her fire L, VA,
almost shutdown and she was hungry
but she found only the seantsest sunpl,
Of weed. aud few dry chips of KIN
ding, However she did her hest, an,
she hsd brought some provisions iron
home. 50 that she managed 10 Law on
decent supper ON the riekets table. h'
the time Amasa came stamping in from
the barn.
He looked disarpresingls at the pie
the biscuit. the shaved heef. and th.
jelly set before him.
Il hope We amt aast.r. Wealthy.
he growled, There's slttles enough
for township. and the amt hu. tw,
of u.s.
"Well. our folks sent en- over. an,
you no need TO eat EN-. she answered
cheerils.
liant goin' to: don't Won break int.
that lell. set il hs: sometimes or nuthe
somebody may be comm, and sea1
want Of it.
Wealthy said no more: they made .
supper of biscuit and heei for the pl,
Also Was ordered set hs.'.
She Was used to economy. Int not /,
stinginess. and she excused this es
treme thrift I'm her husband more easily
for the reason that size had always heel
poor, aud she knew very we'll tlat h.
was not rich. to say the least But i
Was only the beginning.
Hard as Wealthy hal worked al he
uncles. here she found harder burdens
she had TO draw and fetch all the aate
she used from an oli-fashlonei well
with 4 heavy sweep. picturesque to SIC
| but wearisome IA use wool aas scarce
| for though enough grew on ta. hun
dred acres that Amasa owned. h,
grulged its Use.
L sla'ni cut dova more tllan i
reelly needfui.s Ae said. when she urge.
him 10 fetch Ler Load; woods alIer
. GROWN when se daaf sat il, aud
maxim for lumber: and lumber j. beste
10 sell, nj signt. than cord wool. \
must git along somehow with brush
mother used Tar burn nsxt ia nuthin'
She did not remind him that Ia
mother Mas lent double altA rhenna
tism. and died ni the nth attack 4
pneumonia. Wealthy never sasu
4