Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-03-26

ing day, exhausted by his tit OF passion.
His daughter waited on him at first
with feeling of anxiety that gradually
gave place to one of relief, as he showed
no symptoms of relapsing into his con-
aitiou of the previous evening. She
had not expected that he would entirely
approve of her engagement, as Mark
was out of employment and had no
PROPERTY, but she had not anticipated
any decided action on his part. She
now began to consider herself martyr
for loves sake. and went moodily
abo ut the house. her habitual tyranny
over her father increasing day by day
with her resentment.
Autumn set in and sharp wind cut
Mr.. Kennedy's face as he came home to
Gunner. He reflected that he must have
the winter fuel hauled from his wood
let down the river; simultaneously he
noticed Mrs. Peabody's long, trim pile
Of wood reaching entirely across her
back yard. MIR. Kennedy had felt very
lonely since the widow Garrison
snatched the treasure of her love from
his keeping; Katie's silence at home
was not calculated to cheer him, and
the old gentleman heart gave per-
ceptible bound as he recollected what a
cheerful, engaging woman was Mrs.
Peabody. Fate favored his thought,
for at that moment Mrs. Peabody's
plump, agreeable person filled her door
way, and She said in quite musical
voice:
80 Mr.. Kennedy, do you know of a
man who will saw my wood? l have
neglected it until have hardly enough
to get dinner with"
Certainly, certa. MY, ma am" Mr..
Kennedy dubbed with his joke. Here
is man right before you anxious for a
job. Are the saw and saw-horse
handy?'
'.Now, Mr.. Kennedy, you know I
didn't mean for YOU to do it." Even
her smooth black hair and white apron
seemed to join in the smile that radia-
ted from the corners of her mouth. But
Mr.. Kennedy became suddenly imbued
with youthful gallantry, and in spite of
her protests he insisted upon making
his way to the woodpile where, rheu-
matism entirely forgotten, he manipu-
lated the saw and axe so theoretically
that he soon deposited generous arm
full of neatly-prepared wood in the
kitchen, remarking facetiously: "rll
send up man this afternoon. unless you
want to engage me to do the whole
of it." He was obliged to hasten
away to his own dinner, but
he felt more light-hearted than he had
before in weeks, and visions of Mrs.
Peabody, her comfortable house, long
woOdpile, and money in the bank filled
his mental vision all the afternoon. 1t
was little strange that she had never
before occurred to him rs a matrimoni-
al prize, but Mrs. Peabody had been
considerably married already, and the
presence of two grave-stones in the GEM
etery and decree of divorce locked in
her bureau-drawer were enough to give
any one the impression that her expert
ence of married life must have been
sufficiently varied to satisfy almost any
woman When she obtained her di-
vorce from the last incumbent, Mr..
Drewgood, she hal again reverted to
the name of her first husband, Silas Pea
body, for she no longer wished to be
known rs Mrs. Drewgood, and Peabody
was so much more distinguished a
name than Higley, the cognOmen of
number two. She seemed very much
surprised indeed when. upon answer
ing a hesitating little ring from the
door-bell, she discovered Mr.. Kennedy
upon the porch; but perfect candor
makes it necessary to state that Mrs.
Peabody's comfortable form was attired
in her second-best black silk and a
marvel of worked-lace apron; her hair
that evening had proved so obstreper-
GUS that three combings had been nee
essary to reduce it to its usual condi-
ton of sickness, and she had straight
ened her furniture and gathered stray
bits of thread from the carpet quite in
the manner of one expecting visitor.
Il hope the man got around to take
care of your wood. l just thought
would step over and see that it was all
right" explained Mr.. Kennedy, with
an air of responsibility. these fell
lows sometimes try to take advantage
OF woman when they don't find man
around to look after her.
"Yes, it's hard for a woman to 90
eulOuSu IiIc diOue. one SlO0eO and
gazed mournfully at a figure in the car
pet. On most occasions she would have
said that it was sharp man that could
get ahead of Miranda Peabody, but that
remark hardly seemed appropriate at
this time. and she continued to sigh and
look at the carpet until her guest, sorry
that he had said anything to make her
feel melancholy, remarked with ANNA
ton: That's a fine portrait of Pea
body that you have up there"
MIR. Peabody's relict glanced at the
portrait with an expression of great sat
isfaction. 1t was one of group. Be-
low it at the left was picture of Mr..
Higley, and at the right of the latter
was one of Mr.. Drewgood. Supported
by bracket below them was pot OF
English ivy, the vine wandering in and
out among the frames and cords.
''Yes, it's good likeness of Mr.. Pea
body. and SO it is of Mr.. Higley; but l
never thought Mr.. Drewgood's picture
did him justice. Mr.. Drewgood is
handsome man; they were all good
boxing men. Indeed" she said, with
pardonable pride, taken all in all, l
don't think you would find three better
looking men in Indiana"