Smyrna times., 1885-08-05
TURNING A HUSBAND OUT.

ANA lhen IN = dies. n g. D5dge
TURNING A HUSBAND OUT.
We were winding down one Of the
mountain roads of Tennessee in a cart
drawn by a mule. The land was bar
ren, the cabins no better than novels
and it was a query how people made a
bare living or were content to stay.
By and by we came to a turn in the
road where there was a trough to wat
er horses and mules and a cabin of a
settler. The cabin was the poorest of
all and nothing around it indicated
that the owner made any attempt to
cultivate the soil. We reached the
place just in time to witness a tableau.
\ woman, poorly dressed and her face
bearing the look of one who had seen
much worry and suffering, stood near
the trough and satchel filled with
clothing sat on the ground beside her.
Five feet away stood her husband. a
burly tOughfaced mountaineer. and he
held a switch in his hand. Neither
minded US as we drove up and it was
full a minute before the husband said
" Mary, I'll wollop ye!"
Jim, We dasn't :" she replied.
Mary, you can't leave me nohOw -
Jim, I'm gwine te do it! I've starv-
ed an suffered til I'm clean gone I'm
going home"
MARY, if you don't take up that
satchel and march in I'll wollop We
good and stout :"
There were two of US besides the
driver. The woman looked up and
scanned our faces, as if to Judge how
far she might count on our help, and
the driver said:
'Tain't rulable for strangers to mix
in, Mary; and Jim's got knife and
would kill somebody Better 90 in"
Never" she Kissed.
"If you don't, said the husband, a.
he came a step nearer, an make the
fur fly Take that"
With a swish he brought the switch
down across her shoulders and raised
it again. She stood stock still for a
minute and looked him in the eve, and
then walked into the howell
Rayther peart, but the CAD will
cure herw grinned the husband as he
drew the switch through his fingers.
His triumph was short-lived. In
sixty-seconds Mary reappeared. She
had the mOuntaineer's heavy rifle in
her hand, and as she came out she rais-
ed it on a line with the mans heart.
Jim, want you to git :"
Moo"
"Sartinr'
Shoe! Can't do it,"
Clink Clink!
Mary, what yer gwine to do?"
Kill We like wolf in yer tracks if
ye don't walk away"
"Whar to?"
Nobody keers. Go sumwhar' -
keep goin'-don't never come back 4!
Hurry up, fur I'm going down on the
stage!"
He looked into her eyes and saw the
change. Poverty and brutality had
come to an end. Love had turned to
disgust, and in place of fear was such
bravery as he would not have looked
for in a man on the road He saw
shoot in her eyes, but he still hesi-
tated.
MARY, drop that rifle - he whisper
ed.
Jim, git If you are here when
I've finished counting twenty I'll kill
you rs sure Us there is a God in hea-
ven"
He began backing away. When he
had gone twenty feet he turned and
walked When he had gone one hun
dred he halted, wheeled about and,
after long time, muttered: Wall,
by gosh Mary, let's make up!
keep a-gittin', Jim,' she replied
as she still covered him with the rife
In five minutes he was out of sight
up the road The woman placed tn,
gun and satchel in the cart, walked
into the hOvel to be gone two minute;
and when she came back to the cart
and took seat with us flames wer,
creeping through hundred crevice'
between the dry logs. Without {
word she climbed in and only ono,
during the five-mile ride did she ute
word. At bend in the road shl
looked back at a pyramid of smok'
and flame wrought by her hands an,
said, as if to herself:
Jim didn't know Mary; Jim didntr
Detroit Free Press.