The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-02-11
The Widows Secret.
1T DON'T think you treat hin

II DON'T think you treat hin
~ right" said the rosy littl
widow to the dress make
SSS who was fitting her trim fig
ure TO a silk gown of the color o
"mooa upon the lake." and at thu
same time her head back and tri
fie to one side lest her tears should
drop thereon. 81 don't think wo-
men know how to treat their hus
bands"
"You must be expert in the mat
ter" responded Mrs. FIFTEEN, see
ing this is the fourth time you have
tried 'em. Hollow in your back a
trihe, as is natural to you-there-
sets like a ducks foot in the mud
can't be bettered," she exclaimed
professionally.
The widow eyed herself sharply,
turning from side to>side and smil-
ing consciously at her own pretti-
ess.
eyes, that will do, Mrs. FIFTEEN
but am sure you don't treat your
husband right"
Shouldn't wonder, ma'am, seeing
my patience has clean gone out of
me. This will be your fourth hus-
band. Well, well, you must, beg
ging your pardon, like men better'n
i do. Moon upon the lake is
mighty becoming to you and very
suitable for a widow"
The lady Redeemed hut she gave
a short laugh, also, as she answer
ed in a way and manner to hide the
sting under what she said,-
"Men are good creatures when
women know how to manage them.
They do seem to incline more to
some women than others
"You never had a drunken hus-
band, ma'am, SUPPOSED"
"Bless you no, never! / could not
abide the breath. A woman ought
to be on her guard"
ut seems so strange. Widow
hood seems natural to some women
they thrive and grow pretty up
on it."
The widow laughed, saying
81 never gave it thought-but
it may be so"
"Going to be married the fourth
time! Not chick nor childi not
forty yet, and plump and pretty as
ever! Upon my word, na'am, 1
don't see how you manage"
"Oh, that's a secret"
Mrs. FIFTEEN opened her eyes wide
and slowly repeated
"a secretr'
Eyes, indeed; 1 have fou I'll it
worked admirably with three hus-
bands and doubt not it will work
just as well with the fourth"
'Bless my hearth exclaimed the
dress maker, dropping the cord she
was covering to put the fiounee on
with, and an i'll disguised horror on
her face
"Oh, 1 didn't kill my three hns
bands. They we're dotingly fond of
me to the last and lett me well pro
vided for.''
DO tell me your secret, ma'am,"
and an expectant, not to say pain
full hope, frightened her wan face
lit isn't much, Mrs. FIFTEEN, and
vet it is a secret, and its applica-
lion has been, as it were, disas-
trous in my case. | am sure !
never expected it,"
"Dear me! you seem to own up
to something. Did they die sud-
denly, poor critters?'
"Quite the contrary ;they fingered
along as if 10th to 60"
poor critters! 1 should have
thought you would have felt very
nad."
Il did, indeed;" and the pretty
preparing to wed her fourth
husband Wept at the memory of
.he three.
"Do tell me all about it," persist
I'd the other with a look not sym
pathetic. Your tears haven't seem
I'd to dim your handsome eyes"
~ don't know about that rev
.r thought about it-=but, Mrs: Fit
EN-, first and last, have cried a
great DEAL"
perhaps you have had a reason
unknown to the world, ma'am. But
want dreadfully to know how you
it."
Our widow was a sort of widow
" adley-easily beguiled to tears or
she began to perceive
hat the astute dress maker had
come latent design in thus ques-
.ioniog her, which she did not OBJ
ect to crafty. Accordingly she
assumed the narrative form while
he needle of her auditor clicked
against her thimble- IN concert.
my first husband, you must
know, was well-to- do, but not rich.
He was what is called a model
nan. we went to church every
Sunday and dropped twenty-five
tents each into the contribution-box
never more or less. 1 knit him
and made him shirts; he
liked to see women industrious and
vas industrious. We went to
ectures and now and then a social
oarty-always at home and in bed
It ten o'clock. He was agreeable in
,emper and apt to drop to sleep.
Slow and automatic in movement.
He had a way of looking into ket-
les and jars, as if he expected to
ind things out of order; and he did
so find them, sometimes-lt was
to him. He read all my
etters; he liked it. He noked over
nv bureau drawers and saw all my
gloves and laces in such a mess
and in the mildest way reprimand-
I'd me. This was a comfort to him
also. He had not a vice; he had
not an inordinate desire. wished
be had"
"You wicked womanr calculated
the dressmaker. you didn't know
when you were we'll off,"
II know i'll know i'll didn't
somehow grow good with such a
man as l ought TO have done, but
when he was gone saw it all and
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