The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-10-23


THE TURNING POINT.
Now, Donald, / doubt but you
arc fooling. No wife would do that
for a man. no matter how much
she thought of him."
The young man addressed sprang
up from his seat.
"Go with me, James, and you,
too, Lawrence King, and I'll prove
the truth of my words. If Mary lie
Brun does not cheerfully get us up
a supper fit for prince at my ask
ing-late though it bc-you may
set me down for n conceited idiot"
"All right. Wen go. And if
the mistress does rs you say, she's
an angel; and such an exacting
man as you are is not worthy OF
her."
The speaker was Lawrie King,
q fine manipulating fellow, whose
face would have been pleasant to
see had it not carried upon it the
traces of dissipation.
The three were boon companions,
and had been ever since their boy
hood. / am sorry to say that the
innocent fun and mischief of that
time had degencratcd into card
playing and a fondness for the in
toxicating cup in their maturer
years.
Donald lie Brun was the only
one of the three who had married.
As is often the case, he had won
the heart of a girl who deserved a
better fate. She was pretty and
4" capable" as the neighbors called
it, and managed her dairy with
prime success. Her butter and
cheese always commanded the high
est market price.
Through all of Donald's excesses
she had never given him an angry
word and he had even now been
making the boast that, late rs it
was, if he went home and asked her
to cook a fine meal for him, she
would do it chcerfully.
The young men were all in that
convivial state when reason has not
her full sway, and anything strange
or improbable takes the fancy.
They at once caught at the prop
osition, and went with Donald to
his home. 1t was some two miles
distant, and they made the cold
frosty air ring with their hilarious
mirth for time.
Then Lawrie and James began to
feel uneasy and ashamed at the
thought of their errand, and they
tried to dissuade Donald from it ;
but his pride was aroused. He would
not hear of retreat, and being the
stronger nature he carried his point.
His wife came to the door. She
looked at him doubtfully, evidently
fearing to find him in the maudlin
state which, alas was too often his
condition.
Her face frightened suddenly
when she heard him say in his
natural tone of voice:
"Well, Mollic, here l am. The
bad penny back again, and two
others two keep him company"
At this rather ambiguous intro
duction, Lawrie and James bowed
shamefacedly, and Mrs. lie Brun
said pleasantly:
81 am glad to see you. Come in."
"That we will, Mollie, if you'll
promise to get some supper. I'm
hungry as a bear. Tell Jane to
hurry up the fire."
"Jane has gone to her mothers
for the evening; but l will get your
supper, Donald"
"All right. Hurry up. Come,
boys, let's have game of domi-
noes while we're waiting"
As Mrs. LIE Brun left the room,
Donald turned to his friends tri-
umphantly:
II told you so. That girl would
go through fire and water for me;
and uncomplainingly, too"
81 tell you what, Donald" said
Lawrie, "thc shoe ought to be on
the other foot. If l had a wife like
that"
"Wait till you get one, and then
PREACH" said Donald laughingly;
but something in his tones warned
Lawrie to say no more, and they
were soon engrossed in their game.
An hour soon passed by before
Mary LIE Brun came in.
"Come, Donald, all is ready"
she said pleasantly, and led the
way to the kitchen.
It was an immense room, with
a huge cavernouse fireplace, i'll
which some logs were sending out
a cheerful light, as they snapped
and cracked in consuming. Sus-
pended from the beams were flitches
of bacon and noble-looking smoked
hams. All round gave evidence of
a careful and industrious house
wife.