Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-10-11
Ny Brother -in-LaW's First Wife,
FRoNA W. CoLvIN.

looking Henry Mayne, vet he was not the
sort OF man that could ever bring myself to
love, honor aud obey" II were a woman,
even II he had never been married before.
lie was always wont to repeat the good quail
lies OF his wife when he used TO come 10 our
house, before he was my brother-in-law, and
don't know but l thought, at that time,
that IL was very commendabl In him to pay
such tribute to his departed companions; but
there came time when tais constant allu-
sion to Maggie made mo disguised.
have often heard my father say that it
was never safe to marry widow unless her
first hush md had been hung, and even then
she was liable TO declare that hanging was
too good for number two; and to effect this
remark, / will add right here, that In my
humble opinion II is never well to mErry a
widower unless his first wife has eloped with
some other man, aud even in that case per-
haps number two would get informed that
The only thing lacking to cause her TO do
likewise was a chance.
Henry Mayne was holding a presumption
next to our claim when we first made his ac-
quaintance, aud about all we knew OF him
was that he was an honest, industrious,
prosperous farmer, was a wldower with one
ter in Chicago, till his younger sister, Mamie,
should finish her education and come to keep
house for him, aud bring his little girl. He
informed us that Mamie had made her home
, partly with him and partly with the other
sister since she was fifteen, at which time
they had been left orphans.
We had known Mr. Mayne over a year
when 1t came time for him to make final
proof of his claim. On a pre-emption one
can make proof at any time, after living on
it six months, within thirty. three months.
Mr.. Mayne had stayed the entire time, but
now that the limit was reached he made his
proof. ! was never more surprised in my
life than vixen Agnes, baving followed me
one morning when went out with the herd
Of cattle, informed me that Henry was going
farther west TO take homestead and limb err
claim aud she was going to be married to
him aud go with him. / had no objection to
the man, but set before her the difficulties
Of step mother l consider the rearing of
other peoples children about as thankless a
task as anyone eau undertake.
"But some one must take care Of her, and
! don't know but am rs capable of doing so
as any one" urged Agnes.
} II never for moment doubted that, my
little sister, You will be model stepmother;
but The question is, how about the child.
Will she prove model step-daughteri'
! "Henry is good-uatured, and he always says
mis- first wife was a saint" replied Agnes
meekly so think the child ought to h ave
q pleasant disposition. Father and mother
think it will be a good match, and-I am
twenty-five, you know
I "Well, to make a long story short they were
married and went 10 Kansas to take more
land. l was twenty-one pretty soon after,
and as they knew intended taking claims
when should have reached my majority,
they wrote me TO come there.
They had been married six months when
went Henry had been after little Becca in.
stead of waiting till Mamie had graduated,
as be at first intended, and 1t was just as
feared, she was little terror.
III can't see where the child takes that evil
temper FROM" said Henry, few minutes
after arrived, when Becca threw herself on
the floor ana kicked and screamed and then
held her breath till she was black In the face
because | would not allow her to pound my
watch with hammer 81 am sure Agnes
will bear me olt in saying that never dis
play temper and as for the chlld's mo Their
well, Maggie came the nearest being an an
gel of any won N ever saw l may say, she
was the ycri best person ever met"
l glanced at Agnes There was au express
sion on her face which caused me to believe
she had heard "AIaggies" praises sung often,
but she looked very much embarrassed when
she saw how ANNOYED l was at hearing her
husband praise another to the dlsparagement
OF herself.
If she was better than Agnes she must
have been sufficiently good not to need mas
ses said for her SOUL" l remarked, nettled.
Henry glanced irst at me and then a.
Agnes.
Il was not making any comparison" he
said, probibly observing that was jealous
for my sister even II she was not for herself.
AT supper | praised Agnes biscuits. They
were made Of sour cream and | considered
them delicious Then, too l knew she must
have remembered my partially to that kind
and made them expressly to please me.
Rather too rich to be light enough" OBJ.
served her husband Maggie made the
llghtest biscuits ever saw, Think
Agnes looked at mo implorlngly, so l said
nothing, though I awfullY longed to | was
disgusted at his overlooking the projections
of my excellent sister and constantly whin-
ing about the former Mrs. Mayne. II he
thought so much OF her, why had he not been
true to her memory aud remained widowerl
1t seemed to me it would have been more to
the poin to have bestowed need of praise
upon the living wife occasionally, instead of
constantly csnting about the virtue OF her
predecessor. But in the first ten days OF my
stay l never heard n single compliment paid
to Agnes by her husband, and If l tried tc
make up the deficiency myself, "Maggie" was
always lugged In, and her goodness extolled
TIL was sick aud Disguised. l would have
called him to order on the subject had 1t mo-
been that on the first night OF my arriva
Agnes had made me promise not to, anC
every day kept reminding me Of my promise
"He does not mean anything offensive. Il
is right enough for him TO love and admire
his first wife. / am sure, IL had been a first
wife It would have been a pleasant reflection
that, IL my husband survived me, he would
stlll admire me and remember my virtues
even II he married again." was the way sht
excused him.
d "Stuff aud nonsense A man or woman
ought never to mention a first companion II
A.. A.