The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-10-18
DICK WAGONS WIVES,
nv a. ~.

Prom brakes Monthly Magazine.
sYes," repeated Job Watkins. ''shc ar
rived here by last nights stage, am the
question ia, what's his yer camp going
ter do about Il 2" A dead silence followed
shis query, the group of miners gathered
around Randy's bar. not being accustomed
60 decide ON points of morality.
"Wal." ventured Bob Tinnett, after an
interval during which every mans empty
glass was replenislled, 'what I've got tO
say IN this, ''that as things are 40 comfort
able up at Dick waxRins', let them be, an
as it's clearly aR'in female human natur'
for two wives tn git along smilin' i'm the
same houses, let this woman TO hack and
In order 10 make IL squar', let ,is.nlan and
man, chip i'm and make 10 wuth her while
to 20. without sayin' nothin' To Dick"
A doscn hands went tai as many pockets.
I'm practical rs,sponse "a his appeal. but
were arrested there as Joe Watkins, b
appeared i'm the light of public prosecutor,
again stepped orward. ''That's not the
pint. i say that Virgins orter he pun
ished; he's played il mean on this camp,
and II I know the boys they'll play IL hack
ON him tn n pretty tune. Why. when
Spieeos died over To south Pork noun
tain, nm Wagons went am brought his
wider over IA his wife, didn't this YER.
camp speak well, didn,. il speak most I'M
eo .fs did," "S r..p :, the crowd with the
unanimity of an opera chorus.
.Thar war others es might bev Thought
dI tGt0t Wbthelefs uut tw'but utoF OAhe
why Wagons got ahead, and the camp
approved Wagons; hut now here's his
true and lovin' and deserted wife turns up.
and the question is, what's the camp goin'
TO do about itY"
The orator knew his audience too well
law the chief p"im;o OF hi. Indictment. and
thcrrfore dwelt on tn. deception used by
Wagons toward society at Rabbits Find.
them, should have conflded in them as
men not unfamiliar with domestic infelic-
ity, aud in that case, they. would have been
quite willing to ignore the first wife and
support him Ira his impending trouble.
Dick had not chosen tai act according tn
precesicnt, come ga GENTLY the camp felt
outraged and disposed tn listen to Wat
kins.
81 say. pursued the modern A~ristidcs,
'that justics. hez got ter b. done"
"But they can't both have him." re-
marked IA thoughtful ~bystander. 4" What
becc,nss Of Sriggo''s widow, IL this .tran-
e kind of game in which you can't divide
the stakes."
.Tha ain't the pint: it's the princcrple.
and ter spars. in the way OF morality; il
ain't a bsistin' out and o~vcrfiowing with
virtue to that extent that IL can afford to
let "a thing like this go by"
An affirmative murmur ran round the
crowd. which was quite ready To atone for
Individual shortcominRs 10y hearty in
dorsemers of abstract principle. Its
been u rather dry season i'm morals round
n nsss . risGi Ia a'1 %..s. a ,n;s ! , ia.s /, , M;ii r ;.Hr
D"'
hand im the game, and Y hcz got
Jack Lcfroy Thought tina, b could
withstand worse shocks than this. and
moved that tho matter bc left i'm the hands
OF Dick and his two wives.
"fm with you there. parh," said BELL
Thompson, land I reckon there isn't a
man here as would wish tn go you one
. .ss.,. ON that. a"I y bet ,ni. !" DicL,s own
.Swell. all I've got to say is hat the man
o .ays he's got a straight flush of that suit
Aad bctte.r show his hand"
This liberal view of the situation pro- !
voked hearty applause. but AS Joe Wat
kins represented the religious element of
Me place, so Tar as IL could be said To
exist AZ all, his argument finally carried
the day. IL WAS eventually decided that
Waexins:~oaid arrive the f%aiiSwiDy night,
and escort him to the Westinghouse.
whore, in the presence OF his two wives,
men' from Rabbits Find. =.
Watkins, after leaving the saloon,
home, which differed from the surround
Ing shanties by reason. Of it's cleanliness
What evil brings you here. joe Wat
No good. III be bound" said Mrs. |
.a9eins, confronting her unwelcome Wis.,
.'it'n a Christian duty. my friend"
Keep that for those you want ." de-
"Well, now, ef IL comes ter deceiving
pears 81 e hs could lay over the hull
"What do you mean? Some OF your
lies. Of course. You are n horn liar and I
don't. beiieve you could speak the truth,
even by accident"
eco on, mum don't stint yourself; and
E'l allow you're powerful pretty when
saucy; but maybe you won't he SO
when Mrs. Wagons comes To
axe her rightful place along of Dick"
~What-wha do you mean ~ and de-
mite her effort TO seem unmoved her voice
hook and her lips grew white.
s%Oh, you're beginning 20 look skeert
III just step I'm"
sNo you won't-stay there. Tell me
VIA you mean and when Dick comes"
sAI Guess when Dick comes he'll find the
AIR Of this camp onsalubrious. You see,
his fust wife's come and folks are kind of
speakin' Of you by your old name OF Spig-
rot"
The woman staggered as II she had re-
csived . blow, and yet IL seemed as IL the
news came TO her a. the ful0llment OF an
did dread, rather than Ms q revelation of
her usbnnd perfidy.
sYos, Mariar Delaney was her name
ON the stage. She's got cheeks
Ike tulips and . laugh that yer can ketch
half way up South Fork
rbeee's been wrong done this lovely crit