Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-10-23
A WlFE'S TRIUMPH.
BY SHIRLEY BROWNE.

~ don't deny but what was considera
bly, surprised to hear of Joe's marriage, "
said Mr.. Ailesbury, sitting in his wheeled
chair in the sunshine. ~ didn't know s
he had no such idee in his head. But
everything happens for the best, and the
old place is clean run down for want of
a nice stirr1n' housekeeper. Berenice
Stubs charges a dollar anl a half a
week, and wants the washin' put out, at
that. Things didn't go this ere way in
the lifetime of my secon departed-no,
nor yet while my first was livin'. Pm
willin' now to confess that was sort o.
turnin over in my mind the idee of ask
ing Pantheon Jones's widder if she'd
any objections to share my solitary lot !;
but this marriage O. Joe's puts things in
different light. / wasn't sartin but
what he was going to be an old bachelor.
l do hope mis- new helpms te can riz bread
and flaming cakes, and soft soap. Bere-
nice Stubs never made soft soap. She
was fairly running me with bar soap
boughten at the store. And there's all
my two deceased pardners' calico gowns
upstairs, in the blue paper trunk, waitin'
to be made patchwork of. OF course
she'll be handy with the needle, or Joe
wouldn't hev selected her"
And Mr.. Ailesbury chuckled at the
prospect of "the good time coming"
''ls this my new home, joel"
The bride stood in the clean secured,
whitewashed kitchen, looking around in
lbewildered sort of way. She was slight
and small, with large blue-gray eyes,
and delicate complexion. Her travel
ing dress was of the softest pearl gray,
and she wore daintily fitting gray kid
gloves, aud bouts so tiny that it almost
seemed as if the grass of the door-yard,
like the harebells of Sir Walter SCOTS
poem, must have "risen elastic from her
tread" Her stalwart husband, stand
ing beside her. looked down with beam
ing pride on her miniature beauty.
"WhY, yes, pet" said he. "Isnt it
like what you had fancied2"
The bride laughed Historically.
''Not in the least" said she. "But l
dare say was absurdly fanciful."
'I guess" said old Mr.. Ailesbury,
"that Mrs. Joe had better change that
inicky dress for something palmer, and
help Berenice Stubbs with the supper.
Berenice is sort O. plagued with neuralgy
to-day"
"She's too tired to do much tonight,
father" said Joe.
= "Tired! What's she donea don't
Cav it hard work to go ridin' in the rail-
road cars. Do you2"
Berenice Stubbs, hard-faced female
with waist like the town pump, and
sharp, twinkling eyes thatched with
sparse white lashes, regarded Mrs. Jo-
seph Ailesbury with scant favor.
"Don't look bit as if she could
worry through days wash," said she
"These small folks is powerful wiry
sometimes" said the elder Ailesbury.
"My first dear dece ased wasn't no taller
than Mrs. Joe-but my what hand she
was to turn off work"
When Mrs. Joe came in from the gar
den after tea with n bunch of clover
pinks in her hand, her father-in- law was
ready to accost her.
'Now you're here, Mrs. Joe" said he,
"to sort O. see to things, I've told Bere-
nice Stubs she can go home for half u
week, and I'm curious to find out what
sort of housekeeper you'll make"
Mrs. Joe looked helplessly at her hus-
band.
~ dare say she'll turn out a capital
housekeeper, father" said he. ''But you
won't find out about it at present. Pm
going to take her to Weliand Falls to see
Cousin Simeon Ailesbury. Her mother
used to know Cousin Simeon years ago. :"
"What, all that waya" croaked the
farmer.
zoe nodded.
"Traveling's dreadful expensive"