The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-14
MATS HUSBAND.
No Ono But Herself Knew why
sho Loved Him.


she doubtless had a woman's reason
for marrying him. That kind Of rea-
son may not satisfy other people. but
II Is Invariably sufficient for.thc fcmi-
nine reasoner.
Sam Toms was what Is called .'wuth.
less" by his Texan neighbora Old Bll
Bum, his fhther-in-law, himself not a
very energetic or useful citizen, used
TO Sit on the STEPS at tho cross-road
store and publicly bcwail his sad lot in
having Sam for a member Of his FAINT.
". Rill had N dramatic style Of de-
livery that was veryfetching. and In
variahly impressed strangers as being
very much In earnest
He would sit on the stcpa silently
chewing nm enormous mouthful Of To-
bacco and apparently listening 70 tho
conversation ~ his co-loaferH IL Sans
name was mentioned, he would give
vent 70 four or five little falsetto
squealxs. which found cgrcss through
his nose, then hc would draw IN o long
breath. pun out his INT cheels, purse
his mouth, and give a heavy whistling
sigh; this would be followed by large
quantity Of tobacco Juice, carefully
aimed at some object in tho vicinity.
These prcliminarics accomplished, nill
would rise TO his feet, thrust one fat,
dirty hand into his shirt 'front.' wave
the other IN sweeping gesture as he
lowered his eyes and rolled his head
sadly from side 10 side, and deliver
himself profoundly, after the following
fashion;
"Ah-huml That sam Toms IS th
LATEST, mos shifless, emery, triiln
cuss ever sccd--an' yere I've done
rot I'm f'r son-'n-lnwr iiIushm-hmls
Another whistiing sigh would closet this
peroration, and old Bill would resume
his seat. still shaking his head sorrow
fully.
And Bill WINS moro than half right
Nominally. Sam was cowboy, bni
most OF the time he would tell yau he
was "jes' layin' OF spell, Z rest ur
like.
He had always been iust 30 distin'
guished for laziness In an easy going
community, and nobody expected him
ever to DO otherwise; and II puzzled
people immensely when energetic
capable Matte Bum accepted him foi
..reg1ar comply 10 shy nothing q
the sensation created by their wedding
Mat, rs has been suggested, probably
had some rcason for marrying Sam
but IL Is quite certain that she never
told anyone what that reason was
Sam WINS tall, and big, and handsome
In his careless. slonchy way; no haf
always managed, no one knew how
TO wear good clothes, too These fact
and his perennial good nature nnt
| friendly ways were the only points II
his favor. Against him were tho point
30 forcibly taken by his father-in-law
and, also. that he rot drunk whenever
he could possibly do no. and was
morally. so weak that anyone couls
easily lead him astray.
How Mat and Sam got along no ons
| but Mat knew. Once In u great while
! Sam would do some work and earn
few dollars. II he got home with i
without stopping at the saloon, vel
and GOOD. But, oftencr than not, he
would .'drAp in jes' o take nip 4
| two,r md that would settle n a.
such times lie would stay and buy
drinks for everybody present while hi
money lasted. Then he would come
home 10 O maudlin, fearful state Of In
| toxicntion, and invent some tale TO nc
4 count for his condition and the disap
pcarance Of his money, winding Vi
/ with the promise never TO let II harper
again. And Mat would pretend tina
1 she believed him, and would stroke hi
curly head until he fell asleep. Thcl
she would look at the handsome scaml
for few minutes with love unutter
able In her eyes--the tired eyes bacl
| Of which were a world OF unshed tears
But she never complained-not tn
first word; the frm-sct mouth ant
weary look might indicate ever s,
much, but her lips never Expressed II
And Sam gradually grew moro AM
more useless and shiftlcss, trusting =
his wife's ready wit and fertility Of re
source TO carry them both over tho bae
places.
There were lots Of bad places, too
Twice Sam ran iato debt several dol
lars at the saloon, and Mat found som
/ means to pay the debts-oniy hersel
knew how. But the second time sh
informed the saloon man that he mus
| trust Sam no more And. besides thcs
things, to live--how did they do It
Nobody could guess. Perhaps eve
Mat herself could not have told; yc
live they did or, rather, existed and
for the most part, kept out Of debt.
Sam sometimes worked, but ncve
for very long. lie always found som
excuse for leaving place within FEY
DAYS. He could almost always find az
other Job easily enough, for he was a
excellent hand when he chose 70 b
but he did not hasten about finding
new Job when he had given one up; nc
until they were reduced to the yer
| last straits could Mat get him 70 hum
ing work again.
4 One day Sam left home for ranc
about thirty-tivc miles distant, wher
/ he had heard they wanted help. Tw
DAYS passed -three-four tive--and a
word came from him. Mat was not
little worried, although Sam had ofte
been away for two weeks at tim
without sending word 70 her. But tn
time 1t was different; there was no e.
cuse for his not sending message. Q
the stage came BY the ranch he Ia
gone 10 three times week. II he ha
found work there, rs he expected, b
could easily have notified her. So, lat
4 In the afternoon Of the fifth day, sh
threw her shawl over her head an
,vAnt doxvn u her fathers. to find