The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-24
MATS HUSBAND.
No Ono But Herself Know why
Sho Loved Him.


Sho Loved Him.
Sho doubtless had woman's reason
for marrying him. That kind Of rea.
son may not satisfy other People. bn,
Il Is Invariably sufficient for tho fcmi.
nine rcasoncr.
Sam Toms was what Is called with
less" by his Texan neighbors. Old Bill
Bum, his father-in-law. himself not a
very energetic or useful citizen, used
70 sit on tho STEPS at the cross-ruad
store and publicly bcwail his sad lot IN
having Sam for member OF his FAINT.
". Bill had dramatic style of do
livery that was very fetching, and In
variably impressed strangers rs being
very much In earnest
He would sit on the steps. silently
chewing nm enormous mouthful Of to-
bacco and apparently listening 70 the
conversation OF hts co-ioafera II Sans
name was mentioned. he would give
vent TO four or Eve. little falsctto
aqucalss, which found egrcss through
his nose; then no would draw In a long
breath, pun out his fat checks, purse
| y
sigh; this would be followed by n largo
quantity uf tobacco Juice, carefully
aimed at some object In tho vicinity
These prciiminarics accomplished. Bill
would rise 10 his feet, thrust one fat.
dirty hand into his shirt front. wave
tho other I'm n sweeping gesture as he
lowered his eyes and rolled his head
sadly from side TO side, and deliver
himself profoundly. after the following
fashion,
"Ah--huml That Sam Toms Ii IN
LATEST, mos shif'icss, emery. triflln'
cuss | ever sedan yere I've done
got i'm f'r q son.'n-lawr. Ilm- Inn hmf''
Another whistling sigh would close this
peroration. and old Bill would resume
his scat. still Shaking his head sorrow
fully.
And Bill was more than half right.
Nominaily, Sam was a cowboy; but
most Of the time he would tell You he
was 'jes' lnyin' Of a spell, y rest mp
like, :"
He had always been just sodistin.
guished for lazinesa IN an cnsy going
community, and nobody expected him
ever to bc ntherwisei and Il puzzled
people immensely when energetic,
capable Matte bum accepted him for
s.rcg'lar comp'ny," to say nothing Of
the sensation created by their wedding,
Mat. as has been suggested, probably
had some reason FOR marrying Sam;
hut II Is quite certain that she never
told anyone what that reason was.
Sam was tall. md big. and handsome
In his carclcas. slouchy way; he had
always managed, no one knew how!
10 wear good clothes, too. Those facts
and hts perennial good nature and
friendly ways were the only posnta IN
his favor. Against him we're tho points
30 forcibly taken by his fathcr-in-law.
and, also. that he got drunk whenever
he could possibly do SO, and was
morally SO weak that anyone could
easily lead him astrny.
How Mat and Sam got along no ono
but Mat knew. Once In a great while,
Sam would do some work nnd earn
few dollars II he got homo with II
without stopping at tho saloon, well
and good. But oftcner than not, no
would "drap in JOS Z take nip r
two,n and TINT would settle Ii A.
such times he would stay and buy
drinks for everybody present while his
money lasted, Then he would come
home In muudiin, fearful state Of In
toxication, ard invent some tale To nc
count for hts condition and tho disnp-
pcarance Of his money. winding up
with the promise never 70 lot it happen
again. And Mat would pretend that
she believed him, and would stroke his
curly head until he fell asleep. Then
she would look at the handsome scamp
for a few minutes with love nnatter.
able In her eyes the tired eyes back
Of which were world OF unshed tears.
But she ncvor complnined-not the
frst word; the flrm-set mouth and
weary look might indicate ever SO
much, but her lips never expressed IL
And Sam gradually grew more and
more useless and shiftlcss, trusting to
his wife's ready wit and fertility Of re-
source To- carry them both over the bad
places
There were iots Of bad places, too.
Twice Sam ran into debt several dol
lars at the saloon, and Mat found some
means 70 pay the debts only herself
knew how But the second time she
informed the saloon man that he must
trust Sam no moro. And, besides these
things, TO live how did they do it2
Nobody could guess. Perhaps even
Mat herself could not have told; yet
live they did For. rather, existed-and,
for the most part. kept out Of debt.
Sam sometimes worked, but never
for very long. He always found some
excuse\ for leaving place within flew
days. He could almost always find an
other job easily enough, for he was an
excellent hand when he chose to be
but he did not hasten about finding
new job when he had given one up, not
until they were reduced to the very
last straits could Mat get him to hunt
Ing work again.
One day Sam left home for ranch
about thirty-fve miles distant. where
he had heard they wanted help. Two
days passed ~ three four fve-and no
word came ffom him. Mat was not
little worried. although Sam had often
been away for two weeks at a time
without sending word to her. But this
time 1t was different; there was no ex-
cuse for his NOT sending message, as
the stage came by the ranch he had
gone to three times q week. If he had
found work there, as he expected, he
could easily have notified her. So, late
In the afternoon Of the fifth day, she4