The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-28
MATS HUSBAND.
No Ono But Herself Know why
Sho Loved Him.

son may not satisfy other people. hui
| II Is Invariably sufllcient for the fclni
1 niiac rcasoner
sam Toms Was what Is called with
less hy his Texan neighbors old Bill
Bum, his fathcr.inlaw himself not a
very energetic or useful citizen. used
to sit on the steps at the cross-road
store and publicly bcwail his sud let IN
having Sam for member Of his fnmi
" Bill had dramatic style OF de.
livery that was very fetching. and In.
variahly impressed strangers as being
very much IN earnest
He would sit on the steps. silently
chewing an enormous mouthful Of To-
bacco and apparently listening TO the
conversation Of his co.ioafcrs. II SANS
vent to four or FIVE little falsetto
squcals, which found egrcsa through
his nosc; then he would draw In long
breath, puff ont his fat checks, purse
his mouth and give a heavy whistiing
sigh; this would he followed by q large
quantity Of tobacco juice, carefully
aimed ~ some object IN tho vicinity.
These preliminarles accomplished. Bill
would rise TO his feet, thrust one fat,
dirty hand into his shirt front, wave
the other In n sweeping gesture as he
lowered his eyes aud rolled his hend
sadly from side 10 side, and deliver
himself profoundly, after the following
fashion:
"Ah--huml That Sam Toms Is tn
LATEST mos shif'lcss, emery, triflin'
cuss ever seed an ycre I've done
got i'm f'r son-'n1nwr. Hm-hm-h mi''
Another whistling Sigh would close this
peroration, aud old 1,ill would resume
his scat, still shaking his head sorrow
fully.
And Bill was more than half right.
Nominaliy, Sam wns- q cowboy; but
most OF the time hc would tell yon he
was ''jcs' layin' OF a spell, Z rest up
like"
lie had always been Just sodistin-
guished for laziness In an easy going
community. and nobody expected him
ever to be otherwise; and II puzzled
people immensely when energetic,
capable Matte Bum accepted him for
.'reg'lar comply. TO say nothing OF
the sensation created by their wedding.
Mat, MS has been suggested, probably
had some reason for marrying Sam;
but il Is quite certain that she never
told anyone what that reason was
Sam was tall, and big, aud handsome
ID his careless slouchy way; he hnd
always managed, no one knew how,
to wear good clothes, too. These facts
and his perennial good nature md
friendly ways were the only points m
his favor Against him were the points
so forcibly taken by his father-in-lnw,
and, also. that he got drunk whenever
no could possibly do 50. and was
morally so weak that anyone could
easily lead him astray
How Mat and Sam got along no one
but Mat knew. Once In great while,
Sam would do some work aud earn n
few dollars. II he got home with II
without stopping at the saloon, we'll
and good Bnt, oftcucr than not, he
would ''tlrap in jos Y take n nip r
two, and that would settle IT, At
such times he would stay and buy
drinks for every body present while his
money lasted Then he would come
home in a maudlin. fearful state Of In
toxication, and invent some tale To nc.
count for Ills condition and tho disnp-
pearance Of his money, winding up
with the promise never TO let IL happen
again. And Mat would pretend that
she believed him, and would stroke his
curly head until he fcll asleep. Then
she would look at the handsome scamp
for few minutes with love unutter-
able In her eyea-the tired eyes back
OF which were world Of nnshcd tears.
But she never complained-not the
FIRST word; the ilrm-set mouth and
weary look might indicate ever so
much, but her lips never expressed it.
And Sam gradually grew more and
more useless and shiftlcss, trusting to
his wife's rendy wit and fertility OF re-
source To carry them both over the bad
places
There were lots Of bad places, too.
Twice Sam ran into debt several dol
lars at the saloon, and Mat found some
means TO pay the debts only herself
knew how. but the second time she
informed the saloon man that he must
trust Sam no more. And, besides these
things, TO live-how did they do 1t?
Nobody could guess Perhaps even
Mat herself could not have told; yet
live they did-or, 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 few
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 q
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-fv miles distant, where
he had heard they wanted help. Two
days passed three --four-five-and no
word game from him. Mat was not q
little Worried, although Sam had often
been away for two weeks at time
without sending word TO her. But this
time it was different; there was no ex-
cuse for his not sending q message, as
the stage came by the ranch he had
gone to three times week. If heNhad
found work there, as he expected. he
could easily have notified her. So, late
In the afternoon Of the fifth day. She
threw her shawl over her head and
went down to her fathers, TO find II
they had heard anything Of Sam.
The old fellow was standing In the
dr.,rpvav faflsin0 IN n enfnIa If