The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-01-12
MATS HUSBAND.
BY R. L. KETCaUM.

sbe doubtless had a Womam's reason
for marrying him. That kind OF rea-
ION may not satisfy other people, but
N, invariably sufficient for the femi-
oine reasoner.
Sam Toms was what is called
uwuthless" by his Texan neighbors'
I'D Bill Bum, his father.in-law, him
.,f not very energetic or useful
,hizen, used 10 sit on the steps at the
ero,s.roads store and publicly bewail
nj, sad lot in having Sam for q mem-
Jer Of his family.
Nominally, Sam was cowboy; but
most Of the time lie would tell you he
vas sjes' layin' off spell, t rest up
Ike
he had always been just so-disiin-
Qulshel for laz.ness in an easy-going
community --and nobody expected him
eyerto be otherwise; aud it puzzled
PEOPLE immensely when energetic,
capable Matte Bum accepted him for
"rsg lar comp'ny," to say nothing of
hs sensation created by their we'd
ding,
Mat, as has been suggested, proba-
bly bad some reason for marry ing
6am; but it is quite certain that she
never told any one what that reason
Was Sam was tall, and big, and
handsome in his careless, siouchy way
hhad always managed, no one knew
how, to wear good clothes, too. These
facts, and his perennial good-nature
ad friendly ways, were the only
points in his favor. Against him
were Ihe points so forcibly taken by
bis falher.in-law, and, also, that lie
e0l drunk whenever he could possibly
20 20, and was, morally, SO weak that
any enc cnnld easily lead him astray.
dow Mat and Sam got along, no
ons bat Mat knew. Once in a great
while, Sam would do some work and
earn few dollars. If he got home
WIN 1t without stopping at the saloon,
well and good. But oftener than not,
le would "drap in jes' Z take nip r
Two" and that would settle 1t. At
'ucA 'lmes, he would stay and buy
uilnks Tor everybody present while
=" money lasted. Then he would
"'Hc nome In maudlin, fearful state
v ln'oxlcation, and invent some tale
account for his condition and the
SsAppearance of ms money, winding
Y WIN the promise never to let il
~ppen again. And Mat would pre-
Sau mat she believed him, and would
'"OAs his curly head until he fell
.'sep. Then she would look at the
''Da'o'ae scamp for a few minutes
v" 'oVe unutterable in her eyes-the
Aea eyes back of which were world
|0f m,sh.a
u"suea tears. But she never COM
'''"ca--hot the first word; the firm
: u0a'h and weary look might indi.
s''O ever SO much, but her lips never
Ape''sa 1t. And Sam gradually
s''W more and more useless and shift.
''' ''as'ing to his wife's ready wit
'"a fertility of resource TO carry them
'0,A over the bad places.
'''o were lots of bad places, too.
're Sam ran into debt several dol.
!" 'he saloon, and Mat found
ueans to pay the debts-only
:" Knew how. Bnt the Sc econd
"' sue Informed the saloon man that
4's' trust Sam no more. And.
g '' 'Aese things, to live--how did
20 III Nobody could guess.
."'ps even Mat herself could not
,a '0ia; yet live they did--or.
~ a''' cxisted-ar for the most
! Kept ont of debt.
- so'neIimes worked, but never
wy long. He always found some
~ i0r leaving place within a
uays He could almost ALWAYS
Ri ! 'A0'Aer job easily enough, for he
an excellent "hand, when lie
. Os-but he did not hasten
~ ladlusa new job when ho had
.ds.' II 0se M not NATL thcv were
70 the very last straits could