The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-28
R SPARKS DIyORCE
He Got Instead q New Dress for
His Wife.

Jared Sparks came over TO my house
early that morning. Jared Is my
neighbor aud q good man TO know. II
he Is 4 little peculiar. He owns a com
Portable little farm and he and his wife,
Alchitable, have lived on it. ever sinca
was born, for they are as old as my
PARENTS They never had any children,
and like ali married people who are
SO unfortunate, they have got some
what soured and, sometimes, show a
lack Of human sympathy that leads
them into finding fault with each
other. I have great sympathy for
people who have no children 70 plan
Tor and worry about, for they get into
4 habit OF being selfish and fault-fnd.
ing to a degree that makes them, as a
usual thing. not the pleasantest people
ia the world to live with. Soil hap
pcned that Jared and Mehitablc had an
occasional difference OF opinion, and
as neither Of them could turn to the
children forN sympathy. they had a
fashion OF telling their troubles to the
neighbors. As ! am the nearest one
they have, | am the recipient Of a good
many u their r
Jared Is the most omniverous reader
lever knew. He exhausted my library
long ago, and my new books. whatever
they may treat Of, are read by him
with avidity. Anything Jnred sees In
print he takes to be the gospel truth,
or else an unmitigated falsehood. There
Is no middle ground with him, and his
Judgment Il his only criterion. With
him Robinson Crusoe Is history, for, he
argues, mo man could tell a lie and
have it sound so much like the TRUTH
and Dr.. Salmon's Investigations OF the
swine plague are d tissue Of fabriea-
tions, because, he says, they don't
stand to reason A consular report
or the statistics Of Ohio are just as
grecdily read as the latest novel, and
anything in print Jared devcnrs with a
patient and conscientious diligence
that Is interesting. don't know why
he puts So much faith in my opinion
unless 1t is because lie thinks anyone
who s'has writ things that has been
printed into the papers is infallible,
but the fact remains that he consults
me on every occasion, from the plant
ing Of potatoes to the proper way TO
vote.
From this 1t will be seen that the
appearance Of Jared at my house at
any time Of the day was not a thing to
cause remark. ! was out by the stable
feeding some chickens when he came
up and gave me greeting. l knew as
soon as ! saw him that there was some
thing Of an extraordinary nature on
hand, but was careful not to betray
my knowledge, for Jared Is inclined to
be.queer, and / never anticipate when
he Is around, for usually the thing /
expect Is not the one he has in mind;
so l merely said. Good morning"
One evidence that something out Of
the usual course Of affairs had brought
Jared over to see me, was his appear
ance. He was dressed in his best suit
Il think 1t was his wedding suit,
though | never asked him about it, but
know. he never wears il except to go
to meeting. Jared is 0 a church
member, but it has been the rule of his
life to 60 to the quarterly meetings Of
the Methodist church in the neighbor-
hood, and rave the elder home with
him to dinner after the Sunday serv-
ices. II the eldereomes he gives liber-
ally when the contribution is taken up;
II he goes with some one else, Jared
cuts down the appropriation. As the
best suit is only brought into use once
in three months, and is laid of before
anything else is done when he gets
home, it shows but little signs Of wear
i more than 1t did when, as a boy, ! won
dered If | should ever be able to appear
in as princely array as his. The silk
hat that goes with this suit has been in
style q number Of times since / can re-
member, and it Is good for several
more cycles Of the mutations Of FASH
Ion. The longrskirted broadcloth coat
n pantaloohs to match are still
black, but are beginning to get some
what shiny at the seams, and the
square-toed calf-skin boots are free
from patches, though they show the eff
fects Of age.
Jared returned my greeting in a
rather constrained manner and fdgeted
around as If not knowing what to say.
1T is wonderful how chickens grow
when they git a start, amt ito" he said
at last.
said it was, aud branched out to
give him a chance TO pull himself to-
gether, for well knew he did not come
yer to talk about chickens.
Coin TO set out any Strawberries
this fall2' was his next remark.
mo, | shall wait till next spring, as
find they do better, on my clay ground,
when started in the spring. Are you
going to set some?"
81 dunno he answered, as ii in
doubt II had calkilated on settin' a
few down by the ditch where the
ground don't heave with the frost, but
the way things is goin' / don't know
who would tend 'em, an I guess I'll
give it up"
He was getting around to the sub
Jet on nand now, andI began to won
der If he was thinking Of selling his
farm.
DO YOU think q going away2' /
asked.
Yes" he hesitated; "Iguess III 20
west.
II he had said he guessed he would
take q trip To Europe / should not
have been 9 surprised, for I booked
upon him Is a fixture il the neighbor-
hood. (
What have you got now?" / asked.
Nc 2 Mehitabietha quit,r he an.
swered.
@Parted2e asked Thatis the par
ticular trouble?"
..Sanne 1nld thinr !, ~ a.