The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-06-17
MATS HUSBAND.
No Ono But Herself Know why
Eho Loved Him.

\
Hho doubtless Ind womans reasof
for marrying him That kind 81 rea
son may not satisfy other peoplc, bni
Il n Invariably sufficient for the femi
nine rnaaoncr
| Sam Toms was what ii called "wuth
lcas" W his Texan neighbors Old Blll
i nunn. HIS father. in-lnw, himaelf not i
very energetic or useful citizen, used
% sit on tho steps az the crosa-rond
store and puhliely bcwail his sad lot IL
having Sam for member IL his fami
i II. Bill had dramatic atyle 81 do.
livery that was worry fctclmngs and IL
variahly Impressed strangers ia heine
worry much ii earnest
He would IL On the steps. silently
| chewing an enormous monthfiil ~ 10.
bacco and apparently listening ID the
/ conversation az his coslonfcra. III Sans
| name was mentioned. he would give
| vent 10 four or Ave little falsettc
aqucalss, which found cRrcsa through
his nose, then he would draw IN i long
1 breath, put out his fnt chcnkA. purse
| hia mouth, md give heavy whistlina
| aigh; this would bo followed BY large
/ quantity 81 tobacco juice, carefully
aimed AZ some object 10 tho vicinity,
These preliminarioa accomplished. RIil
would rise 70 his feet, thruAt one fat
| dirty hand into his shirt 'front.' wave
/ the other iii AsweepinR gesture i'm hs
| lowered HIS eyes and rolled his head
sadly from side u side, and deliver
hiinself profoundly, after tho following
/ fashion.
"Ah-- huml Tint Sam Toms Is Iii
Latest, mos shlf'laaA, emery trifiin
cusa ever seed -an yerc I've donc
| got I'm f'r u SON 'n-lawr. Ilm-hm. hml'
Another whistiing Sigh would close thil
pcroration. and old Hill wouid resume
his scat. stili shaking his hcad sorrow.
fully.
And Dill was moro than half right
Nominaily, Sam was cowboy; but
most 81 tile time He would tell yon he
was ''jes' layin' oif d spell, I rest ~
| like
IEe had always been Just soetfistini
gnished for Iaxinesa In m easygoina
community, and nobody expected him
over 10 be othcrwisci and II puzzled
people immensely whom energetic
capable Matte Hunn accepted him foi
"rcg'iar comply. 10 say nothing q
the sensation created BY their wedding
Mat, as hns been suggested. probably
| had some reason for marrying Sam
| but II Is quite certain that she never
| told anyone whnt that reason VIVA
Sam WINS tall. and big, and hAndaums
| III his careless, Blouchy way; no hak
always managed. no one knew how
to wear good clothca too Thaeo fact
| and his perennial good nature ant
friendly ways were the only points Il
his favor Against him wore tho points
30 forcibly taken by his fathertin-lawi
and, also. that he rot drunk wheneyel
be could possibly do 90. and wns
| morally 80 weak that anyone could
easily lcad him astray.
How Mat and Sam got along no one
| but Mat knew. Once In d great while,
Sam would do some work and earn a
few dollars. II he got home with Il
| without stopping al the saloon, well
and good Bnt oftencr than not, he
would 'drnp n jea' Y take q nip y
two, and that would settle II Az
such times he would stay and buy
drinks Tor every body present while his
money lasted. Then he would como
home In mandlin, fearful state % In.
toxication, and invent aonc tale 70 &c
count for his condition and the disnp-
pearancc of his money, winding NJ
with the promise never 10 let Il happen
again. And Mat would pretend TINT
shc believed him, and would stroke his
/ curly head until he fell asleep. Then
she would look at the handsome scamp
| for few minutes with love unnttcr'
able IN her eyea--the tired eyes back
| ~ which were d world OK nnghed tears.
but she never complained the
i first word; tho flrin-aet mouth and
! weary look might indicate ever e.
much, but her lips never expressed Il.
And Sam gradually grew moro and
more useless and ahiftless, trusting 70
lii Wife, ready wit and fertility Of re-
source 70 carry them both over the bad
placed
There were lots 81 bad places, too.
Twice Sam ran into debt several dol,
/ lars at the saloon, and Mat found some
\ means to pay tho debts only hcrscii
/ knew how. But tho second time she
/ informed the saloon man that hc mus'
u trust Sam no more. And, besides these
things, to live how did they do III
Nobody could guess. Perhaps even
Mat herself could not have told vel
live they did--or. rather, existed and,
for the most part. kept out Of debt.
Sam sometimes worked, but never
i for very long. lie always found some
excuse for leaving place within few
i days. He could almost always find an
/ other Job easily enough, for he was ~
excellent hand" when he chose 70 be
but Ne did not hasten about finding !
new Job when no Ind given one up; moi
until they were reduced to the very
i last straits could Mat get him 70 hunt
Ing work again
One day Sam left home for q ranch
Il about thirty Eve miles distant, where
he had heard they wanted help. Tive
days passed three four 1--we and ns
word came from him. Mat was not :
little worried, although Sam had Otter
been away for two weeks at q time
without sending word 10 her. hut this
time 1t was differenE there was no cx
cuse for his not sending Q message. a
Il tho stage came By the ranch he hne
gone 10 three times week. II he haf
found work there. na he expected. n
could easily have notified her So, lats
in tho afternoon o. the fifth day, shs
threw her shawl over her head ans
went down 10 her fathers. % tind i
theyS had heard anything q Sam.
rhA nid fallov was standing In thl