Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-05-10
-DAVID'S LEAVING.

DAVID'S LEAVING.
A Domestic Quarrel and the Les
sons It Taught
The mists of an October morning still
hid the valley. but were spreading
away like q curtain from the hillside,
letting in q flood OF sunshine upon a
little. old, Imprinted house, a house
that would have looked cherries and
commonplace if seen with different
surroundings, but could not seem
either when seen, as it was, against a
background Of fruit-laden apple trees,
and with its bit of a front yard ablaze
with late asters and marigolds, and
great drifts of red and white petunias,
that half hid the path from the gate to
the doorstone. But all this brightness
of earth and sky contrasted sharply
with the gloom within the house Mrs.
Marston was washing the breakfast
dishes. She was a little, fussy woman,
whose faded blue eyes had never lost
their look Of childlike faith and trust,
nor a certain kindly light, though her
hair was heavily streaked with gray,
and the lines about her mouth indi-
Gated will of her own. Her husband
sat by the fire. greasing his boots, his
usually placid face wearing a look of
helplessness, trouble and bewilder-
ment as he paused in his work and
said:
so you're tired of me. be you, Polly?
Is that what you said?"
no-s1.v
here she paused to steady her voice. Il
can't stand your shifless ways no
longer"
''Well, Polly. you've said some pref
-ty prnted things to me, one time an
another; but d'know as you've ever
told me right out an out before as you
was tired of me. Seems as though you
didn't quite mean it now. Seems as
though mebbe you're kind of put out
an talk stronger than you mean"
"Well, do mean it. My patience is
clean wore out Here be l a-workin'
an a-slavin' week in an week out, an
you jest a-iet:in' every blessed thing
go to rack an ruin Goodness only
knows where you expect we'll land at
this rate. In the poorhouse l guess.
P'tatoes, that ought, by good rights,
to've been dug two weeks ago. jest a.
rottin' in the ground. Not a single
.cornstalk cut yit Every squash'n git
froze. Beans a-mildewin'. Not an APP
pie gathered. an you jest a-spendin'
every blessed mint of your time gittin'
drunk with that good for nothin' Sam
Sloan"
s.Now, Polly, that amt hardly fair.
Yo,, know amt seen Sam Sloan in a
month till he comes over Yesterday to
borrer some fish-hool<s; an didn't glt
drunk with him, neither" Here David's
ewes were lowered to the boots and
grease can. "He wanted me to take a
drink with him out of bottle he had.
an 1 couldn't very well refuse, seem as
how he was a neighbor and hadn't
been over in SO long. He is"
Here Polly faced about with the dish
cloth in her hand HE can't stay
away none too long to suit me; not II
he stays till doomsday," she snapped
out. 81 amt never had no use for Sam
Sloan, an don't think much OF them
that has. An know jest as well as
that you're a-settin' there. David, that
you had more'n one drink.
David did not raise his eyes from the
grease can. ''Oh, 1 amt a-denyln'
Polly. that we took little more when
he was a-leavin,. told Sam guessed
Id better not; that it might fly to my
head so asst 1 couldnt work; but he
lowed my system needed stimulus, an
it would jest brace me right up. Bu'
it didn't"
This last sentence was uttered In q
tone that indicated, not only Davlds
diappointment. but feeling of per
sonal injury, as he recalled the manner
in which he seemed to have been de-
frauded of the promised, and naturall,
to be expected, "bracing." But ii he hat
expeeted that this excuse would softer
Pollv's wrath, he did not need an.
words tn show him that he had mad
mistake; the swish of skirts an
ouick step which he heard. as sh
turned. did that Invoiuntarily n
benr his head, rs though to examin
the match on the boot in his hand,
she said:
NO; should say it didn't When
Got home. at dark, Jest about tuckere'
ont after workin' at the hotel all day
there Won was a-settin' in the rockin
chair. with your head on the table fas
asleep. The fire out an not CHOIR
done The hull afternoon spent II
carousin'."
There wasn't much carousin' abou
it, Polly. Sam didn't stay more'n al
hour; an couldn't do much carousil
when was asleep. could I?'
mo matter, call that carousin'."
The decided manner in which Poll.
hung up the frying pan just then mad
David think he had better yield tina
point
IAN this morning." she continued
,.syour head aches, an you've got stif
neck an a crick in your back from bein
crooked over that table so long, an, o
course, there Amino more work for yo'
for q week"
.sOh. never mind. Polly; I'll soon ri
over that! An then could go right q
It am do mp ali the fall work in n
time / could cut that hull patch
corn In one day. an bring in tn
sauashes besideA" Here he tried =
draw mp his bsnt shoulders and back