The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-01-08
HIS

only welded couple OF WHOM no oHe
ever said, How could he?" or "How
could she?"
Certainly, when the staid old bach
elor, Jonas bingham C''35 if he's a
day!' said the wondering "other
girls''D, carried off Mary Morton, not
yet out of her teens, right in the face
and eyes Of many admiring boys, a great
many people wondered, How could
she?''
At home she occupied the sometimes
questionable position Of the middle one
in q family Of three daughters. Nobody
doubted that she was good and useful,
but she was not brilliant and fasclnat-
ing like her older sister, Amy, nor was
she o pretty doll of girl to be petted as
everybody potted her younger sister,
Bess.
Amy had troops Of beaux that she
wound around her finger and made her
most obedient slaves, but Jonas Hing
ham was Mary's first attentive escort,
and his devotion and sincerity carried
her heart by storm.
Jonas pleaded cloQuently for an early
wedding day, and Mary was nothing
loath, for life with Jonas and for him
seemed like paradise in anticipation.
He lived three miles away on a large
farm, his fathers and grandfather's
before him. His father had been dead
several years, and his mother, though
still active and industrious, was too old
to work as she had always done.
Everybody knew the Hinghams were
forehanded, free from debt and with
money at interest. The Mortons. on the
contrary, had always lived from hand
to mouth, Mr.. MortOn's trade never
having sut1iced to do much more than
provide a home, with ample food and
clothing, besides educating the girls as
they wanted to be, with music and
painting and all the ornamentals which
girls in country villages sigh after.
It is safe to say that Mary never
dreamed of the change it would be for
her to go from her snug, pretty home
into that great, bare farmhouse-liko
changing from soft, musical poetry to
plain, dry prose.
Summer and winter the family had
always worked and ate and sat in the
great kitchen, except when company
came. Then they rolled up the green
paper shades in the sitting room and sat
in there. Everything was stiff, bare, Or
derby and scrupulously clean.
stepping into Mother bingham:
shoes" meant more real, downright hard
work than Mary had ever dreamed Of,
bat she vas young and strong anc
would not finch when she saw that
both Jonas and his mother expected hel
to be the notable. Woodworking house.
wife the elder woman had always been.
Her hands grew brown and hard, hen
dresses grew old fashioned, and she haC
neither time nor care to remodel them,
as she seldom went anywhere, except
occasionally TO church and moro rarely
still on a brief visit to her fathers.
Then babies came as the years wen
by-boys, always boys.
IF only had a girl, thought Mar!
sometimes, ''she might grow mp to hell
me and do all the light and prett,
things that l have forgotten how to do
bat these boys will never care for sucl
things"
Mother bingham lived but a fey
years after Mary came there. To tn
last she was happy aud content, fond 0
Mary and at home in the farmhouse
still unchanged.
Jonas will have to hire hc11 for hi
wife, now that his mother il gone,
people said.
But he didn't seem to think of that
AS long as Mary did not complain h
never dreamed she was OVERRIDING {
needed anything she did not have.
One of the established traditions {
the house was that they must have
hired girl through haying time, neve
at any other time Of the year unless j
case Of sickness.
So through harvesting and the IA
housekeeping, the meat killing al
the spring sugaring, up to haying tin
again, Mary's one pair Of hands did Il
work till-she broke down.
Jonas was worried about indoor ma
tiers, not that he was so misery he di
not like to pay hired help, but who WI
to take care and oversee it all?
Of course the Mortons were as agita
ed rs Jonas himself, and as much
they could came to the Tescue, but Mir
Morton was growing old and could n
work as she once had done, and An
had made a brilliant match years ago
Bessie was still at home and singl
bat had neyer enjoyed going there VIII
Mary was well, and with Mary sick
could not be thought of. !
Jonas had bad luck finding eapal
indoor help, and it was a great relief
them all when Aunt vi, Mr.. Morton
maiden sister, came from the west, a
not having any particular home al
where willingly took the leadership
the bingham household.
But somehow Mary didn't seem
gain at all, and Aunt vi told Mrs. NJ
ton that Mary seemed to have lost
interest in life.
Jonas is just as kind as q be, 9
the boys are all smart and bright {
fond of her. They are forehanded
have agood home, but 1t seems as il
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