Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-02-14


come, and were trying to he happy ON
love in cottage-and very small
cottage ut that
How do they liveg" asked Mrs,
Van, gazing inteutly at smoke ring
over her head,
"Oh, don't know" said Billy slow
ly. as If he didn't take much interest
In the subject
II don't know-l suppose they don't
need much yet, and are TOO fond OF
each others society to think mach OF
how they live"
Well" rejoined the woman. MARY
isn't 81 very much to weep over, but
she has brought her pigs TO q very
poor market, according to my Idea,
John Truman had no more occasion
10 get married than | have TO fly. And
what Mary, who with her pink and
white baby face and her baby man
hers, might have married somebody
who could take good care of her
what Mary Manning wanted of that
lout OF II clerk | can't Imagine"
well, don't try Nan," said her COM
pauion'
"hou know that your imagination Is
! not first class anyway. John and
Maryl get along all right, reckon"
They may" said Mrs VAN
"But, do you know. can't help but
think how funny 1t is. They cant
take care OF themselves unless they
are helped don't suppose II John
| WAS out OF work week but what
they would be hungry, But 1t Is no
matter of mine aud 10 tell YOU the
truth, don't care n blank what be.
comes OF them, only II Is funny"
John and Mary Truman foolish
birds in a small, plain, cage sat- on
the evening upon which Mrs. Van
dcigned TO speculate on them and their
misery, by Il bright lamp, which was
on a small plain table IN the room
which they had agreed, as matter
Of courtesy to IT, to call the parlor
Mary was sewing. John was reading
aloud to her. stopping between para,
graphs to discuss the author and his
work.
man. Healthy looking, though not the
most robust sort of health, Fair hair
ed, dark eyed, some red In her cheeks,
a brow with thoughtful marks there,
Her face was composed ms the face
of n happy woman should be, Listen,
4 ing to John as he read, occasionally
a tear fell upon the work In her lap
ll..h .l,I -. ihAn iNl n /
wrong. Tender heart. stained with
the pathoS of words,
In the world outside, there Wat
pathns enough, but how could Mary
Truman know II? What Is the psyche
logical process whereby the secrets 81
misery are so easily made known t,
the happy? The brain OF the good ant
pure receive and reflect pictures be
yond their experience, and heNon,
their possible knowledge. Like thu
tears and smiles OF childhood tina
, chase each other, MS storm and sui,
shine hit across II March sky, 80 mis-
cry and JOY lie together In the strati
of life, separated perhaps, only b!
thin line of daughter. or OF tears,
John Truman was an ordinary man
of the type which In the latter dn,
receives little recognition The peopl
who were fond Of proving things, sui,
that he had too much superstition, ant
the others, that he mckod sentiment
, The truth Is, that truly obseryan
, people, fit To judge and discriminate
are not so plentiful In the world Il
might be supposed. Seliishne~a an
, carclessness achieve only Inaccnrac
, when they pretend to classify. II !
often the rule which Is wrong, AM
;, not the person measured by the ruiz
1t was so In John Humans case. II
was thoughtful man, 4ather reticent
severe toward himself, perhaps, bn
! tender toward all others, and libera
: to last degree.
= In his mind an excuse was Away
: framed, instantly he heard Of wron
" doing The excuse was not for til
sin, but for the sinner
; "Who can tell his temptatlonT h
would say.
J zone should think OF the humble
; Of times when successful fesistanc
was made, not OF the one time whel
the sinner fell
A thoughtful man Is serious 10 thi
man humor seemed like brnyado, Q
( testing In the face Of certain death
q He smiled often, laughed rarely. IL
D did not laugh at the brutal thing
c which aroused many guffaw.
d This lack Of humor was IL defect u
i his character lie had tried TO cult
i yate sense Of II, but his attcmp
e was not II pronounced success No
:, that he was solemn. lie was the ~
q verse Of that lie did not laugh much
I because he reflected much. All aroun
[ him ne saw Il struggle In which onl.
few seemed to conquer. Flesh an
blood seemed to be 80 cheap, AM
> other things 80 dear.
He had another defect, a most serl
, Gus one for this world He was not
money getter.