Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-07
TOMPULLION'SMA

Tom Pullion always said man had no
business marrying till he was able to take
care of a wifn, and by way of carrying out
his principle, perhaps, Tom staid single
until he was near 40.
He went to California, staid a few years
and came back. But he wasn't ready to
marry yet He bought him a farm, built
him house, and rented it to family who
boarded him and helped work the farm.
Tom prospered.
When Tom dismissed his hired man to
hired house and went to repairing, max
Ing additions and refurnishing his own,
gossip folded its arms and nodded signifi-
cantly. "There, now, he is going to marry
at last. Who can it be9"
Tom never made any suspicious visits
about. His trips to the nearest market
town were all, and they were evidently
enough-mere business trips. Who was
Tom Pullion going to marry9
Tom only whistled or laughed his CHEEKY
laugh and looked wise. When Mrs Grun-
dy, growing desperate, overhauled him in
the front yard, setting out lilac bushes,
and insinuated in her most fascinating
manner what sly man Tom Pullion was,
Tom admitted the fact without ado.
When the lady, pursuing her advantage
coaxingly, wished he would tell her the
truth now-was he going to be married or
not?-Tom took off his hat, and, looking
his signora in the face, said he was.
Mrs. Grundy was thunderstruck. 1t
was in vain that she set to guessing who
was to be Mrs. Pullion. Tom only laughed
in her face.
There were plenty Of girls, pretty and
willing, but really he had never been
known to say more than half dozen con-
secutive words to any woman, unless it
was to Abby Higginson, little wien
faced old maid, who lived about half q
paralytic old mother and did odd jobs as
she could catch them to earn penny.
She did all the cleaning at Tom Pull
lions new house, and, the fact that Tom
kept an eye on her, as though he could
hardly trust even her to do things thor
oughly enough for that mysterious Mrs.
Pullion that was coming, set people to
saying jestingly that it must be Abby
Higginson he was going to marry.
Abby heard the jest and was very angry.
When Tom Pullion went to California,
Albert Needham went with him, and AL
bert was engaged to Abby. They were to
be married when ne mad earned enough
money.
Albert had never come back until about
six months before, when he presented him
self suddenly before poor, sick hearted Alb.
by, who had waited patiently till her youth
and her good looks both had vanished
beaux, too, for that matter Abby might
HOY iod oIc ho1f N
dozen OF Alpert Needham II she mad not
chosen to wait Tor MIN. Albert had come
BACK TO marry her anu Keep MS WORD, nc
SAID, put ne oDJecteo 10 the pedrlooen
mother' milaiy at hrsCi aI1er"afu no maa'
IL conaltlon.
Poor ABBY! was IL worth While to have
grown ola waiting 1or man ike thati
1t was pitter plow TO her. Albert
Needham married. Delore three months
glri as pretty as ABBY nad peen once, ano
ABBY never sheu GEAR aDou5 ~.
IL was perhaps Ghls plGter oplsode IN mel
life Just past which made 1t seem such q
cruel Jest, the linking her name that way
with rom Fuliion,s-Iom' the p1ospered
the genial good fellow, who was about the
only man now VINO spoke TO her as II she
hau over peen young.
Sometimes Tom came and watched heI
as the worker ana toId her OF the coming
bride, vaguely, TO be sure, and without
naming her, this fair,. sweet housewifely
girl, that ne was gettlng SO bright nes'
ready ior'
But th"t was more IMAM ne toio otners
ana Appy' poor desolate hearted creature
was very proud ana happy TO pc spoken 81
TO.
flrst ana last ABBY was there grea
ueai-at Iohl s. mean. No was as plthe
ana cheery us any Doy 'nrough IL anu lestee
ana maae merry WIN ABBY as no one mac
1or long, long tlme.
!hese were wonderfully happy Gays &c
ABBY. Inc wrinkles seemed 10 Dc 1alriy
1adlng ouc OF her lace. her nara eyes
grew sou ana tehder, her stern Ups smllet
sometlmes' ana her lace was lghted up pJ