Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-02-20
The WIDOW MARIN,
BY the Author of "Natalies Ordeal,
'Euphie Lyn," "A Vain Sacri-
nee" Etc.
CHAPTER ".
Alec'S Iniuuities.

determined to make a model heritor,
to cultivate the goodwill of the peo-
pie, to enter as much as they would
permit him into their lives, to tighten
their burdens, to make life less hard
and the outlook more bright for the
toilers. And all this not so much
from principle as by way of a sop 20
the Cerberus OF conscience which
bayed at him inwardly in and out OF
order TO become a landed proprietor
and possible representative for the
county. To secure it he had, in a mo-
ment of sadness and disappointment,
sacrificed Self-IeSpeCt and peace uf
mind; had married a woman who had
little sympathy with him in his aims,
ideas and sentiments; one who b. heG
pronounced seltshness and class pride
had more than anything else inclined
him to consider seriously the radical
notions beginning to pervade the po-
litical atmosphere. The cid prove1b,
"A man must ask his wife ii he will
thrive had occurred to him more than
once since he had come to Birka, for
even at that date the rule had become,
"A man must ask his wife if he is to
enter parliament. If there had been
a nebulous idea of business mixed up
with the really benevolent intentions
which prompted him to ask his vile
to make herself agreeable to the viii
layers, that idea was now unmistaN-
ably dispelled. That she would let the
town severely alone Tor the future he
felt certain; her experience had only
confirmed her in the estimate she had
already formed OF that class of peo-
pie
He sighed again as he thought Of 1t,
for he was ambitious, he was energetic
and wanted an outlet Tor mis- energies
and where could a man find finer
field than in crossing swords with an
opponent on the floor OIL the house OF
commons?
AS preliminary step TO this he had
bought this nne estate and set up as Il
landed proprietor, and TO do him JUS
tice he had come resolved on doing his
best to gain goodwill. But after all,
though she may be voted the weaker
vessel, so weak as to risk the danger
OF being unseXed by the dropping OF
a paper into the ballot-boX according
to some Wise-acres, it is really woman
who rules. A woman's influence and
a woman reputation have more to do
with husband popularity than he is
willing to allow and for the sake OF a
sweet and popular wife a man has
more than once been forgiven what
otherwise he would have been tabooed
for
unfortunately for the laird of Birka'
his wife's reputation was against him.
AS the years wore on her character,
piece by piece and incident by incl
dent, had been built up until 1t had
become quite common TO hear the fire.
quent remark in the town, "Oh, the
Iairds a rlCnt enough
They did not mention the lady at all.
Certain bits OF gossip had come float
ing down into the village concerning
eXacuons OIL long hours and hard work
for scanty pay, OF a general uulddyhke
"closeness' in small transactions; OF
equally unladylike ebullitiOns of tenn
per vented on trembling domestl2s,
episodes which had earned for her the
cognomen of "a Devil 1t was said
that her dogs when called crawled up
To her with their tails slowed away
under matches, so severely did she
whip them.
Perhaps it was as well she had no
child TO cali her mother. The laird,
though he nau come to be liked in the
town, had also come to be pitied. And
if he had not got into parliament, if
worse men with better wives had got
the votes which might have been his,
he was now at least justice OF the
peace for the district. And more than
once, as Jus,lce of the peace, had Alec
Marin been hailed before him.
For Alec, though now "a straight,
comedy lad OF IA, still retained, and
with reason, the distinguishing name
or che towns terror. The towns ter
Tor, however, had really come TO be a
term OF pride and endearment; pride
OF the boy cleYerness and bold dar-
ing; enuearment tor the many acts OF
generosity and kindness he was noted
for, for the mirth with which the town
Ms kept ringing with his pranks. The
lu4e boys called names 10 the big
Uulues in the schools yard and ran be-
AA4I Alec Tor refuge from their pur-
suers' fists. When a fellow Missed on
his dog TO attack stray cat, Alec
kicked the dog and sent him off yelp-
ing and then turned and thrashed his
owner. When man, an uncouth
character with a squint in his eye and
a burr in his speech, came TO town
auctioning off dishes and got help
lessly drunk, Alec mounted the wagon
and, with a perfect imitation OF squint
and burr, proceeded to auction of the
dishes, amid the laughter and cheers
OF the populace, keeping UP the price
and collecting the money until he had
cleared the cart When the proceeds
were handed TO the sobered man next
r,,nrpipu ba nffarpd Iac cba IN tho