Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1897-09-09
MRS. TIBBIITS,
- = y
BY ANNA SHIELDS, : =


wv interested in Mrs. Tibbits? Was
1t when Frank Tibbits, my young
friend and godson, came to me to help
him out of the ''scrape with jones' that
cost him the tidy sum of $4,000 before it
was adjusted to Jones' satisfaction?
Or was it when Frank began to get
into difficulties" and / had to compro-
mise with his various creditors? Or
was it when the sheriff hung red flag
from his windows and Isfew to the res.
cue of his Lares and Penates?
He was good fellow, honest, frank,
cheerful and Industrious, with no more
of the get-along ability than six
months baby. More times than l can
count did he start in some small bust
ness, to sink all his capital and failsin
his enterprise. He had a hopeless fac
salty for muddling his accounts, letting.
his bills run up and his stock run
down, that l never saw surpassed by
a man whose whole intention was
honest.
When he married Laura HeywoedEI
held UP my hands ,,in amazed horror
Laura Haywood, of allswomen, to take
the place of active partner to one of the
great army of incapables! She was the
Stniest woman ever saw-pretty, win
some and gentle, with waving. brown
hair, large blue eyes, shy and timid, al
ways yelled by snowy lids and long
brown eyelashes, hands and feet that
might have been stolen from Queen
Nab and voice that was low, sweet
and slightly plaintive.:*s4sss> szs@. 25&. L.:
When would call upon Frank to try
TO adjust his many and varied business
complications and he would sit rump-
ling his curly brown hair and gazing
helplessly at me, always found Laura
with her pretty hands sclasped over
franks, her soft blue eyes looking APP
Pealingly into mine and her tender
voice cooling consolation, as if her hus-
band was a baby to be soothed and
petted.
They were pair of babies, and
should have gone to housekeeping in
a big nursery, with dolls tea set and
candy and cake enough for "a perpetual
feast. Sunshine was their native ele-
ment, and they covered under storm.
They lived upon hope and touching
faith in good times to come. To see
them when Frank had just started in
some new business that was to make
his fortune, and they invested in some
utterly useless fnery, was a sight to
make the prudent shudder. .,She had
no more idea of economy than butter
dy, and her housekeeping was only to
be compared to that Of Dora Copper
field ~ fsF,r..4sFh.s ~, $685..
Well, well, SO he was-a grown-up
.childi *sss2 @,f. 80,
But if she huttered in the sunshine,
the wee, blue-eyed wife, she never COM
planned for herself in the storms. For
poor, Frank" many tears were shed,
many means made. She sold all her
small finery with cheerful willingness
to give Frank good supper or help to
pacify an enraged butcher. ~ },.
Being an old bachelor and wealthy
one, I came to regard these two as
adopted children and to make it my
mission to set Frank on his feet as
often as he knocked himself down.
Laura, who was half afraid Of me at
first, with vague apprehension of the
dreadful things l might do to annihl-
late Frank if he displeased me, soon
became confiding, and would nod her
pretty head to enforce my prudent adj
vice in a manner bewildering to see.
She learned that my most severe lee.
ture was followed by some removal of
the last difficulty, and would nestle
her tiny white hands IN mine and whis-s