Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-08-06

For mercy's saSes, Mandy, what
ever possessed you to marry Hiram
Hopkins?"
Mrs. Hopkins upper lip drew in ON
inousy as she answered stihy
Il was lonesome and needed man
about, an Hiram he loved me-"
The other laughed dryl, Loved
yer prop'ty, more like she remarked.
Folks says its a born pity he don't
keep it up better'n what he does!
Whatever ails Yer garden' It's a
righteous shame to look at. Can't
Without word Mandy Hopkins rose
and marched out of the room with
flaming cheeks. and, though the med
dlesome Mrs. Peters waited for ten
minutes and made careful examina-
ton of the mouse and cellar in hope of
finding her, she remained invisible, and
the visitor departed in high dudgeon.
Out in the back pasture lot, under
great old apple tree. poor Mandy
writhed and sobbed in anguish OF heart
unmindful of the fragrant pink petals
that fell around her and softly touched
her as if in pity for her pain. Between
her sobs she told herself that affairs had
come TO such crisis few years she
would not have roof TO cover her
head. Besides this, as Mrs. Peters had
said folks were talking and that was
the last straw.
Having formulated plan she check
ed her tears and composing her count
enance returned to the deserted house.
Toward the edge of the evening
Hiram, carrying a good string of fish,
slowly entered the yard. He tried the
kitchen door and found it locked, al
though sounds could be heard within,
he called out: MANDY, I've fetched a
mess of fish for supper
Receiving no answer he called loud
er: MANDY, let me in. Here's some
fish TO cook for supper
At this the little slidisg window in
the living-room was pushed back
cautiously and Mis-. Hopkins face APP
peared.
Hiram Hopkins" said she sharply,
Il amt agoin' to let you in nor to cook
you nothin' till you promise me, solemn
earnest. to mend your ways an take
care of the prop'ty as it should be-
There was such determination in her
voice that the luckless man knew every
word was meant. Shocked and amazed
at this unexpected disaster, he sat down
on a bench near the house to mediate.
Presently he rose. and, gong TO tie
window, said loudly:
This amt the way to treat your lord
an master, Mandy, an | don't pu'pose
to stand it. faint the way to treat
me-your lawful husband, TO honor an
obey. as the parson put it when he
jined us
Again the window was pushed back
crack and Mandy declared that 'shc'd
honor an obey him when he promised
to do his duty by her and the place and
give up his idle, lazy ways, and not
until then
At this Hiram sullenly withdrew to
the bench and the window was once
more pushed into place.
Mandy hoped that Hiram would
promise and he hoped she would relent,
and neither Of them calculating upon
the other manfesting much tirmness
Their surprise wa mutual when 10
o'clock found the situation unchanged.
The night grew very chilly and
Hiram tried to rest, shivering on the
bench, sometimes pacing ur and down
endeavOring to get warm. His wife
pitied him, but fortified herself by say
ing that she could not yield to an inn
pulse of pity now, for this was con-
test of a lifetime.
At last the longest night she had ever
spent grew to a close, and at the first
approach of day she peered anxiously
out 10 see what had become of Hiram.
He was lying on the bench, and she
told herself scorntully that she need
not worry, as he was, as usual, taking
1t easy.
However, as the early morning hours
dragged on and he did not rise, she
became alarmed and stole cautiously
out and touched him. He was breath
ing very heavily and seemed to be in a
stupor. Still her touch aroused him
and he tried to sit up, but a spasm of