Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-12-08

'You?' gasped the poor old lady,
scarcely able, at first, to realize the
meaning of the handsome slattern's
words. you Sans wife! 1t can't be
possible"
The young woman united the strings
of her bonnet with a laugh, and flung
1t earelessly on the table.
81 guess l amt good enough for you,"
said she. Sam said his folks wouldn't
just fancy me at first, but we're tight
married and there's no help for it.; so
you'll just have to make the best of
things"
'You-you are from the city?' hesi-
tated poor Mrs Merrydew, not know
ing what else to say.
Il waited In restaurant" said Sam 3
wife. That's where he first saw me,
in New York"
He never told me that" said Mrs.
Merrydew, family.
Il spose It's dreadful dull and poky
out here" said the young woman, with
a shrug of her pretty tawdry shoulders.
do the crlckets always keep on cheep
-cheeping, like this? And don't the
wind ever stop moaning through the
trees? Dear me, what crazy looking
old clock. Why don't you change 1t off
for something modern? Tea? No, l
don't care for tea. I'd deal rather
have a glass of beer. Beer always sets
me up when | feel faint Or p'raps you
might put just drop of gin or spirits
in the tear
Mrs. Merrydrew grew sick at heart
she leaned up against the wall and
closed her eyes.
rs this my only sons wife?' she ask
ed herself. "This coarse, untidy, half
educated creature? Oh, what have l
done to be punished like this? Sam S
wife. In all the pictures of her that l
painted to myself there was never one
like this. No, never!
And the picture of her boys blighted
life, her own desolate future, rose dark
ly up before her minds eye with sick
enng distinctness.
Il can't be resigned to thisr' she Tt
tered aloud.
Sans wife eyed her with lazy indif.
/ ference, mingled with rising dislike
and prejudice.
"Humph,' said she, Il don't see how
you're going to help yourself, mother
| in-law What's done can't be undone
Sans sick of his bargain, and you're
sick of yourn, but | amt tired of minen'
with sinister chuckle. ''It may be
dull and stupid here, but it's peg
higher up than waiting in a fifteen.
cent restaurant, anyhow"
"Where's SAM" Mrs. Merrydew ask
ed abruptly.
"Aint he here?" said the young wife
! opening her china-blue eyes. why
he came yesterday"
SAM"
"Yes, Sam. Sampson Farley ParkiDs
Esquirem with an insolence which was
heightened by defiant toss of the
head, 'if you want the full name and
all particulars, old lady"
"There's some mistake" said Mrs
| MtII tutN, Win ouuuch ocuSitlOh VI
! grateful relief at her heart. MY sons
name is not Sampson Farley Parllins
| although | believe there is a young
man of that name living at the grist
mill, four miles up the road. My son is
called Samuel Merrydew."
Good gracious!' cried the bride
starting to her feet in n scrambling
] terrified sort of way, Sd making q
vague clutch at the shabby bonnet
"Then I've made a mistake and come
to the wrong place! They told ne II
was a red house, back of four big will
lowsr
YES" said Mrs. Merrydrew, 'it is
red house behind four large willow
trees, but there with conscious pride
1.-THE likeness ends. Perkins Mill Hous,
is not by any means such a place a,
thisr
AT the same moment an open wagon
well besplasheG with liquid mud, clat
tered up to the door, and shrill voice
was heard crying out:
"Evenin', Mis- Merrydew! Seen any
thing of young oman in blue gowl
and red shawl hereabouts? I've some
how missed my wife at the depot, ant
why, there she is now! How on earu
come you here, Louisa Jeannetta2 Yol