The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-15
TUGGINS, LAST WIFE.

e1r 10 every ue1ghbor who was the least
bit observant- A man with one eye. or
half an eye for that matter, could tel
when Sam was matrImoniaIIy Affected
The signs and symptoms were too ap-
parent to De mistaken
Sam had decided TO marry, and was
shaping matters TO that end There was
not 4 shadow Of doubt Of that The IN
dicatIous OF his intentions were too
manifest He had taken q. greasiug his
boots and wearing white shirts On Sun
days W hat reason was there for B
doubt after thar2 The sIOWest-wittad
and most obstinate man in the settle
nent was forced to admit a. much
There was nothing so very ra1arza-
DIE about LuggI1s' conduct, however
for II was no new thing for him TO mar
~ A wife He was simply following Up
a line OF action which he had begun II
his young days, and which he had con
s1sraUrlE and systematically lived up to
ever since
Sam Tuggins had been married be
fore 10 soma extent Not as numerous
y as Solomon Of course but & little
more frequently than the ordinary run
Of mankind in this nineteenth century
re had to put IT mildly. enjoyed 4
large and prOUIsCuOus assortment q
wives during his time
Old Beckett the miller Who was the
acE1O Nla1Eed oracle OF wisdom On
Postum Ridge, put the matter terseIy
old sam TugEius is always either
getting a wife or losing one. ard the
most Of his time is spent IN marrying
and oury11E wives"
Beckett exaggerated to some extent
Old sam was not quite SO fully occupied
E1aCr1na0 nially and funeraIIy as Beck
ettts words would lead one TO SUPPOSE
Between the dates of the different we'd
G1lgs and funerals there were short in
tarTals Of time. which he could and
did. devote to other things
sam had been married six times. to
80 Tor
strictly speah king, an old man yet As
ne frequently JocularLy remarked he
was good to OUtive a half dozen more
wives IL he continued to have ordinary
good health So, being 4 WidOWer for
the sixth time. ne was preparing 10 take
unto himself the seventh wife II was
not known yet who would have the
honor OF becoming Mrs Tuggins VI
IuEg11s, sven, was not decided On that
point
One day he rode over to Beckatt's
mill and he and Beckett il a little
friendly conversation feu to discussing
this matter
That much is settled and IN going 70
marry right away. too. I've got 10 have
q wife for I need her. and need her
bad It's been three months since my
last one died and as q consequence Of
having nobody to look after matters
everything about the house IS going to
waste and ruin Every day 7 delay IN
getting z VIE an losing money 80
I'm going to marry. Beckett but
VINO IN going 10 marry IS a question
Cant md anybody that suits you2"
Beckett asked
a.TesI have had two women in mind p
TUggins replied, either Of which would
do very we'll but the question IS which
would suit NE best"
You cant decide 6h 20
No. I cant II could I wouldn't be
fooIlus away al this time without
wife
7 can believe that. Tuggirs- But Do
you mind telling ne what two women
you have in Uiud2"
-Of course not One Of them Is the
Widow Smart and the other IS Mss
WoEord- They are both likely women
Beckett. and L caLkIlaCe either Of en-
would MAKE me good WIFE
Yes, I think that's true, Beckett OBJ
served
To be sure" Tuzgfns vent On. each
Of them women has her strong piuts
and her faili1's- but when you come 10
size en- Up and balance EN- they seem
70 be bout g srand-ofr Couseq uenca
Is, don't know which Of en- I'd better
take"
Miss WoT0rd Is the youngest and
best looking Of the two,'' Beckett sug-
yes. and her aga IS a right smart in
her favor" Tuggins said but don't
90 4 cent on looks"
prefer g good booking woman TO an ug-
" one Beckett remarked, everything
else being equal
about looks" Tuggtns announced Ny
opinion IS that beauty don't count for
anything in 4 Wif=-s favor The bean
rffulest women going amt likely 10 do
any more work or bring in one more
dollar than the h0meIiest old plug you
can scare Up No, Beckett. amt
looking for beauty What I want IS
. woman that will be heIpfuI-0ne that
can turn her hand 10 all kinds Of work,
and who amt afraid TO do IL
Then you rather lean toward the
widow
No, can't say as do They're both
got their strong 2 inrs. as I said q while
ago. Miss Wofror1's strong pint Is her
age Beiu' young shes likely % live
longer than the other That's a heap IN
her favor, for tell you this bUry11g and
marrying wives IS expensive when II
comes on q man 50 often But On the
other hand the widow offers advautag-
es- She's q good worker she's econ
ornicaI, and she's tough For q woman
OF her age she's strong and healthy, and
after all she may possibly out live the
ether. Taken Up one side and down the
other. I can't see that there Is u1uc1
choice"
So you don't know what to do about
the natter
NO. don't I've worried over It more
than I ever worried over anything yet
I cant see my way clear I don't
know how 70 decide the matter"
Maybe the women themselves might
help you CUT BaCketr suggested
How TugEins inquired
You haven't asked either Of them yet
whether she would marry you. have
you2''
No"
Then maybe one Of them won't
WON'T Why, what do you mean,
BAckAtt2'F
Il mean Just what I say OF course
TUzEIus looked at Beckett in blank
establishment as though he did not
know whether the man was crazy or
only joking At last he said.
Have you got an idea Beckett that
either one Of them two women Is a naE-
uraI born fooI7+'
-sNyo. I reckon not Beckett replied