The Press., 1898-09-29

y
in it all. When man is manly and pa
triotic, his life is always interesting to
me. We all have our sorrows, and it's
relief to tell them occasionally. Did
you say your wife is no longer with
your
Blundering as this speech may seem
TO mind which seeks and finds hidden
motives, it was sufficient to satisfy the
simple son of Hancock county, SO he
continued:
"Yes, sir, it's over three months since
] saw her. Understan, now, I amt
blamin her at all. She was young an
pretty an full Of life, an SO I'd jes' rath-
er to think of it all as a big mistake.
For little time after we was married
she seemed to be happy, but then no
ticed that she didn't pear to take the
same interes' in things. It was jes' aft
er she had spent the day at Sulphur
Springs with lot of young folks. 1
drove her over there to picnic one
mornin an then come for her in the
evenin. There were a dozen or more
girls there an several young men from
the cities, but there warn't none Of EN-
could touch her when it comes to looks.
She seemed to enjoy bein with 'em so
much that couldn t help kinder standin
rourd an lookin on for awhile, but then
hurried on back, for l had a lot of
hoein to look after.
Well, sir, / was the proudest man
In the world when went back there
for her that night Everybody crowded
round, even the old ladies, an told
mn hot
All the young folks in the country was
there, but Mary was the populares'
OF 'em all. They wouldn't hear to our
drivin back then, but made us both
come right in to supper. didn't exact
~ calculate ON doin this but Mary
looked like she wanted to, so l did.
They tried to make me dance, but l
don't know how. It was the openin of
a new summer hotel, you know. A
young fellow that set next to me at the
table an was mighty polite in handin
me everything said he was gonter be
there at the hotel for some time, an
that we mus come round often. Of
course / asked him to come see us too.
He was pretty glib talker. When we
was leavin an tellin everybody goodby
and promisin to come again soon,
heard lady from New York say to an
other one, Wouldn't she be a queen
with the right trainin?' We got in the
spring wagon an drove home, an she
was jes' all excitement tellin me what
time they had that day an how l
ought to learn to dance.
1.-TWO days after some ladies drove
round in their carriages an asked her
to go to the Springs with 'em again. She
said No, but when she seen was anx-
ious to have her go she went with them.
They drove back after supper, her and
the two ladies an a young man, an
they all told me ought to have been
there. That night she seemed kinder
unres' less. She talked heap bout the
nice things they'd all said bout her at
the Springs, but mostly talked bout
how nice it would be if we could go an
travel an go to New York an every
where, an she said we ought to read
books an the like, an that lady there
said what she needed was cultivatin.
al didn't like this, talkin bout her
like she was field to be plowed up,
stead of a flower jess to grow an bloom
natural, an when told her this she
jes' laughed an slapped her hands over
my mouth. She went to the Springs
right regular for q time. Then she
wouldn't go no more. Somebody sent
her some books-four or five of 'em
She commenced to read one of 'em out
loud to me one night. Twas a nice
story about some rich folks, some art
lists, an how they was lovin each other,
an the thing they went to, but while
got to ikin the pesky books after awhile
/ told her all the time that it was jes'
stories an that there wasn't no such
folks in Paris or New York or any
where's else. Since she was teachin me,
a-readin out loud, / took to teachin her,
tellin her what thought bout the
books. told her that life was reality
an that even if there was such people
they wasn't no better off than us, cause
| there's advantages an disadvantages
everywhere, an it all mounts to bout
the same an everything in its place is
the best. That's the way I'd write if I
wrote books.
maybe it was readin in them durn
books bout the fashion an the wealthy
or maybe it was them people at the
Springs put foolish notions in her head
or maybe it was jes' cause sheacome to
know she was too good an pretty for a
man like me, but anyhow she commenst
to pine an droop like a flower that's
Witherin. I'd beg her to go to the
Springs an enjoy herself like she was
invited to do, but it warn't no use. She
wouldn't do it. After bout week of
this thing that same lady from New
York drove up to our gate an asked
Mary to come in an pay visit to her
at the Springs. She wanted her to stay
as long as she would, an then Mary did
agree to go an stay week, maxim the
condition that was to come to see her
every day.
It's a lonesome time I had then. /
didn't go to see her but three days. an
every day it seem to me l was unwel-
conner than before, SO thought better
not go no more an let the chile enjoy
her visit. 1t look to me like the harder
I try to please her the more things
would go wrong. Wimmin folks is
curious little things, stranger, an a
awkward fellow like me don't know
mortgaged my farm again an went in
town an brought her silks an dresses
an gloves jes' the right size, an when
she see m she jes' cried an said was
too good to her. Then got her piano,
but nothin would suit This was befo'
she went for the last time to the springs.
The things Is all at home now, but
never wants to see them again, an if
God spares me l never will. There e
nothin else to say now, but that lef'
cause couldn't stan the sympathy an
the talkin OF the neighbors after got
this letter. y
Here lie paused and took from the in
side pocket Of his corduroy coat a
square envelope addressed in round,
girlish hand. The faint odor of violet
sachet which had once permeated the