The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1899-05-26


toward The lamp to thread her needle.
Her eyeiids fiiekered close together.
Tiny wrinkles ran around her eyes.
The other woman was silent.
"Yes," continued Mrs. Gregg, begin
nIng to sew, there amt many men as
good to woman's he was. She had
nice home, all furnished up nice-w'y,
that sideboard alone cost $500 if ii cost
t cent! She had cook an second
grill never could see why they call
'ern second girls-an' Heritage, an
fbe jewelry, an dresses. She had a
plenty o spending money besides"
The other woman was silent. Why
did she not speak. He lifted his head
and looked at her. She rocked back
and forth as she sewed. Her eyes were
on her work. lie knew her well-a poor
reighbor TO whom his wife had given
much sewing and of whom she had al
ways been fond. Only few hours be-
fore her death she had spoken to him
OF this woman. you'll do something
for her sometimes, dearest" she had
whispered, even after speech was diff
ficult thing for her. do little things
fer her and the children-and DO them
dtlicately-so you will not-hurt-
her She had sunk back in his arms,
exhausted. and finished the sentence
With smile.
Lock at her front door," went on
Mrs. Gregg. ''She wanted fine one, an
she gotit, She got every blessed thing
size took a notion fer, from a burglar
pro0f closet for her silverware to
Poppa Gonteer rosebush. You got that
seam done, Mis- Medca'f?"
Mrs. Medcalt held up the seam to show
that it lacked several inches of being
finished.
''Oh, you'll soon have it done. It's a
pity she amt got any children. He'll
be so much more lonesome, a-comin'
home at night an not findin' anybody
here"
Then Of a sudden the other woman
spoke: 81 reckon he wont be any lone
scmer'n she's been all these years,
&. settin' here alone, night after night,
til, II o'clock"
No knife ever sent more sickening
pnin through a heart than those words
sent through the heart of the man who
lay there in the dark and heard.
"Hum-er-hum," said Mrs. Gregg.
- expect it did get kind of lonesome
for her. He-he-that is, l guess he
did have to stay downtown most of the
time. But he didn't have any bad hab-
drink or gamble or look at
other women. He was perfectly mod
81 husband"
There YVES no reply to this, and pree-
emily Mrs. Gregg continued; "Inever'd
thought she'd up and utter a word of
complaint agen such husband"
"She never did" said Mrs. Medcalf.
"Never n her life, so far's know. She
the land he walked on. You
could see that with ha'f an eye. But
she led a mighty lonesome life, model
husband or no model husband. He
didn't have any bad habits. I know
that. He just simply want domestic.
He'd rather set down town an play
some fool game or other than to set at
home an read or play cards with his
wife. 1t amt no sin, an amt sayin' it
is; an when o woman has that kind of
q husband the whole neighbo- hoods
ready 10 scream out: 'My-O! What
does gettin' lonesome amount too? She
amt got any call fer complaint, 5 !
can see She'd best be thankin her
stars she amt got husband thatconies
home drunk an abuses her, or eambles
everything he earns away in some old
saloon or otherI' An l Amt the one TO
be claiIhin' they amt right, an she
want the one to complain about any
thing. But what see with my own
eyes l guess 1 know. Cne night she
come over TO our house for sOnethin',
an when she comes in--well. if | DO
say 1t myself, our little settin'-room
did look bright an cheerful, even if
we amt got much in it. He always
builds up a big fre'n the fireplace in
winter, an pops a big pan O. corn an
gets up some apples from the cellar. an
then sets down an reads an talks while
[ sew. An we was scttin' there that
night when she comes il with q blue
dress on an a black lace scarf over her
head. an cries out: oh, how coy you
nrel Why. is your husband at home
evenings? An she had the wishfullest
eyes l ever locked into.
YES 7 says real quick, for didn't
want to hurt her feelin's, he works so
hard all day he don't feel much like GO
in out nights.
"'Why, he isn't home every night, is
hep she cries out
eyes, be- says he, before l could
speak. wy, amt your husband?'
"'No,' she says, an she walked over
an stood looltin' down INFO the re;.an'
then she says, very slow: I'd be the
iappiest woman on earth If he was
well says he, lookin' at her close,
hes home sometimes in the evenih',
amt hep
E. NJ go, III. v,ara.rr, - c,-;a-