Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-14

tatoes One cup and one plate had been
A partially emptied. The other cup and
plate looked as if they had not been
touched.
\ "Got company?" he blurted out, be-
fore he thought what he was saying.
Pike had never been known to invite a
guest to supper or any other meal.
| The bachelors face flushed deep
crimson. For moment he appeared to
be unable to reply. Finally he suffered
out:
well, no er, yes; I'm kinder ex-
pectin some one.
His neighbor observed his confusion
and fastened to state rthe business that
prompted his visit. Pike did not ask
him in, and he departed without OBJ
tanning further light on the cause, of
the presence of the extra cup and plate.
The neighborhood now had genuine
mystery. All sorts Of vague rumors
were circulated. But the bachelor Kept
his secret Il.
Spose Brown II tell what he seen
and folks will talk some, but nobody IL
guess what it s all about, he chuckled.
1t Went much against the grain with
him to cook twice as much at each meal
as he would have prepared for himself
alone. But he consoled his economical
spirit by feeding what was left over to
the hogs.
"'Tain't lost after all, 3" he thought.
4 The end of the month arrived. He
had awaited the day with impotence.
That evening he ate supper earlier than
usual He helped the extra plate and
filled the extra cup. representing the
amount he would allow wife-if he
had one-for the last time. And as he
did it he pictured to himself the brown
eyed Mabel gayly chatting with him
across the,table.
When he had finished the meal. he
took the old slate on which he had done
his figuring since childhood and in a
few minutes had ascertained to cent
i the cost of the extra portion.
-Four dollars and nineteen cents,
four dollars and nineteen cents, he re-
peated to himself, over and over again.
His brows were knit The chill Of
avarice was creeping into his heart.
'.And that don t include clothes. But
/ reckon she'd have enough duds to do
her for awhile.
1t was the first rule of the bachelor 8
life to deny himself everything except
absolute necessities. For the first time
he was dangerously near deciding to
break the law which had become almost
second nature with him. Few men
there be indeed who would hesitate to
invest "a. 10 month in the keep of a
wife who supplied in all respects their
4 ideal. But Pike had courted the yellow
gold so long that his love was not to be
changed easily.
Three days the battle endured within
his breast. 1t was the most miserable
period Of his existence Even after he
had made up his mind to seek the hand
of the witching Mabel he found himself
wondering at his own recklessness. But
he was man of stern resolve. Once
determined, it required more than hui
man power to turn him from his course.
On the morning of the fourth day he
finished up the work about the place
earlier than was his custom and hitched
Esau to the spring wagon
4 "It's purity nigh time was buyin a
store suit, and l reckon this is proper
occasion for SIGH purchase, The solilo-
quized as he mended a break in the
mules bride with piece Of twine
i An hour later he was examining the
assortment of clothing in Smiths gen
eral store at Hill Top
"What sort of q suit ort Teller buy
to git married in?" he asked the pro-
prietor with an effort at smile.
The storekeeper received the inquiry
as a joke The idea of Pike desiring in
formation of such a character to guide
him in the selection of suit did not
enter his brain.
"Same sort you'd want if you was
expectin to be buried, " replied Smith.
pants coat and vest. f"
Then both laughed at the homely
witticism.
The bachelor drew it out of the store
keeper without exciting suspicion that
| the young man who had participated in
the most recent marriage in the neigh
4 borhood had worn frock suit.
81 amt never had no tail coat yit, :"
he remarked in a careless way. Believe
| I'll just git one to surprise the neigh
bors ;"
| He found a cutaway suit that pleased
him in every respect except price. Four
teen dollars was more, than he was ac-
customed to pay But he again CON
quered his economical disposition.
| "I'll be back this way in couple of
hours and you can have the bundle
ready for me-" he said to the storekeep-
er and added, "When I git it, I'll pay
you. /"
4 The drug store was his next objective
point. The apothecary was dulnfounded
when the bachelor asked. for dime 9
worth of peppermint drops.
<"t4ot a cold?'' inquired the sallow
faced druggist.
Pike hesitated a moment.
mo, but I may git one" he replied.
Blyly avoiding an answer that would
lead to the discovery Of his real purpose
in purchasing the candy.
The package was done up in pink pa
per, with yellow cord about it.