The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-02-07
HesIop's Wife
hHEAvEN knows where he picked

i La L-N hnOWs NneTe ne plckeC
her up, with her fine clothes and
her fine manners; a nice farmers wife
truly"
You think he's really married to her
Jane?"
"Married!-of course he is, Mrs. Bis.
sop. You don't suppose he'd bring any
lass about this place-his mothers old
home--with a lie upon his lips? Ny
brother Joe's born fool, but he's no
liar and the speaker painted
"And she's book learnt, too. | hear
say" put in Mrs. Bissop, mildly.
Jane, who was not book learnt"
turned crimson. AYE; lis said So"
She's well lookin' anyhow. My man
saw her Friday-and it's week since
coming home from market, and he says
there's never been a comelier seen in the
parish for hundreds of years"
Fine looks is as good as they goes.
She's my brothers wife, and l oughtn't
to speak against her. But she's so
sleek, and so composed and so learna-
BILE, and so carrying, that take it she's
seen more of the world than she ought.
She never got that straight look, and
all that high and mightiness, in any
decent family. No; take my word for
1t, she's seen the world"
"Lor', Janey You don't mean to say
Ehe lords it over you?"
Over me? What are you thinking
about? There's no one in the county
could do that. Oh, no; my lady is as
soft AS wax, and asks to be shown that,
and to be told this; and is mighty civil
spoken. All put on. Even Joe seems
bewildered at her, though It's easy to
see he's ready to eat her The great
ninny!"
"She amt said anything about your
going yet-?"
MY what?"
Your leaving the farm? You know
she's missus now"
Not word. I'd like to see her turr |
me out" Jane snorted; but. privately,
she wondered why the young woman |
didn't
Don't ZEE really know where she
halls from?"
No. don't; and more than that, |
t'other night l made Joe so mad over |
one thing and another that he owned
up and said he didn't know himself. It's
hard on us-deceEt farmer folk for nigh
on hundred ycars-to have to put up
with some rubbish"
Enough OF that talk, Jane Heslop.
Ii you can't speak fair of our own
don't speak foul. Go; work with your
hands, woman, and.giv. your tongue a
rest. Martha Bissop, you know my sis
ter, she wouldn't speak fair to her own
bairn. Let me tell you-my wife's as
honest woman as any of you. You can
make that known about the place"
The two women went off in different
directions without another word. They
ived in county where man still has
'ome little authority.
AT the dairy door Joe Heslop brought
up, looked down on his shapely
limbs, clothed in well-made cords;
eemed pleased; pulled his coat to-
.ether-wiped his face, and smoothed
lis hair down with his hand.
Come in, Joseph; you're just in time
o help turn this lot of milk
A tall, straight girl, with her back
owards him, stood at churn.
go on with exactly the same move
nent, or the butter will never come"
he said. as if repeating pleasing 3
esson. "
He went to her-slipped his hands I
own to hers-imprisoning them on the
andle, and he looked at her with ador- 2
1g, breathless admiration.
Joseph" she said with a curious ill.,
nation. as though she were not quite r
sed to the name; ''it will be utterly y
nined. You've quite stopped it." {
He made an awkward peck at her
hich she avoided; and leaving him 9
lere. she went over to the tap and be- h
an to scrub some molds. She was beau q
fnl, and especially SO with the glow /,
I'd CLEAN of genial work upon her. A
-aceful figure, shapely hands and G.
ms. well-cut features. large, calm. u
ide-apart, gray eyes, and glossy hair, n
hich hung In big knob at the back of
= head. She had not been at the tap
r more than three minutes when she
# IL, ard came across 10 him, wiping