Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-04-06
Mr.. MALONEYS BUGBEAR.


/ whGle world Of whom Mr. Maioney
| was Jealous His namc WAS McCiaff-
erty. aud Aialoneys wife in speaking
of him called him Dennis. Mr. Ma
| loney knew his wife was all wife
should be. and that she loved him de
| votedly, but when she talked about
Dennis" with a half-sigh and ten
der smile, he had an intense desire TO
get at the throat Of this same Dennis,
whom he had never seen, and choke
the life out of him.
When Mrs. Maloney, then pretty
Rose Clarity, was about II, Dennis
McGafferty had been very devoted to
her. lie was her first 'grown-up''
bear, and seemed very fine and fas-
cinating to her. Their little love affair
ran the length of the summer and
then Dennis went to live in the city.
and that was the end of it. Two years
later Mr. Maloney stepped in and won
the heart and hand of the blooming
Rosie and there had been no clouds to
darken their matrimonial horizon ex-
cept these illusions to Dennis Me
Gafferty.
Dennis used to say no carriage was
fine enough for me-" Mrs Maloney
sometimes said. when waiting, with
her husband, for the plebeian street
cars, or Dennis said / ought to have
the costilest jewels in the.land," when
standing in front of the jewelers.
tempting windows. On some such oc-
casions the suffering worm would
turn.
Why didn't he give 'em to yez:" he
would ask, fiercely in the rich brogue
which his wife made fun of, but really
enjoyed-his voice was so mellow and
the brogue SO rich that no music was
sweeter to her ears
lie would an I'd a married him.
she would retort, rather sharply
"Shure, an why didn't yez, then?"
Mr.. Maloney, eXasperated beyond en-
durance, sometimes muttered between
his teeth. His wife, however, never
answered that question except by Il
proud indignant look For, searching
back TO that happy summer VIII 4
Dennis had been so attentive, she
could never remember that he had ever
asked her, in so many words, to be his
wife. There had been vague illusions
" tiAN tiAAAN " iith AACf NOulD 10 lulS
or that together or have certain much
desired things and be supremacy happy
but that was all No, the much-vaunt-
ed Dennis had never come to the
point!
But il would not do to let Mr. Ma
loney know this. Rosie had found out
that the name of Dennis acted upon
her husband much as a red flag acts
upon an Infatuated bull, and she thor
oughly enjoyed these little skirmshes
and realized her power over the great
big loving Irishman and continued 10
WELD it.
About a year after their marriage
the Maloney's moved to the city. They
settled in a comfortable little fiat and
began to pick out their tradespeople.
Imagine the little wife's excitement
when She discovered, not four blocks
from their home, the following sign
over a neat little grocery:
dennis McGafferty, Grocer
Her excitement was still strong
when. at the supper table she told her
husband of her find
I'm goin around this avenn' an
tell Dennis I'll give him me trade she
said. bringing out the little sigh and
tender. retrospective glance in a mad
dening way.
"Shure, I'll 20 wild yez." said Mr..
Maloney. firmly his heart heavy as
lead in his bosom
sure. Rosie answered sweetly.
Dennis will be that glad to know me
husband She dressed herself to
the top oi lie wardrobe and they start
ed ont. the little woman talking gayly,
Mr. Maloney answering in sulky mono
Syllables He was in deadly fear lest
Dennis. seeing his wife more charming
than ever. should fall in love with her
again and steal her away from him.
They entered the store. y heavy
set man with briStling red mustache
came forward. His hands and mouth
were larg" and his nose turned up at
the end: he was freckled and homely;
ana vet Rosie recognized Dennis.
"Good-avenin',. he said Smilingly.
"Good-avenin." returned the Ma
loneys.
There was moments expeetant
pause. ana then Rosie smiling coquet-
tishly. said:
MIR. McGatferty. I'm an old friend
of yours. Now. if you'll tell me who
am. I'll give yez me trade" Surely
he knew her!
4 big. fat. good-natured-looking
woman entered from rear door and
approached them.
by the saints! | know yer face,
pretty lady" said Mr. McGafferty,
looking puzzled. but l can't place
yez.''
Rosie's face turned crimson She
could have died with modification
and embarrassment. for there was her
husband taking il all in and doubtless
enjoying H.
"Mayhap its Katy O'Hara?" haz-
arded the grocer. doubtfully. Rosie
shook her head. She could scarcely
keep the tears from her eyes. Then
/ it's Mary GarrityE' with a shy laugh
/ Another shake of Mrs. Maloney's
head.
OR Bridget Burke. or Ellen Dona-
houe or Kittle O'ToOle. or Biddy Sui
4 livan"' broke in the fat woman. who
/ had come up and put her hand famil-