The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-07-25
The Sixth
Mrs, Washane,
She Subdued the Crankiest
Man In Pottsville.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

the new MFS. NdSuduo I0AI was 10
be. Not that Pottsville people We're ac-
quainted with her and allowed their
acquaintanceship to run riot with their
sympathies Not so. They knew of
her by hearsay only, as a widow
Widow Douglas, they believed, of
Green Meadows
But they did know John Washane
that was enough to know-John
Washane, who had placed less than
year ago the plain yet touchingly in
scribed stone to the fifth Mrs. Wash
ane. The first Mrs. Washane's stone
testified that none knew her but to
love her." the second, Her price was
above rubies." Mrs Washane, third,
was lamented as one who had done
what she COULD" the fourth, as zone
whom the heart of her husband could
safely trust in" while No. SIS epitaph
was, 'She always made home happy"
And now No. was about to be Of
fered at the connubial altar-so said
Pottsvillians,
1t was talked over at the various
sewing circles, and suggestions were
offered, motions made and carried as
to the best way in which to apprise
the new Mrs. Washane to be of her
unenviable prospect, and one day, as it
happened only a week prior to the
marriage, an anonymous epistle found
its way to the Widow Douglas of
Green Meadows. 1t ran thus:
Dear Friend-Though strangers to you, we feel
it incumbent upon to write you ere you take
upon yourself the vows OF connubial obedience to
John Washane of Pottsville He is a good
man. He is honest man. He is generous
man. But truth compels to state that in
spite of many virtues he has worried his many
former wives into untimely graves by nagging
and bossing That this may not be your fate is
the wish and prayer of Your WELL WIsHERs.
The Widow Douglas read the letter,
curious little frown, which was half
a smile, showing itself as she perused
the anonymous missive.
The wedding ceremony was over.
Mrs. Washane, sixth, was an accom-
plished fact, and the twain, now one,
having driven in their own hired hack
all the way from Green Meadows to
Pottsville, were about to enter the
house which Sally Lancaster had with
indignant vehemence got in readiness
to receive the bride
"And now, John, as soon as we can
get our clothes changed l think that
you had better hang that gate while
am getting supper. l noticed 1t says"
"Lu- Lucia-wh-whatY John Wash
ane was plainly astonished at the ad-
monitory tone Of his new made help
mate. Mrs. Washane's answer was
trife disturbed in tone, though
sweet.
Il hope, John, that you're not going
to annoy me by causing me to repeat
my words. Ny dear departed husband
always paid close attention when l
spoke. l said, You'd better hang that
gate as soon as you get your everyday
clothes on, as it Says So"
Thus was the beginning of John
Washane's sixth marital venture. When
he came into the house, he was urged
to take off his boots at the thresh-
old and reminded, Never did l thus
have to address my first husband"
Constantly was the statement made:
What would my dear partner Douglas
have thought had been obliged to ask
him to bring up coal? Dear George
would never have failed to procure
the best Of meats and butter" Until
at last John Washane became accus-
toned to the oft repeated assertions
and actually felt that, compared with
the late George Douglas. he, John
Washane, was an outcast and a vii
lain. No longer did he refer to Susan,
Matilda, Jennie, Carrie and Mary as
patterns for all future housewives to
copy. What were they as compared
with her to whom the sainted Douglas
had bowed in allegiance before? His
voice took on a humbled cadence when
he spoke to or of his Lucia. Hist How
had he ever dared to WOO this piece OF
perfection? How had he been so ia
vored to win her?
He referred to his own unworthfness
one day to neighbor lately moved in
to the town, man who years before
had lived in Green Meadows.
"As l think of her former partner
wonder what She saw in me that
should lead her to renounce the name
of George Douglas. 1t may be that
she saw my need and, as it were, was
willing to snatch me as brand from
the burning what were you about to
say, LawtonT'
you never. knew George Douglas
personality
John shook his head.
But you did, dare say, by reputa
ton at leastY'
Mr. Lawton grinned.
81 did," he said, with a silent, mirth-
full chuckle. "And so you are the man
that married Lucia Douglas. A good
woman she and a clever one. But
George Douglas-well. yes, l knew
him, too-Iots of folks did--the grog-
shop keepers best of all Thought
that he was kind of saint, did you?
Well, now, Lucia didn't when he used
to beat her till she was nearly dead;
and she didn't when he stole Parson
Grants colt; nor she didn't when he
used to swear blue streaks at her; nor
when she used to have to keep herself
and him from starving by taking in
washington she didn't think him a
saint till he up and died in the gutter,
relieving her of a nuisance. | mind
how she broke down when we told
her he was dead and said: He's done
one good thing that l hope the Lord
will give him credit for, he's died.
John Washane walked home in
dazed condition.
Lucia" His voice was still some
what awed as he addressed her, in
spite of what he had heard. Lucia
-did-did''-
ooh, John, why don't you say what
you start to without repeating?. Dear
George used to speak so differently"
did he ever cuss your John had
found his tongue at last.
why, JohnY'
"And strike you? Get drunk-steal
--neglect-come. Lucia, tell me. want
to know the truth"
Mrs. Washane's dimples became ap-
parent
''Some one has been talking" she
said twinkle in her brown eyes, 80
l may as well admit it. He was-oh,
John, dear, he did make my life so mis-
cradle, so unbearable''
/ ''W'hy did you deceive me SOP John
demanded, pulling upon his knees the
wife whom hitherto he had hardly
dared to kiss. you made me think
he was an angel all but"
ITS too bad" Mrs. Washane gave q
playful tweak to the grizzled mus