Smyrna times., 1899-08-09
The Sixth
Mrs, Washane>
She Subdued the Crankiest
Man In Pottsville.

be. Not that POttSville people were ac- |
quainted with her and allowed their
acquaintanceship to run riot with their
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 rubes." Mrs. WaShane, third,
was lamented as one who had done
what she cOuld;" the fourth, as 'one
whom the heart of her husband could
safely trust in," while No. IS epitaph
was, "She always made home happy"
And now No. 6 was about to be Of
fered at the cOnnubial altar-so said
Pottsvillians.
1t was tailed 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
| 1t incumbent upon us to write you ere you take
| upon yourself the of connubial obedience to
one John Washane of Pottsville. He is a good
man. He is honest man. He is a generous
man. But truth compes 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.
a 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 l
am getting supper. | noticed it 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
a trifie disturbed in tone, though
sweet
Il hope, John, that you're not going
to annoy me by causing me to repeat
my words. My 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 l 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
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. His2 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, a man who years before
had lived in Green Meadows.
LAS 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 a brand from
the burning-what were you about to
lIy, LawtonY
. You never knew George Douglas
personality
, John shook his head
But you did, | dare say, by reputa-
ton at leastT
Mr.. Lawton grinned.
J II did," he said, with a silent, mirth-
full chuckle. ''And so you are the man
that married Lucia Douglas. A good
woman she and clever one. But
George Douglas-well, yes, | knew