Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-09-02
The Sixth
Mrs. Washane>
She Subdued the Crankiest
Man In Pottsville.

~".~-t'@"t-4'.-~'."&"."~"s'S
People generally in Pottsvillc plticd
the new Mrs. Washane that was to
be. Not that Pottsvillc people were ac-
quaintcd with her and allowed their
acquaintanccship to run riot with their
sympathics. Not so. They knew of
her by hcarsay only, as widow
Widow Douglas, they believed, of
! Green Meadows.
But they did know John WaShane
that was enough to knOw-JOhn
Washanc, who had placed less than Il
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 rubics.' Mrs. WaShane, third,
was lamcnted as one who "had done
what she cOuld;" the fourth, as zone
whom the heart of her husband could
safely trust in," while No. 5's cpitaph
was, ''Shc always made home happy"
And now No. 6 was about to be of
fered at the connubial altar-so said
PottSvillianS.
1t was talked over at the various
sewing circles, and suggestions We're
offered, motions made and carried as
to the best way in which to apprisc
the new Mrs. WaShanc to be of her
unenyiablc prospect, and one day, as it
happened only Il week prior to the
marriage, an anonymous cpistlc found
its way to the Widow Douglas of
Green Meadows. 1t ran thus:
Dear Frcnd-Though strangers to YOU we feel
1t incumbent upon to write you you take
upon yourself the of connubial obedience to
one John Washanc- Of POttsyillc. He is good
lie is an honest man. He is a generous
But truth compcls to state that in
spite of many virtues he has worried his many
former wives into uutimely graves by naggng
and bossing. That this mUy 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
q smile, showing itself as she perused
the anonymous missive.
The wedding ceremony was over.
Mrs. WaShane, sixth, was an accom-
plishcd fact, and the twain, now one,
having driven in their own hired hack
all the way from Green Meadows to
Pottsvillc, We're about to enter the
house which Sally Lancaster had with
indignant vchcmence 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 it says"
LuLucia-Wh-what? John Wash
ane was plainly astonished at the ad-
montory tone of his new made help
mate. Mrs. Washane's answer was
trifle 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 |
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 coalI 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
WaShanc, 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 saintcd Douglas
had bowed in allegiance before? His
voice took on humbled cadence when
he spoke to or of his Lucia. His? 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 unworthinesS
one day to n neighbor lately moved in
10 the town, a man who years before
had lived in Green Meadows.
| "As | think of her former partner |
wonder what she saw in Inc that
should lead her to renOunce the name
of George Douglas. 1t may be that
/ she saw my need and, as it We're, was
willing to snatch me as n brand from
the burning g-what were you about to
! say, Lawton?"
You never knew George Douglas
personality
/ John shook his head.
"But you did, l dare say, by rcputa-
/ ton at leastT'
/ Mr.. Lawton grinned.
81 did," he said, with silent, mirth-
full chucl,lc. "And SO you are the man
| that married Lucia Douglas. a good
woman she and clever one. But
George Douglas-well, yes, l knew