The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-10-11

quired to do almost mans work in
the raising of the crops. He remem-
bered, too, that one calico dress every
year, pair of cheap, misfit shoes, and
an inexpensive bonnet was about all
the good they got as the result of their
labors.
Tuggins sat for some time deeply
absorbed in thought; then he arose
and said:
Beckett, guess I'll airy tho young
one, and chance it,"
In the course of time he reached
Miss Wonord's home, and when he
had "hallooed" time or two she
came to the door.
Miss Woff'ord," he said, 'T come
by to tell you that l have decided to
marry you. When will it suit you for
me TO fetch the squire over to marry
us?"
Miss Wofford looked at Tuggins in
astonishment. For n moment she
was too surprised to speak. Finally,
however, she said:
'What do you mean, sir, by coming
here to insult me?"
Insult you Why, I'm in earnest.
Tn sure going to marry you. Just
name the day, will you?"
'Yes, will. I'll name day o
thousand years after the end of the
world. Now, you get out of this, you
baldheaded old ape, before 1 sic the
dogs on you"
Tuggins turned and rode away. He
was greatly puzzled at the way Miss
Wofford had received his announce.
ment.
"f thought she was sensible wom-
an" he mused, ''but she showed
weakness somewhere when she throws
away q chance like that"
He ewent direct to the widow Smart's,
and to her made the same announce
ment that he had made to Miss Wof-
ford. She received it graciously, and
with smile and smirk, blashingly
named the day for the wedding. She
was very shy and demure and her
manner was all honey and sugar.
In time the wedding day arrived,
and Tuggins took Squire Beeson with
him over to the residence of the widow
Smart, where in short order the we'd
ding ceremony was performed.
1t was month later when, one day,
Tuggins rode over to Beckett's mill.
He and Beckett, as was their wont,
fell into a neighborly conversation.
AT last Beckett made bold to speak OF
that which had been in his mind from
the moment Tuggins had ridden up.
He said:
"Tuggins something has gone wrong
with you"
''How do you know?" Tuggins
asked.
81 can see it in your looks and ac-
tions. You are not the man you have
been, Tuggins, not near the man.
You have sad, detected appearance,
and you impress me with the idea
that you have been having lots of
trouble"
Beckett, you are right. / have
been having trouble, and lots of it, too.
l am over my ears in trouble now."
"What is the matter?" Beckett
asked.
Everything is the matter" Tug
gins answered. "But the chief thing
that is the matter is that 1 am n fool,
and that have played the fool little
the biggest of anybody in this part OF
the country"
''But what have you done?"
81 have gone and made the mistake
OF marrying one wife too many"
''Hasn't the widow turned out to be
as good wife as you expected?"
''She turned out to be q regular old
Harry" Tuggins snapped, "and Tn
no longer boss in my own house. In
fact, / don't dare call anything my
own, not even my SOUL"
Cant You break her to your will?"
Break nothing I've tried that
once, and l amt going to be fool
enough to try it again. Do you see
these knots on my head? Well, they
come OF trying to break her to my
will. She wore chair out on me.
She won't work, and she spends money
like water. Oh, I've got that old
critter on my hands for life, and I'll
never see another minute of pehce."
Beckett offered little consoling
language, but he did not mean a word
of il. He was of the opinion that
Tuggins had at last got just what he
deserved, and was getting his account
squared in his own coin. Boston