The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-04-13

~ - gram bli ADi iuC
mill and perhaps resented il. Mrs.
Dewey sat perched up beside her hus-
band on the high seat OF the wagon.
drawing her shawl close about her. as
the chill Marca wind struck her sens
bly. as she remarked to her husband,
with a protesting shiyer. She was a
plump little woman who had been pref
~ once. when her hair was brown aud
curly, her eyes bright and her COM
pleNion fair aad peaeby. but since she
had married Lon Dewey. and gone out
20 his big grain farm 10 live. continual
hard work had aged her greatly, and
the brightness and bloom of her girl
hood days were almost crushed out of
her.
Mr.. Dewey was a good man. for all
that he so thoroughly needed waking
up. but he had been accustomed to see
ing his mother and sisters turn of
great quantities of work with their ro-
bust health and strength, and it sim
ply did not occur TO him that his vito
was wearing her life away in tread
mill which was taxing her TO the Mt
most limit of Ter endurance.
"Wheaf's a bringin a dollar a bush
Fl" remarked Mr.. Dewey. as he flicked
his whip suggestivelv around Mats
heels. Il reckon il 1 can get the crop
sold afore she drops. I'll be some hun
dreds ahead OF what I've been airy year
before in some time"
Lon. don't you suppose. IL YOU do,
that we could have a new carpet in the
parlor? 1t seems like il could have
something real handsome to lock at. IL
would tighten the work ever so much"
Amt l handsome enough" asked
Mr.. Dewey. with unusual hnmor.
Mrs. Dewey laughed Her husband
was not handsome man at his best.
and to-day ae had taken little time TO
''slick up" aud the March wind had
tousled his hair and REDEEMED his nose
in addition.
The rag carpet was pretty enough
when it was cw," she continued. but
someways I've got awfully tired of rag
carpetin'."
You wimm'n folks get terribly tired
of things ANYHOW, il seems to me, re-
marked Mr.. Iewey, rehectively.
Yes, we do Lon" replied his wife,
with an unusual burst of feeling. I'm
tired to death of looking at the same
things, and of wearing the same
clothes year in and year out. ] get SO
hungry for pretty things sometimes il
seems like I'd go Wild
AR. Dewey turned and looked at his
wife in establishment.
well. l swan, Martha" he said,
slowly. "Pity you didn't marry rich
man that could give you all YOU
wanted"
NO, / don, want no rich man"
Martha Dewey caught her breath i'm
a half sob. you're plenty rich enough.
only you've got "A notion of thinking
i don't need nice things like other
women have them. Pretty things don't
cost 50 much more than humly ones,
either"
"Well, snum. what's got into you,
Martha, all of "a suddent2"
Nothing new. Lon Dewey" replied
his wife in cOmbative tone. Its there
pretty much all the time, but some
times it swells and surges. and sets me
going in spite of myself, like the water
turns the big wheels Mt the mill"
They were ia the town now, and a
young woman was tripping along the
sidewalk, clad in a handsome tailor
made suit, whose perfect fit and mate
rial added grace and beauty tn form
and face no more to be admired than
Martha's in her younger days. Martha
looKed at her with longing eyes. "If
] could be dressed up like that when I
go out, / wouldn't mind the hard work
atwcen times So" she said.
The miller came out as thc horses
trotted up TO the door of the great,
busy min. lie had been acquainted
with Martha years before, and he
noted her tired face and shabby attire.
Martha Hills didn't get much of n
snap when she married Lon Dewey" he
reflected inwaTdIy. as he invited her TO
come into the Office and get warm while
her husband sold his wheat.
Martha forgot her longings in the
curiosities OF the office. the telephone.
the immense ledgers over which the
bockl.eepcr was pouring. the book