Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-04-13


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 sensi-
bly,, as she remarked to her husband,
with a protesting SILVER. She was
plump little woman who had been pref
ty once, when her hair was brown and
curly, her eyes bright and her COM
plexion fair and peachy, but since she
had married. Lon Dewey, and gone out
to his big grain farm to 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 off
great quantities of work with their ro-
bust health and strength, and it sim
ply did not occur to him that his wife
was wearing her life away in tread
mill which was taxing her to the ut
most limit of Ter endurance.
'Wheat's "a bringin' dollar bush
ell" remarked Mr.. Dewey, as he licked
his whip suggestively around Mats
heels. 81 reckon if I can get the crop
sold afore she drops, III be some hun
dreds ahead of what I've been airy year
before in some time"
Lon, don't you suppose, if you do,
that we could have a new carpet in the
parlor? 1t seems like if could have
something real handsome to look at, it
would Tighten the work ever so much"
''Ain't I handsome enough?' asked
Mr.. Dewey, wi:ls)unnsual humor.
Mrs. Dewey laughed. Her husband
was not a handsome man at his best,
and to-day lie had taken little time to
"slick up,'' and the March wind had
tousled his hair and redeemed his nose
in addition.
1.-THE rag carpet was pretty enough
when it was cw," she continued, "but
someways I've got awfuIly tired of rag
carpetin'.''
You wiInm;n folks get terribly tired
of things anyhow, it seems to me-" re-
marked Mr.. Dewey, refectively.
Eyes, we do, Lon," replied his wife,
5 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 sometime. it
seems like I'd go Wild"
Mr.. Dewey turned and looked at his
wife in establishment.
"Well, 1 swan, Martha" hG said,
slowly. "Pity you didn't marry rich
man that could give you all you
wanted"
mo, dom: want no rich man."
Martha Dewey caught her breath in
half sob. "Ycu're plenty rich enough,
~ L.:
don't need nice things like other
women have them. Pretty things don't
cost so much more than .humIy ones,
either
'Well, 1 snum, what's got into you,
Martha, all of a suddent?"
Nothing new. Lon Dewey" replied
his wife in acombative tone. ''it's 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 ;st the MILL"
They were in 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 to a form
and face no more to be admired than
Martha's in her younger days. Martha
looked at her with longing eyes IL
could be dressed up like that when
go out. wouldn't mind the hard work
atween times so," she said.
The miller came out as the horses
trotted up to the door of the great
busy mill. lie had been acquainted
with Martha years before. and hs
noted her tired face and shabby attire
Martha Hills didn't get much of s
snap when she married Lon Dewey he
reflected inwardly, as he invited her t.
come into the Office and get warm Will.
her husband sold his wheat.
Martha forgot her longings in tn,
curiosities of the Office. the telephone
the immense ledgers over which tn,
hookkeeper was pouring. the book