The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-01-31
When He Married.

The postmaster smiled little when
he passed out the mail, but Luther
Wilkins did not notice. He was try
ing to remember whether it was a yeast
cake or pound Of cheese he was to get
al the store.
He went out Of the pest office still
ponderiDg, and ended by forgetting
both articles, his attention being di-
verted By the sight Of two boys play
ing marbles on the sidewalk This
was the first sign Of spring Luther had
seen, 50 it was no wonder his lnemory
pl ,yed him ialse.
After be had gone home and eaten
his supper be thought of the mail in
his overeoat pocket. He brought il to
the table and sat down to examine it.
There was the weekly county paper.
poultry Journal, an agricultural month
ly, and, last Of all, letter.
well, now" said Luther, picking
it up, II wonder who's been writing to
NE. I don't know when I've had a
letter"
He looked at it eagerly, held it nearer
to his eyes, then farther off He re-
moved his glasses, and then polished
them in nervous haste. After replac-
ing them on his nose he picked up the
letter again and scanned it narrowly,
then be looked over his glasses as if at
some person, and then said:
II swumr'
He sank into = reverie, out Of which
he reused himself with a start to study
the envelope with renewed interest.
"Mrs- Luther Wilkins,n he said.
'MTs. Luther Wilkins. And | an old
bachelor who never so much as hardly
thought of getting married. Mrs. Lu-
ther wilkins. Why, where is she?
Aud who is she ?"
"Well, I guess I'll see what's in it.
He inserted the point Of bis knife I'M
der the corner Of the envelope fat;
then he hesitated.
what business have I opening her
letterssT be asked himself. Il never
did open other folks letters, and
guess I won't begin now" He rose 10
his feet, and, carrying il TO the mantel-
piece, leaned it up against the clock
He settled himself 10 his papers. but
thoughts Of Mrs. Luther Wilkins kept
intrudiBg on what he was reading
about patent nest boxes, and under
draining, aud the news Of the =iiiiage.
Thereafter, during all his waking
hours, Mrs. Luther Wilkins was often
in his Thoughts. He wondered what
she was like, and be thought Of the
kind of a woman he would wish her to
be, and enjoyed himself very much in
s.ssiillagining how it would seem TO have
her meet him at the door when he
came in from the fields, and how nice
it would be lot to have to get his own
meals.
At first he was q little cynical and
told himself that the imagining was
much more satisfactory than the real
ity would be, bot after awhile be
changed his mind, and would sigh
heavily when be came into his lone
some house.
The letter by the clock, too, began TO
trouble him. He had devouring Gu
riosity to see what was in il; and be-
sides it did not seem right to keep it so
long before delivering it.
One evening in June Luther put on
bis best clothes and walked three miles
10 see an old schoolmate who had an
unmarried cousin living with him. IL
seemed to him that Eliza Elliott fitted
in exactly with his idea Of Mrs. Luther
wilkins.
He came home quite early, very much
disappointed. Elizs wouldn't do AZ all.
He worked doggedly for month,
trying hard not 70 think of the disqui-
eting subject II was no use, and tow
ard the end Of July il was observed |
{ TAT Luther was becoming very neigh
borly. He spent evenings at different |
houses, he accepted invita-
tiOns to tea, be went to church regu-
IarIy and to all the Sunday-sehoOl pie
nies. And still he could not find
suitable owner for the letter.
II must be terribly fussy," be sighed
''Tve got acquainted with about all the
women in town; they're nice women,
every one Of them, but somehow they /
don't suit me. 1 guess I'll have to give
up beat"
It was one cold, raw day in early
that Luther sat at a window
N .king clumsy attempts al nending
pair Of very ragged socks Happening
to glance across the street he saw u
woman out in Hammond's yard. She
was very busy raking up the fallen an-
tumn leaves.
"Letitia Hammond" Luther com
N msnted. bill Hammond's sister. We
don't see much Of her lately. She
don't even 90 to church; there's so
many Of Bills children I'd lock after,
and BiI's wife Is 80 took up with her
clubs and things. It's hard on Lett
Tia. but she never finds = word of FAULT.
The sock he was mending fell 70 the
floor, and the wooden egg inside it
stru x with such loud bang that the
eat started 10 his sleep Luther did
not notiee. He was standing at the
gindO staring out /
That Is best which Iieth nearest, ?"
ne said, solemnly. What n fool l
have been"
He found bis hat and left the house,
almost running across the road. He
,ok ie iron rake away from Letitis
,eatly. That's too hard work for a