The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-03-22


llenery by now and mebbe he and me
can get few words on this here las;
caper of the mayors. No use tryin'
to make the girls understand il, but
Henery Is good talker. IL he is SO
lazy"
lie started again for the yard, but
during his moments delay his wife
and mother had joined in the discus
sion.
He amt worthy OF her noticin'
him." the older woman said, earnest
ly. "You go right alcng out there,
Bill. don't know what's come over
Doll to take sech shine TO Henery,
after all the good offers she's had!"
Bill looked at them thoughtfully:
so Dolly's hard heart was really touched
at last, and by shiftless Henery Dob
bins, Of all people in the world!
IL reckon / jest as leave smoke
right here he said, with his usual
good nature.
His sisters-in-law beamed at him
II think Henery is right pleasant
young man." Jane ventured.
Old and young Mrs. Miller both
turned on her.
you do. do yer?" said her sister
well, seein' as you are sech Judge"
but she was interrupted by her
mother-in-law, who said with ponder.
Gus sarcasm, may be allowed 10
ask, Jane Kennedy, how many times
you've been married, ma 'am?"
The spinsters were subdued. and
Bill, yielding TO the force of family
opinion, joined the couple in the
yard, but he -hcartedly spent
large part of the time over by the
| morning-glories near the alley fence.
IL like the way them glories SMELL"
he explained, politely, when he was
invited to sit down on the porch.
"Bill's a lamb" Dolly said 10 her
self, tenderly, land wish them
glories did have some smell TO kill out
the one from the alley for him"
Henerys wooing progressed rapidly
in the next few weeks. Dolly.
amiable as Bits sister must neces-
woman of decided convictions, and
when she announced to her family
in pleasant. but firm tones, that her
affairs were her own affairs, not even
her mother rebelled openly.
1T will jest mean Bill's havin' to
look out for them" said his mother.
"lIenery won't work steady, and Bill
will have to take 'em in"
Eyes" agreed Maria, that's what il
will come to. Bills got good pay.
but i don't see how he will stretch il
any further"
Both women sighed at the prospect
before them, but avoided looking at
each other as they did so: theirs were
kindly natures in spite of the frequent
Earring. and while Maria was anxious
that the old woman should not think
she was begrudging Bills care of his
mother and sister, the mother was
hoping Maria did not suspect that she
felt her boy had hard time support
ing three sisters-in-law all these years.
Bill himself said little to his family,
except when he deemed it judicious TO
throw in few remarks derogatory to
Henery when the latter's lack of
thrift was an especial source of an
noyance. or little praise of him
when Dolly seemed depressed in spirit.
To one person. however, he gave a
clear view of the real state of his
mind. and this was Jim Ruggles, who
worked in the shop with him. He
lived near the Millers, so Bill had the
chance TO walk home with him each
day, a privilege he priced highly, for
Jim was a man, although there were
people. notably in his wife's family,
who asserted that he was not much of
one. Fill himself had not high
opinion of Jim's mental ability but
he had grown attached to the gaunt
young fellow, with his mildly apollo
getic air.
Jim took great interest in Dolly's
love affair.
"She amt gettin' much in takin'
Tenery." he said to Bill one night.
The words had familiar ring to him;
he had heard his wife's mother say
something of the sort in another con-
nection and it was pleasant TO pass
on the criticism.
NO. she amt" said Bill: but look
a-here, Jim, III tell you how feel
bout II, If you'll hole yore tongue
bout my views. Doll likes him, so
she'll be happy-and the other girls
and ma like him well 'nough If only he
want an unprosperin' kind. Now, it's
me that that will come on, and don't
mine the takin' care of 'em so long as
they will be content to live right with
u.s."
"What yer want him there for?
Amt yer sorter crowded already?"
asked Jim.
Eyes. sorter." said Bill. He was a
little ashamed of his own attitude,
and continued with rather hang-dog
air: "But you see, Jim. without run
min down women folks any, IL would
be sorter pleasant seem man now
and then. why, amt enjoyed elec-
ton day and the week before and
after II for ten years the way ! have
this last one lest missed. To come