Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-10-16

d woman, 1eerlng at them With wild,
en-; her nose and chin almost met; her
body was bowed almost double. The
awful light of insanity shone out of her
face like phosphorus.
At the wholly unexpected sight Of
her the three women huddled closer to-
gether, Mortified and aghast.
"Hey, hey!' cried the old creature,
with a dreadful laugh. 'Why don't
you give the ladies cheer2 Be they
ladies or bean't they? If they be. why
don't you give 'em cheer?"
Then, with her heart beating till 1t
seemed to shake her slight body, Mrs.
Mayhem spoke. "To what am l In
debted for this unexpected visit?"
Mrs. Hostetter's speech had been long
prepared and committed to memory,
but not word of 1t came. Whatever
the three women had expected to find
behind that dove colored door, 1t was
certainly not that bed and its dread oc-
cupant. The room seemed whirling
around them. Mrs. Hostetter endeav
ored to give utterance to some of her
carefully prepared sentences and failed
dismally. Finally she faltered out,
"We-we-that is-we wanted to have
talk with you"
"WellY
"We-we've seen for long time that
somethin was a-goin on right under
our very noses"-her voice strengthen
ed as she went on-"and we concluded
we'd come and have talk with YOU
"WellY'
We've seen you hang that birdcage
out on the right hand side Of the door,
and then we've seen that fellow come
and stay and stay. We don't propose
to have such goin ons right under our
noses. You've got him hid here SOM
ers now. If your husband can't put a
stop to it, we can"
She paused, and there was intense ST.
lence for moment. Then the old wo-
man cried out: "Why don't you give
'em cheer? Be they ladies or bean't
they?"
81 don't know" said Mrs. Mayhem
and laughed out scornfully, but almost
Instantly her face showed contrition.
| "Oh, didn't mean that| she cried,
| turning imploringly to the women. Il
beg that you will forgive me. i know
you mean this in kindness, but your
| words cut my heart like knives"
"Oh, we didn't calculate to be re-
ceived on two chips" piped out Mrs.
Dean. "We braced up to do our dooty
| like Christians, no matter how hard we
might he insulted." Her voice was as
sharp Ms her face.
| "You can,t deceive us an atom" put
In Mrs Frozer. determined to have her
l.lourels. too. "not an atom. We have
seen everything. We have even seen
tho Gold feelin's betwixt Won and Mr..
/ NInvhew n man that this hull town,
from ono end ia the other. looks up to.
Evervhohy has seen the cold feelIn's
thots come betwixt YOU"
Now. indeed. Mrs. Mayhew was like
white l,,v smitten and crushed by n
Storm She. cling. trembling. to the
chnir and looked Mt them with dark
terrified ewes.
"Tbis-tbis ,s nv mother" she fall
tered asbo 10 old and feehie and sbr
I-she had trouble. 1t affected her mind
/ had her brought here SO could care
for her as a daughter should" She
gathered courage as she went on. "He
my husband-did not wish 1t. He
thought 1t would be too much for my
strength. would make me i'll. But II
wouI have killed me to see her tax
4
en- she burst out lnto win sou
Ding. y couldn't. But he was angry
On, he made It hard for me to DO m!
} duty TO her! almost went mao my
selr. gave up everything. and ther'
was SO much work. could not hay'
even, one servant. coufd not Dear TIM
any one should know. she was m.
mother, my dear, faithful motherl M.
heart has Died night and day, but
nave done my duty by her. He ma
made 1t hard for me. but 1t has beel
hard Tor him too. He does not see 1t II
the right light. lie loves me SO tender
~ that he feels my duty Is to him only
Ihere mas been trouble between us be
cause OF II lave you not seen that h
looks III
1--WE have seen that" interrupts
Mrs. Hostetter deliberately. HE look
mighty Ill. Most men would-to &c
anonymous letters a-tellin 'em tina
their wife hung out birdcages on til
Eight side of doors and that then me
come a-sneakin there
"Oh, surely" said Mrs. Mayhem
, gazing ut her with wide, fascinatin
, eyes, mo one would be SO cruel! VIII.
, he knew all about it he is in til
5 house now. And, then, to hurt hil
! with such q letter, to let him knoN
2 that I was suspected! And he neve
told me! He bore that, too, for m
sake, In silence"
!. "Oh, he's in the house now, Is hei
r cried Mrs. Dean in her shrill staccat'
r You'd like us to believe that, woul
e you? You'd like to make us believe /
!. knows all about the man you've &
t hid som'ers here now"
a Nothing would make us beliey
q your husband Is in this house now bi