The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-02
ABOUT JlM'S WIFE


"Jiln's wife hasn't takon no percei-
vance OF me since nly brother went away
an 'ain't sayin' us because 1 have mo
men folks around neither leave
spiteful renarlfe like mat 40 M, neIsli-
bors, an they-do--sag mean things a
bout that vorn5spY anita aCa
| They say Jlflss a2f,e 81 pfo,fd "a q 'itea-
cock about that ,YeHsw touzledB hair ar
hers. They say ,sts L pti On her siin1sS-
best any day IA tho week II she Thought
new folks wuz a comm round. Thcy
say that she JUS winds jim around that
little finger OF hers an there's many IN
our church that pities Jim. They say
she's dreadful eXtravassnt buyin new rib
bons and things FOR every new dress in
stead Of hXin things over.
Il VIII say that she's curious. My
brother hadn't no more'n reached the
| house when Jims wife came over TO re-
turn cup OF SUGAR which she said she
| borrowed last summer. Perhaps she dld
borrow it an perhaps she didn't. 1 didn't
take no notice 81 10 her OWN me sugar
| Now, taint natcheral FOR amy woman 20
1
| dressed up than usual. But Jims wife
| amt that kind when there's men around
When she came into my house with that
cup OF sugar she Naz dressed Just 20 elab-
crate ez IL she waz 'goin' To the opcry
m the city. She had on everything she
owned except her piano scarf which her
cousin tn Boston sent ON 10 her. I
never see such fixins outside a church
sociable or show. She had on her two
rings an her hair watch chain an her
Imitation TORTOISE shell cemb which she
got by sendin' on six new subscriptions
for that magazine that tells how TO make
home beautiful out OK odds an ends
an things.
well sir. do YOU suppose. Jim's wife
put on all her jewelry for me? She seen
my brother come 20 the house an she
came over 90 make an effect on him.
told MIN JUS what all the neighbors said
about her, after she wuz gone bcin' care
ful not TO criticiso her myself for \ didn't
want 10 prejudice him against her Yes
l m sorry 10. say be kinder took 10 Jim's
wife He said her hair was fashionable
az II any one could Ike such faded-out
yellow stun
We'll, sir, while he was with me.Jims
wife came over mos every day. She
come 10 ask me about my rheumatic an
amt had a tirige Ia ten years. She come
20 ask about the text missionary meeting.
an she on the committee herself 4 got
mat sick OF Jim's wife that / could have \
stranglcd her. II IL wouldn't have been |
murder. l don't know what Jims about |
to let his wife go gallivantin around |
wearin her best clothes every day but 1
them new folks are so blind. Jlms wife's /
always at her window an she don't miss
much that's goin on IN this neighborhood |
now j can tell you
1T always beat me why folks should be
more interested in other peoples doins
than IN their own. When made this OBJ
Servstion 10 my brother he Just laughed |
an said that life was n game OF poker
where every fellow held his own hand
close an tried TO see or guess what the
other fellows had. ! amt now takin' no |
perceivance OF poker plsy YIN, belongin' 10
the Methodist church all my life. but |
my brother once led a sinful life OF card |
playin' an dancin' an ne knows
why. I've been settin' I'm my window
when one of the neighbors would come
down the street. I'd look over and there
I'm her window would set. Jim's wife Just |
ez curious "a she could be. a-watchin' the
neighbor pass When ] go TO my side win
dow 10 see which corner they a turn at
amt eNaggeratin' bit when I say that
Jim's wife would move from window TO
window SOS she could watch them
longer
She's sScretve too. I saw Josh Hop
Kin ) boy what works ia the sta ation |
earnin TO be a telegraph operator. go 10
Inns house last week Carryin' i'm his |
hand one OF those brown envelopes that
kilograms come IN. Jim's wife met him al
he door an tore the thing right open.
Then she signed the book an went in
Perhaps the poor things been too busy
% call on me since my brother went
lway. says |. am TN Just run over an
Isk her what WIZ did AT the last mis-
ionary meetin'. just possible that she
'ot some bad news in a telegram an
Feeds cheerin' up.' slicked up my hair
m put on my paisley shawl an over |
vent.
"Jims wife wuz a Dustin around ey N
he expected company ! led her up Go
eclare erscf twict an she wouldn't do
l. hate this dilly-dallyiu' around the
'oint an Vet 1 didn't like % ask her
What was in her telegram. Some people |
re sensitive about those things so ] just
aid:
" i seen Jos Hopkins boy a-comin'
ere little while ago saws !
I'm sure you did, SAYS She
Why" says L. not likin' the way she
aid IT,
%, just because your eyesIsht is SO
ood, SAYS Jims wife.
Il din't like that remark any too we'll
ut perhaps Jims wife din't mean no iu-
nuation by IT, SO / let it pass
Josh Hopkins son is learnin' the |
"Nrt'NfFf'f 1
is way by deliverin messages. / hear
Your hearin'' says Jims wife. is ez
pod 81 your eyesight'
II hesitated again because Jim's wife |
al tone 4. didn't like. Some people 40
ave II materially though, an I didn't
~ nothin about II.
e" 4 thought he might been a-brinoin,
)u telegram. said l.
Why. or course. he might said Jim's
ne or he might been maxim q social
~ seem 20 how his mother was my
others second cousin
Ihats the way Jims wife talked. an
le went INTO family history ,o far thst
couldn't get her back 10 the tolerram |
nee my brother left she ain't taken no
'rceivance OF me. ! don't harbor Il up
'ainst her an don't say spitefil things |
'out her Ike some OF the neighhors. but
nsderin that were both Notho,ists it
'es seem cz it Jim,s wife was lust a \
ntle bit distant. Jest a little ht ,ot
id"rstand, but laws I've too much to dn
bother my head much about my neigh. +
rs. IN. y. sun. X