The suburban citizen., 1901-02-02

a-goin to see her"
How d you know she wants to live
a right lifeT
Il don't know t, father. just
reckon she does. So I'm gon'. Let me
by, father I've fooled a ha'f n hour
away now, when I'd orter to "a ben
on the road there"
Nov, see here, mother. You amt
goin' a step. The whole town s eX-
cited over Il nice man like Mr.. Nesley
a-throwin' hisself away on no-ac-
count woman like her, an you sha'nt
be seen a.goIn' there an upholdin'
her"
Mrs. Sybert looked long and steadily
into her husband, eyes. 1t was her
policy to fight un,i she began to lose
ground, and then she Qule5ly turned
her forces to mauoeuyoring. Il reck-
on, she was now rejecting, it's about
time TO begin man1euy'rln'."
well father she said, mildly;
1--WE made mp my mind to 30 an see
Mis- Nesley an encourage her same's
[ w'u'd any man that wanter to live
better An I'm a-goin'"
You amt a-goln" Numbered Mr..
SyDert Il forbid you to bulge step!
You shon't disgrace yourself Mrs. Sy-
bert, IL you want TO, while you're my
wife"
Mrs, Sybert united her bonnet strings
aud laid her bag on the foot Of the
| bed.
"All right, father" she said Il won't
go TIL you tell me l can. l always rev
tried to DO just $ you wanted sh'u'd'
She went into another room to take
Oft her best dress. Mr. Sybert stood
staring after her speechless. He had
| the dazed lool; OF a cat that falls from
a Creat height and alighls, uuiniured,
upon its feet. The manoeuyerlng had
commenced
Mr.. Syberi spent the afternoon at the
postOflice grocery store 1t was a
pleasant place to sit There was al
ways a cheerful fire in the rusty box
stove in the back room, and there were
barrels and odds and ends OF chairs
scattered around whereon men who
had an hour to squander might sit and
talk over the latest scanual.
Men, as 1t is well known, are above
the petty gossip as to servants and
best gowns which women enjoy, but,
without scruple or conscience, they
will talk away womans character,
even when they see her struggling to
live down misfortune or sin and be.
gin new life There are many cnar.
acters talked away in the back rooms
Of grocery stores.
1t was o'clock when he went home
As he went along the narrow plank
walk he thought Of the good supper
chat would be awaiting him, and his
heart softened to mother"
Il reckon 1 was too set" be reflected
There amt many women s good an
faithful S mother l don't see what
got it into her head to go to see thai
Mis- Wesleyan to talk up SO to me
iNll- At tI AlNut ll4ul ulOltt
The door was locked. In surprise n;
fumbled about in the dark for the sew
enth flower pot in the third row, where
mother always hid the key Yes, Il
was there. But his knees shook a lit
lie as he entered the house. He coulC
not remember that he had ever founJ
her absent at supper time since thr
children were married. In that cas-,
she would have left a note; and h,
lighted the kitchen candle anC
searched for it. 1t was pinned to ,
cushion on the bureau in the bedroom
The house was cold but he did no
wait to kindle a fire. He sat down b.
the bureau, and, With fingers some
what clumsier than usual, adjuste,
his spectacles over his high, thin nose
, Then, leaning close to the candle, h
. read the letter, the composition 0
which must have given mother som
anxious hours. 1t was written wit
q painful precision.
Dear Father: You will find tn
I tOhlu llEdb III l4lc SUI Jul VI lAN BoN
porch in the stun crock covered Il
e with a pie pan. The apple butter
t in the big peory jar down in the sellC
; with a plate and napkin tied over
4 Put them back on when you get SON
= out SD the ants Won't get into It,
There's q punkin pie on the bottol
= shelf Of the pantree TO he right sic
l Of the door as you go in, ana SON
cofry in the mill all ground I'm Off
e sorry l hadn't time to fix supper.
!. hey gone TO Johns and Marias 10 sta
IT tell you come after me and l don
l. want that you shud come tell yC
t change your mind bout Mis- Nesley,
~ it takes till dumesday to change it.
amt never gone against you in an
s. thin before, but haf to this time.
I'm gon' to stay at Johns and NJ
J. rias tell you come OF yourself and 2
% me, Yon don't haf to say nothin' b
- fore John and Maria except just We
y. mother I've come after you. Tucn 1
know you mecn 1 can go and see NJ
1, Nesley.
st "Well father l reckon you'll be su
a. nriqod h11t I've hapn thiulyip bouf ~,