River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-03-21

"Stay in doors on a night like this
Not much" said Bill. To himself ht
added, DOLLS like enough tired o.
Henery by now and mebbe he and m,
can get a few words on this here las
caper of the mayors. No use tryin
to make the girls understand it, but
Henery is a good talller, if he is 81
lazy"
He started again for the yard, bur
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 along out there
Bill. don't know what's come over
Doll to take sech a shine to Henery
after all the good offers she's had!"
Bill looked at them thoughtfully
so Dolly's hard heart wasreally touched
at last, and by shiftless Henery Dob
bins, of all people in the world!
81 reckon / jest as leave smok,
right here" he said, with his usua
good nature.
His sisters-in-law beamed at him.
81 think Henery is a right pleasant
young man." Jane ventured.
Old and young Mrs. Miller botl
turned on her.
you do, do yer?" said her sister
well, seem as you are sech a Judge
but she was interrupted by hen
mother-in-law, who said with ponder
Gus sarcasm, may | be allowed tc
ask, Jane Kennedy, how many time,
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 tender heartedly spent
a large part of the time over by tht
morning-glories near the alley fence
81 like the way them glories smell,
he explained, politely, when he was
invited to sit down on the porch.
"Bilrs a lamb" Dolly said to her
self, tenderly, land / wish them
glories did have some smell to kill out
the one from the alley for him"
Henery's wooing progressed rapidly
in the next few weeks. Dolly
amiable as Bills sister must neces-
sarily be, was, nevertheless, young
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
-
1T will jest mean Bits havin' to
look out for Them" said his mother
"Henery won't work steady, and Bill
will have to take 'em in"
yes" agreed Maria, that's what il
win come to. Bills got good pay,
but / 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
jarring, 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 a few remarks derogatory to
Henery when the latter's lack of
thrift was an especial source of an
noyance, or a 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. Bill himself had not a 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'
Henery." 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, I'll tell you how l feel
bout it, 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 tallin' care of 'em so long as
they will be content to live right with
us"
What yer want him there for?
Amt yer sorter crowded already?'
asked Jim.
"Yes, sorter," said Bill. He was a
little ashamed of his own attitude
and continued with rather n hang-dog
air: But you see, Jim, without run.
min down women folks any, ii would
be sorter pleasant SEEM man now
and then. Why, | amt enjoyed cleo.
: