Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-07-19
HIS WIFE'S
STRATEGY
Rv DONALD ALLEN
By DONALD ALLEN
Copyright, 1906, by p. c. Eastment

/ W udl II II, pa dShGu LIS NAAC
/ she appeared with n dish in her hand.
There's jim Thomas coming down
the road"
well, what of it?"
''He looks all dressed up"
Hes probably going to a dance
| somewhere"
Hes probably coming right here to
see our Minnie"
"Then he'll have creased his boots
| for nothing. Minnie amt wasting her
time on no such fellows as Jim
| Thomas"
The farmer had more to say, but be-
| fore he could say it Jim Thomas had
arrived. He was young man of
| twenty-five who had no particular oc-
cupation, but traded horses, helped TO
| put up windmills and now and then
acted as piano agent
He sat down beside the farmer,
| reached for his jackknife and a stick
and proceeded to whittle and talk.
Mrs. Milton came to the door to shake
the tablecloth and gave him nod,
but during the two hours he remained
he saw nothing of Minnie. He seemed
mucn GlSappOlnteu-
When he had departed the farmer en-
tered the sitting room and said to the
wife:
Look a-here, Martha, what's the use
in hurting fellows feelingsf'
what fellow"
"Jim Thomas, of course. You didn't
say three words TO him, and Minnie
didn't appear at all. 1t was reglar
snub, and l felt sorry for him."
''Then your sympathies are wasted.
I want to tell you that Jim Thomas is
sneak, and if Minnie ever speaks to
him again I'll box her ears, though she
Is going on nineteen years old"
The farmer sat down and pulled Off
his boots.
Martha" he began, "I've known for
two weeks that there was something
up and that Minnie and you were keep
ing it from me. Now, then, want to
know all about 1t. Jim Thomas was
down In the lot where | was at work
today, and he had just begun to tell
me that Minnie and Burt Anderson were
mad at each other when Elder Davis
came along and hung around so long
t4ldl Jim llstNt ~ ~ b'lOAN hLlShAA4es LIS
story. You might as well tell me tto
whole story"
Il told you jim was Il sneak" an
swered the wife. IF he hadn't been
there wouldn't have been any fuss be
tween Minnie and Burt. apd .f he
hadn't been le wouldn't have shown
| his face here tonight"
This seems TO be 'tarnal nice how
dydo-two folks engaged to be married
and fighting like eats and dogs. What's
the row about"
Nothing but Burt's ieal9usg. Aim
ME wrote her nann IN an autograph
album, and Burt found 1t out through
Jim Thomas and gave her Il blowing
up about It, She sassed back, and he
got mad, and that's the reason he
hasn't been here for the last two
weeks"
what In ttILder is an aw-to-graff
album asked the husband after think
ing for minute or two.
It's a book that folks write their
names in, and you needn't swear about
it. 1t belonged 10 summer boarder
down at Scott's."
"And all sho did was to write her
name in it?"
"Thats all, though Jim made Burt
believe the fellow was struck on Min
ME and said she had eyes like o s,oe"
What sort Of IL critter Is Il sloeY
~ dcu't know, and | don't care, and
/ want to tell you that you are not to
mix into this business"
But amt I hpf father, and amt it
my business 20 go to Burt Anderson
and tell him that Minnie is n hundred
times too good for him"
mo sir, it amt Abijah Milton, you
are thick headed man. and you are
SO nearsighted that you run against
fences. If You had your way you'd
spoil Neag. ONLY 1aiighters happiness
forever. You are not going to have
your way. You are going to fold your
arms and keep still and let me work
this thing out myself.
by thunder, Martha, but
Swearing some more. No wonder
you have become affaid Of lightning,
Swearing won.t help you, however.
You have got to do as l say, Ie Jim
Thomas comes around again yop can
talk about wlndm;lls ali you want to-
p"' ,.ol talk about Minnie. If you see
Burt Anderson use him just as you al
WAYS have. The rest can be left to
me-
"And what'Il you doT asked the hus-
| band and father.
"You wait and see. IL you don't seq
| Burt Anderson around here In less than
| two weeks then my name wasn't Mar
| tha Tompkins before / married you,
| and 1 didn't take a prize spelling the
| whole school down."
81 don't see how But she inter
| rupted by saying 1T was time to wind
| the clock and go to bed aud during the
| next ten days she resolutely refused
| to answer word whenever he ap-
| preached the subject. Then one even
ing she queried of him:
'Pa, what's Burt Anderson working
| at nowf''
| "Hoeing corn in the field alongside
the road" was the answer.
"Do you think he'll be there tomor-
| rowT"
] "Likely to be. Whyg"
"Never mind why Did our old horse
| Charlie ever run away"
| 'Lord, no"
"Could he run away If he wanted
| to?'
HE might get up sort Of hen can
ter"
Suppose" continued the wife, that
the lines were to get under his heels
and some one was to hit him five or six
cuts with the whip, would he break
into a canterW
81 guess he would. Yes, he'd be so
astonished that he would probably dust
along for few rods
"And would he keep to the roadF
IL guess he would. What are you
asking all these questions forF'
perhaps I'll tell you this evening.
Don't bother me now, as I've got three
pans of milk to skim"
Farmer Milton had no sooner left the
house for the fields next morning than
his wife began fixing up a crock OF
butter for the village grocer, while
Minnie harnessed the old horse to the
democrat wagon and got ready to drive
to town.
"Now, then, remember what I've told
you. When you come along to the corn
field keep your eyes straight in front Of
you and don't look around even If Burt
II Ia