The Cairo bulletin., 1906-03-16
THE MAN WHO
CAME BACK


woman could not recall that either OF
Them was particularly disputatlous or
obstinate. When the two got married
1t was called a good match. and all
seemed to go well for three or four
months. Then II was known that argll-
ment and dispute We're the order OF the
day.
About year after marriage and aft
CIR they had had numerous disputes and
separations Samuel came up from the
potato field one day and said:
Ding my buttons but them potato
bugs are, Just going for the vines /. to
beatA all creation. | wonder why they
have so many more legs than bug
They haven't" replied the Wife.
Eyes. they have. They've got sixteen
legs. and you can't find bug with
over twelve"
They haven't got but ten legs. was
looking at one this afternoon"
Sixteen. Nancy"
Only ten, Samuel"
was boy twelve years old and
working for the family and | heard
the dispute. There was no anger in II,
but each party was mulsh and deter
aimed They kept up the dispute for
three hours and at length the husband
said:
Nancy I'm not going 10 stand any
more OF this II you insist that a later
bug has only got ten legs. I'll leave the
house.
Il say ten and shall stick to it. ana
If you want to leave you can
Next morning Samuel left He bad
about $40 In money aild a bundle OF
clothes. and he did not say where he
WAS going in fact, he walked of with
our word and the wife stood IN the
door and saw him go and made no ef-
fort 10 detaln him. 1t was small
farm, and when he had been gone a
week she hired ii man to do the heavy
work, and things went on as usual
One day, a year and a half later. the
missing husband walked into the house.
He looked about as usual and hung
perfectly at home
YHowdy. Naney?" he saluted. and she
saluted him the same way
Dinner was just ready, and he sat
down at the head of the table They
talked about the farm and the crops
and the weather. and when he was
through eating he showed back and
said: t .H aa
well, Nancy. are you ready to give
In that later bug has sixteen legsT
Nope. know they have only teh,r
she replied. fats
fare You going to stick 10 ri"
9TH die"
And shall stick TO sixteen"
He picked his teeth for awhile with
out anything more being said and then
rose slowly up. walked outdoors and
was not seen or heard Of again for over
two years. His own people did not
know where he was and held no CORE
spondence With him The matter was
or course known to everybody for Ave
miles around and there We're many
who thought 1t their duty TO wrestle
with Nancy She would listen to all
they had TO say, aud when they had
finished her reply was ,4
Just as long as Sam Hastings can
stick to sixteen can stick TO ten. ana
he may stay away and he hanged to
him. -. tt
Samuels home coming on the second
occasion was a good deal Ike the first
His wife sat on the yeranda sewing
On N 81, I'M M aF n 10 x,hat, IA. tttpnnd
in. from the dusty highway with bun
die on his shoulder. she knew him "a
soon as she saw him. but she made no
fuss over II. When lie had reached tile
yeranda he laid down his bundle and
said:
well. Nancy, don't see that you
have changed much"
Nor YOU either" 81.
Feeling purity welly"
First rste,"
Som l."
Then they discussed the neighbour
for an hour, and she said
II suppose you will stay to supper"
'Dh. | guess So ..-
He stayed. but when the meal was
finished he asked.
About them later bugsf''.
They have stiH got ten legs" she re
piled.
Couldn't make 'em sixteen. could
your
'Not II was to BE- burned at the
stake Samuel, you know What de
termined woman am"
What mule, you mean"
Then you are just as big one.
Just as long as you stick to sixteen
shall stick 10 ten" , t-
Then goodby 10 you" .e.
Three minutes later lac was out OF
tie gate aud going down the road. and
things went on Ia the old routine
again. This time i've loIR years pass
ed away. Then the Widow Hastings,
as she had long been called. got up
bhe morning to fnd Samuel sitting In
chair by the kitchen stove. lie had
entered the house some time during
the night without disturbing anybody
he sat within his elbows on ns knees
and his chin ia his hands. but .she knew