The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-07-12
HIS WIFE'S
STRATEGY
o, DONALD ALlEN
cos,usl,, imA b =. c, Esstnsnl

iNhif "AheH hNt" hfN fANe NNN'
step
"wha, In II, pay asked his wife as
she appeared with dish Ia her hand
THERE'S Jim Thomas comlag down
the road"
"well, what Of ltr
"IIe looks all dressed up"
"iie's probably going TO a dance
somewhere"
"Iies 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 II Jim Thomas had
arrived, He was young man OF
twenty who had no particular oc'
cupatlon. but traded horses, helped TO
put up wlndmllls and now aud then
acted as plano agent.
lie sat down beside the farmer,
reached for his jackknife and a stick
and proceeded 10 whittlc aud 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
much disappointed.
When he had departed the farmer en-
tered the sitting room and said TO the
wife:
Look ahere. Martha. what's the use
In hurting fellows feelingsr
"What fellowf"
elm Thomas, OF course. You didn't
say three words to him. and Minnie
didn't appear at all II was n reg'lar
snub, and felt sorry for him."
"Then your sympathies are wasted.
want to tell you that Jim Thomas is
a sneak, and II Minnie ever speaks to
him again III box her ears. though she
Is going on nineteen years old"
The farmer sat down and pulled on
his boots.
Martha" he began, "1've known foi
two weeks that there was something
up and that Minnie and you were keep
ing II from me. Now, then, want to
know all about H. Jim Thomas was
down I'm 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 80 long
that Jim had to 90 before finishing his
story. You might as well tell me the
whole story"
~ told you Jim was sneak" an
swered the wife. "If he hadn't been
there wouldn't have been any fuss be
tween Minnie and Burt, and II he
hadn't been he 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 aboutt"
"N0thlng but Burt's Jealousy. Min.
nile wrote her name In an autograph
album, and Burt found 1t out through
Jim Thomas and gave her blowing
up about 1t. She sassed back, and he
got mad, and that's the reason he
hasn't been here for the last two
weeks"
"What In thunder IL an aw-to-graff
album p asked the husband after think
ing for minute or two.
'lts book that folks write theii
names in, and you needn't swear about
II. II belonged to summer boardei
down at Scotts."
"And all she did was to write her
name In itf"
"That's all, though Jim made Burt
believe the fellow was struck on Min
nle and said she had eyes like a sloe."
"What sort Of critter Is sloer
~ don't know, and | don't care, and
want to tell you that you are not to
mix into this business"
But amt | her father, and amt II
my business TO 90 TO Burt Anderson
and tell him that Minnie is hundred
times too good for him"
"No sir, It amt! Abijah Milton, you
are a thick headed man, and you are
30 nearsighted that you run against
fences. II you had your way you'd
spoil your only daughters 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 afraid Of lightning,
Swearing won't help you, however
You have got TO do as | say. III Jim
Thomas comes around again you can
talk about windmllls all you want to,
but don't talk about Minnie. II you see
Burt Anderson use him just as you al
ways have The rest can be left to
me-"
"And what'll you dof' asked the hus-
band and father.
"You wait and see. II you don't see
Burt Anderson around here Ia less than
two weeks then my name wasn't Mar
tha Tompklns before ! married you,
and I didn't take a prize spelling the
whole school down"
II don't see how But she inter
rupted by saying II was time to wind
the clock and go 10 bed. and during the
next ten days she resolutely refused
to answer a word whenever be ap.
preached the subject. Then one even.
Ing she queried Of him:
Pa, what's Burt Anderson working
at nowY'
"Hoelng corn In the field alongside
the road" was the answer.
DO you think he'll 10 there tomos'
row.
Likely 10 b. whyr
"Nsvsr mind Why, Did our old horss
Charlie ever run swayT
Lord, po."
"couid be run away II hs wanted
top'
He might get up q rort Of hen can.
ter"
Suppose" continued the wife. "thai
the lines were 10 get under his beels
and some one was 10 hit him Eve or six
cuts with the whip. would he break