Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-07-19
HIS WIFE'S
STRATEGY
By DONALD ALLEN
Copyright. 1906, By =. {. Eastment

| Martha, are YOU there! called
! Farmer Milton from the back door
step
| What is it, pa" asked his wife as
she appeared with n dish in her hand
| "Therc's Jim Thomas coming down
the road
| "Well, what of it,"
| HE looks all dressed up"
Hes PROBABLY going to 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 ii jim Thomas had
arrived. He was young man OF
twenty-five who had no particular oc-
cupation, Int traded horses, helped to
| put up windmills and now and then
acted as piano agent.
| He sat down beside the farmer,
reached for his jackknifc and stick
! and proceeded to white and talk.
| Mrs. Milton came to the door TO shake
the tablecoth 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 10 the
| wife:
Look a-here. Martha. what's the use
in hurting fellows feelings|
"What fellow"
"Jln Thomas. of course You didn't
say three words to him, and Minnie
didn't appear al all. 1t was reg lar
snub and felt soriy for him.
"Then your sympathies are wasted.
| / 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"
Tire 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 We're keep
| ing it from me. Now, then, | want to
| know all about it, Jim Thomas was
/! down IN the lot where | was ut 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
| that Jim had to go before finishing his
story You might as well tell me the
whole story"
Il 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 If he
| hadn't been he wouldn't have shown
| his face here tonight
This seems to be Il tarnal nice how
| dydo--two folks engaged to be married
and fighting like cats and dogs. What's
| the row aboutI"
| Nothing but Burt's jealousy. Min
ME wrote her name in an autograph
| album, and Burt found it out through
| Jim Thomas and gave her blowing
| up about it. She sasseG back, and he
| got mad, and that's the reason he
! hasn't been here for the last two
| weeks"
what in thunder is an aw-togratf
| album" asked the husband after think
ing for minute or two.
ITS a book that folks write their
| names in. and you needn't swear about
| it. 1t belonged to summer boarder
| down at Scott's''
and all she did was to write her
| name in itf'' s
| That's all, though Jim made Burt
believe the fellow was struck on Min
ME and said she had eyes like a sloe."
| What sort of n critter Is II soe?"
| Il 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 It
my business to go to Burt Anderson
| and tell him that Minnie is a hundred
| times too good for him."
| NO sir it aint 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 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. If Jim
Thomas comes around again you can
talk about windmills all you want to.
but don't talk about Minnie. If you see
Burt Anderson use him just as You a.
ways have. The rest can be left to
me-"
And whatll you do?" asked the hus.
band and father.
You wait and see. II you don't see
Burt Anderson around here in Jess than
two weeks then my name wasn't Mar
tina Tompkins before | married you.
ana didn't take a prize spelling the
he.c sal.au, ,ie&E "~
Il don't see how But She inter
rupted by saying it was dnc to wind
the Sock and 90 to bed. ana during the
next ten days she resolutely refused
70 answer a word whenever he ap-
preached the subject Then one even
ing she queried of him.
Pa, what's Burt Anderson working