The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-07-13
HIS WIFE'S
STRATEGY
cggyrIgh.. bod. b 2. 6. Eastmeut
By DONALD ALLEN

step
.swhat Is 1t. par" asked his wife as
she appeared with a dish in her hand
There's Jim Thomas coming down
the road"
"He looks all dressed up"
Hes probably going to dance
somewhere"
"He's probably coming right here to
see our Minnie
'eThen he'll have CREASED his boots
for nothing. Minnie mint wasting her
time on no such fellows us Jim
Thomas
The farmer had more to say, but be-
fore he could say it Jim Thomas had
arrived He was a 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 jackllnIfe and a stick
and proceeded to whittle and talk.
Mrs. Milton came to the door to shake
the tablecIoth and gave him nod,
but during the two hours he remained
he saw nothing OF Minnie. He seemed
much disappointed.
wnen 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 a fellows feellngs?"
''What fellow?"
..Jim Thomas, of course. You didn't
say three words to him, and Minnie
didn't appear ut all. 1t was reglar
snub, and felt sorry for him."
"eThen your sympathies are wasted
want to tell you that Jim Thomas is
a 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 or
his boots.
'.Afartha.'' 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, l want to
know all about 1t. Jim Thomas was
down In the lot where was at work
today, and lie 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 we'll tell me the
whole story"
81 told you Jim was sneak" ar
swcred the wife. ''Ir 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 'tarnal nice how
dydo-two folks engaged TO be married
and fighting like cats and dogs WHAT'S
the row aboutY"
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 sassed back, and he
got mad, and that's the reason he
hasn't been here for the last two
weeks"
What in thunder is m aw-to-gran
album - asked the husband after think
ing for minute or two.
Its 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 It?"
That's all, though Jim made Burt
believe the fellow was struck on Mn |
ME and said she had eyes like sloe"
What sort of a critter is n sloe?"
81 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 I
times too good for him"
mo sir 1t aIn't! Ab4ah Milton, you |
are thick headed man. and you are |
30 hearsightetl that you run against |
fences. II you had your way you'd |
spoil your only daughters happiness |
forever. You nre not going to have
your way. You are going to fold your
arms and keep still ana 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.
ron have got to do as say. II Jim
Thomas comes around again you can
ak about wIndmills all you want to,
nut don't talk about Minnie. II you see
3urt Anderson use him just as you al
ways have. The rest can be left to
me-"
"And what'll you do7'' asked the hus-
'and and father.
"YOu wait and see, II you dou't see
Burt Anderson around here in less than
wo weeks then my name wasn't Mar
hH Tompkins before married you.
md ! didn't take prize spelling the
Whole school down"
"T don't see how But she inter.
tied by saying It was time to wind
he clock and go to bed. and during tho
ext ten days she TesolItely refused
D answer n word whenever he ap.
the subject. Then one even
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