Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-10-31
POOR WILLIAM.
16ooR WILLIAM always used to
JIG wipe his feet on the mat before

16ooR WILLIAM always used to
wipe his feet on the mat before
he came into the house." OBJ
served Mrs. Ganderson, with sigh.
"He was always considerable in; that
way"
II wiped my feet" protested Gander-
son. II never fail to wipe my feet.
I've done 1t all my life, and it Isn't
likely that I'd forget to do 1t now"
Il Then what Is that mud?" demand
ed his wife, pointing to some spots
on the oilcloth. Nobody else has been
In here this afternoon. don't see
why you should say you have wiped
your feet II you haven't. You've got
q perfect right to track up the whole
aiouse II You want to It's your house..
1T may make IA little more work for
me, but then I haven't anything special
to do except to clean up after you,
and II had 1t wouldn't matter, would
1T Not enough to make you deny 1t.
That was one thing about poor VIII
liam. II he did anything he'd always
own up to It."
.Of course sneered Ganderson,
STOPPING to unlace his shoes.
Indeed he did," assented Mrs. Gan
derson. "Poor William"
Darn poor William!1 muttered the
man. allow long before supper's
ready?"
flames Broderick Ganderson!" ex-
claimed his wife.
"Well!"
"Welll I'm surprised at you. To
say things like that about the dead!
wonder there isn't judgment on
you. But you always did seem to have
a grudge against poor William"
"Not me-" said Ganderson, surllly.
'I'm sorry he died. wish he was
alive and well again this minute. I've.
no grudge against him, further'n that
Mrs. Ganderson set the teakettle
that she was holding with her apron
down on the stove and applied cor
ner Of the garment to her eyes.
'sWell, there, now, didn't mean to
hurt your feelings" said her husband,
half repentantly. "Only you always
told me that you and he didn't get
along together any too well, and now
you're always throwing him up to me.
He didn't do this and he didn't do
that, and he always used to do this and
that and the other. I'm sick of him.
But what's the use of making fuss !?
Forget It"
The woman gave her eyes another
wipe and sighed. How would you
like me to forget you?" she asked.
"Poor William had his faults, as we
all have, but"
Ganderson threw the shoes he was
holding at corner Of the kitchen,
missed 1t and knocked pot Of ferns
OF the window sill. Then he kicked
the kitten to one side and strobe out
of the room. Mrs. Ganderson sunk
into the Boston rocker and burst into
sobs. A thump or two overhead and
the slam of door indicated that
Ganderson had sought the seclusion of
the spare bedroom.
. The fat in the frying pan on the
stove began to burn and emit unpleas-
ant odors, but Mrs. Ganderson re-
NAMED oblivious until ring at the
doorbell sounded sharply through the
cottage. Then she jerked the pan
quickly of the stove and set 1t in the
sink and stood listening.
The bel rang again, still more
sharply, and as there was no sign Of
response from above Mrs. Ganderson
united her apron and opened the door.
A sour-featured, thin and elderly wom-
an dressed in black stood before her.
She uttered cry that was almost
one of dismay. "Why, Mother Wa
ters!" she exclaimed, and, hesltating
an instant, bent forward and pecked
at the old woman's cheek.
II amt got but an hour to stay"
said the visitor. depositing small tel
escope in the hall. "I'm on my way to
Lucy's folks an l had to change cars
here, 50 I thought I'd stop in an see
you. No. I won't go into the settin'
room; I'll 60 into the kitchen. You've
got somethin' burnln' there What are
Jon doin'l Gettin' supper7 Is your
husban' to homer"
She looked around the kitchen with
disparaging air and seated herself
n tie rQcksr and locsened her bonnet