The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1906-10-03
HIS WIFE'S
STRATEGY
BY DONALD ALLEN
Copyright. 1905. by P. C. EASEMENT

| "There's Jim TnomaS coming DOWN
the road"
''Well, what of it?"
HE looks all dressed up"
"He's probably going to a dance
somewhere"
"He's 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 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 jackknife and a stick
and proceeded to white and talk.
Mrs. Milton came to the door to shake
the tablecloth and gave him a 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 a-here, Martha, what's the use
In hurting a fellows feelingsF'
"What fellowT"
"Jim Thomas, of course. You didn't
say three words to him, and Minnie
didn't appear at all. 1t was a reg'lar
snub, and felt sorry for him."
'Then your sympathies are wasted.
I 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 off
his boots.
Martha" he began, eve known for
two weeks that there was something
up and that Minnie and you were keep
ing it from me. Now, then, want to
know all about 1t. Jim Thomas was
down In the lot where 1 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 so long
that Jim had to go before finishing his
story. You might as well tell me the
whole story"
81 told you Jim was a 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 'tarnal nice how
dydo-two folks engaged to be married
and fighting like cats and dogs. What's
the row about?"
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 a 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 is an aw-to-graff
album7" asked the husband after think
ing for minute or two.
Its a book that folks write their
Games In, and you needn't swear about
It 1t belonged to a summer boarder
down at Scott's."
"And all she did was to write her
name in itP'
'That's all, though Jim made Burt
believe the fellow was struck on Min
ME and said she had eyes like sloe."
"What sort Of a critter is a 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 hundred
%No
mo sir, it amt! Abijah Milton, you
are a thick headed man, and you are
80 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 al
ways have. The rest can be left to
me-"
"And what'n you do?" asked the hus-
band and father.
'You wait and see. II you don't see
Burt Anderson around here in less than
two weeks then my name wasn't Mar
tina Tompkins before I married you,
and didn't take a prize spelling the
whole school down"
81 don't see how But she inter-
rupted by saying it was time to wind
the clock and go to bed, and during the
next ten days she resolutely refused
to answer a word whenever he ap-
preached the subject. Then one even
ing she queried Of him:
PA, what's Burt Anderson working
at nowT'
"Hoeing corn in the field alongside
the road" was the answer.
"Do you think he'll be there tomor-
rowr
Likely to be. Whyr'
"Never mind why. Did our old horse
Charlie ever run away2"
Lord, nor
"Could he run away If he wanted
tor"
lie might get up a sort Of hen can
tcr."
suppose" continued the wife, "that
the lines were to get under his heels
and some one was to hit him five or six
cuts with the whip, would he break
into a canter?"
II guess he would. Yes, he'd be SO
astonished that he would probably dust
along for few rods"
"And would he keep to the road?"
II guess he would. What are you
asking all these questions forr'
Perhaps I'll tell you this evening.
Don't bother me now, as I've got three
pans Of milk to skim"
Farmer Milton had no sooner left the
house for the fields next morning than
his wife began fixing I'D q crock Of