The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-07-23

among the tomato vines you'd have
had the crime of murder on your
hands. You was still sweating and
breathing hard when | got home. and
you said something about having
thrown a tramp over the fence Sam
uel-Sam"-
Mrs. Dolby got ready &c slide down
on the floor again. but on second
thought she concluded not to- She did
give way to her emotions. however,
and she couldn't have done better if
she had been worked by machinery.
During this interval Mr.. Dolby read
that the world in general was growing
better, that there was more profit in
one acre of catnip than in three acres
of corn, that the deepest spot in the
Atlantic measured over three miles
and that Senator Foraker as a boy was
kind to cats.
Samuel. for ten long years you have
been a pirate and concealed the fact
from me-" Mrs. Dolby finally managed
to say
81 have found it out at last. how
ever, and something must be done. If
you found out that I was pirate you'd
feel just as ! do. Mrs Chambers saws
she's gone to bed every night shivering
for me- ana woke mp every morning ex-
pecting L. hear that ia been murdered.
| know that my sister in Indiana will
tell me To get divorce rs soon as she
hears about it. You can't blame me if
| do get one. can you?"
a faint smile crossed the deacon's
face. but as Mrs Dolby wasn't looking
that way be was safe. He turned his
paper over. cracked his toes ana left
her to 80 on:
II might commit suicide. Samuel. If
you thought it best. | could hang NY
self to one of those hooks in the garrett.
and you could find me and tell every
body that | had been low spirited for a
week. OF course Mrs. Chambers would
know the real reason. but mebbe she
wouldn't say anything. Mebbe she'd be
willing to give you a chance to reform.
l wonder if it hurts much to hang your
SELF
He Made No Reply.
The deacon thought it did and in
stinctively raised his hand to his
throat but he made no reply.
Il presume it does. but the hurt is
soon over, and one is among the an
gels. | may commit suicide or | may
get divorce. My sister would give
me home for the rest of my life.
VIII you miss me much when | am
gone, Samuel"
The deacon had struck a windmill
advertisement and become deeply in
terested. The mill was warranted to
go whether there was any wind or not
and was worth the price asked merely
for the cows to look at when chewing
their cuds.
Mrs. Chambers says you'd be sure
to marry again if got out of the way"
said Mrs. Dolby as she reached down
for the shears to resume her cutting.
who would 1t be, Samuel? Would it
be wilder or girl? Would you buy
new paper shades for the parlor win
ders and make a great splurge? Yes,
s'pose you would You'd forget how
hard I've worked to make soft soap
and rag carpets and dye my old dress
es. You'd forget that | can make half
pound of tea last longer than any
other woman in the town. 1t was in
the paper once that we'd been married
twenty three years and that I'd never
set loaf of heavy bread before you.
Yes. it was there but you'd forget all
about It, Do you know how long I've
made this pair Of shoes last me. Sam
uel? Two years and a half. but you
hain't give me a word of praise. If
your new wife Wore out a pair in three
months you'd think it was all right.
You hear me, don't you?'
He heard. but it seemed useless to
reply. He had dropped the windmill
and got hold of a new corn shelter
that was doing wonders, and he didn't
want to break in on himself There
came a long silence. punctuated only
by the ticking OF the clock, and when
he finally turned his eyes on Mrs Dol
by it was to find that she had gone to
sleep in her chair.
"Wha-wha is itY' she asked as he
shook her arm.
Its time to go to bed" he said in
reply as he turned to wind the clock.
NJ. QUAD.