The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-06-03

All her lie HdQ MISS Mally ut0H q
mere substitute. AS a child, a mem
Der Of a large family, her clothes were
those handed down to her from sis
ters who had outgrown them. When
she grew older she was occasionally I
called upon to teach the village school /
when the regular teacher was alb
sent. Even in the matter of a love
affair, she did not have lover who /
was absolutely her own. While An
drew Truitt called on her for time.
it was only because of falling out
with his old sweetheart and he re-
turned to her at her first smile.
So when Mr.. Spranzy asked Matty
to mary him, to take the place Of the
Mrs. Spranzy who was gone, it seemed |
the most inevitable thing in the world
that she should do SO. For her, It
was going into a new world.
After the first wonder of it all, the
joy of possession had come Ipon her.
1t was hers, all hers! For she gradu-
ally realized that the new home was,
indeed, her own, and one from which
she could not be dispossessed; that
the house and the husband we're hers,
and not the less hers for having be-
longed to a former Mrs. Spranzy
There was not the slightest thought
Of jealousy in her simple heart; there
was only gratitude.
She would stand in the doorway of a
room and wonder how the other Mrs
Spranzy had cleaned it. She tried
in every way she knew to discover the
plans and methods of the woman who
had owned it all before it became hers;
for there entered her heart great
ambition not only would she show
her affection and gratitude to Mr..
Spranzy by making him as comfort
able as his first wife had made him,
but she would pay her predecessor
the tribute Of doing it precisely in the
first Mrs. Spranzys way But the
idea once conceived, she had some
difficulty in finding out what that way
was. Her husband was chary of speak
ing about his first wife. Miss Matty
feared that his sense Of loss was still
keen. and thought 1t rather indeli-
cate TO mention her; and when she
did, on one occasion, ask him how
Mrs. Spranzy had made the brown
bread he was so fond Of and insisted
upon having every day, Mr. Spranzy
had seemed so uneasy, that when he
had gone poor Miss Matty looked
penitently, with tear-flled eyes, at the
portrait and said, as she so often
said:
"She must a. been a mighty kind
woman, to be mourned like that!"
Then one evening Mr.. spranzy came
home with the letter saying his first
wifes cousin, Julia Keene, was coming
on a visit for a few days.
In the two days before Mrs Keene's
arrival, Miss Matty worked hard to
have her house in order; and when
she Was, at last, awaiting the mo
ment when Mr. Spranzy should bring
the guest, she went into the dining
room, and glanced up again at the
portrait, as if for courage
oh l hope l have everything ali
right" she said, and clasped hel
hands nervously together Then sh,
wiped her eyes, and went to the from
door,
Mrs Keene's large person was pre-
oeding Mr.. spranzy up the little rose
bordered walk
oh, you got roses" she was say
ing. 4 always did tell Julia this place
needed flowers" She nodded towar,
the figure Of timid hesitation in tn,
! doorway. There you are, she Gale,
cut reassuringly, and in a momen
she was kissing Miss Matty cordial,
on the cheek. j was just tellin MI
Spranzy how nice the place looks,
she said. Julia never could bear tn
clutter Of flowers; said green gras
t was good enough for her. and rent
of trouble to take care Of. 1 llk
something real bright an cheerful my
self. an I'm glad to see your tast
= runs the same wayl"
Everything in the house called 70
5 comment, and always brought fort
I approval Miss Matty was so file
5 with amazement at the things Mrs
:. Keene was revealing, however. tina
g she almost forgot to be glad at tn
S lady's words Of praise But 1t was a
), supper that she receivel the creates
+ shock of the day.
), Land you must think I'm compn!
r putin flowers in the middle of tn
d table" explained the first Mrs. SpraI
i zys cousin, when Miss Matty sun
moned her to the little dining room
Not but what like it; ike to TAX
{. a little pains for folks myself. and
f like to be the one pains Is took fo
q Bat Julia wasn't that kind, was sh.
s. Josiah? What? Oh, yes. I amt sayil
p but what Julia was a good woman
d an my own cousin, too but I CUES
y your second does better by yoi
e Miss Matty, this brown bread is a
q good as any ever ct if not better
l. but you oughtn't a made it especial
> for met
It Il was only the deslrablity Of san
d pling the excellence Of the meal thi
o gave the lady pause; but Miss Matt