The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-26
ONE BAD HUBBY
 WAS NOT 4 CURE Reforming Woman Is Ready To
 Try It Again INDEED SHE IS ANXIOUS
Puts Drunken Spouse in the Grave and After Short Rest Finds An other Reprobate To
 Reform.

From the Chciago News.
 Admitting that Stefferson is dead, for i the fact Is altogether beyond dispute, there is not the least doubt that he was i an out-and-out scalawag when living
 There was not a wet eye at his fu- neral. It was about the most arid affair within the officiating clergyman's rec olleetion. The widows pocket handker- chief was black bordered. but it was cer- tainly not moist and it would have been a wonder S it had been. She had been afflicted with Stefferson for Il years. 1 He, the late unlamented. had not en- ] joyed the best of reputations when Mrs. ] Stefferson married him. She was warn- ed how it would be. She might have for gotten it, but all her friends told her so. They knew that the kind of son Steffer- son had shown himself to be would not make the best kind of husband that man who had allowed himself to become intoxicated within six weeks of his we'd ding would probably be a sot after; that kicking the harmless pet dog of his be- trothed, as Stefferson did, argued a bru- tai temper and indifference to the feelings of the woman he was about to marry that was altogether inexcusable. It was pointed out that as he had never been able to support himself the idea that he would provide for family was preposterous; also, that the worst thing woman could possibly do was to marry man to reform him.
 So the wedding took place.
 It All Came to Pass.
 Three months after that the prophets of both sexes were exulting. It had all come to pass
 The undutiful son had proved to be faithless husband. Marriage, so far from curbinG his appetite for strong liquors, seemed to have removed any slight re- straint he might have felt Some men are incorporate and still remain lovable. Stefferson drunk was, if possible, uglier than Stefferson sober.
 He was relieved of the necessity of working for a living, because Mrs. Stef- ferson had money. Luckily, it was tied up in such way that she was unable to touch the principal-or unluckily, be- i cause If Stefferson could have spent the whole probably he would have deserted her. But at last he got on one glorious and prolonged spree and in the resulting delirium tremens went to his accounting How Mrs. Stefferson endured it as long as she did, no one who does not know the heart of a woman can imagine. But he was dead at last.
 Stefferson had altogether discarded her mourning. The rest had done her good She was getting comfortably stout and had regained quite little of her youth full good looks.
 She was sitting in her prettily furnished little parlor, attired in particularly be- coming house gown. A large Angora cat was purring in her lap, occasionally turning a lazy yellow eye up at the cheerfully trilling canary. The piano was open and there was music on the rack. A vase on a bookcase held some vivid La France roses, and on the sill of the | cry materials and a box of bonbons.
 Receives Visitor.
 Mrs Stefferson laid down her novel when her visitor was announced and got up, to the profound disgust of the cat. The visitor was an elderly, gray-hai.ed woman with decided chin. Mrs. Steffer- son embraced her quite affectionately, and asked her to take off her things No, thank you, my dear" said the elderly woman. "I've only very few minutes to stay. No; no tea, thank you. My, but it's pleasant in here. It looks a little different from
 Bessie, that's what I called to see you about I heard something today that shocked me more than I can tell you l didn't believe it. and I won't believe it until you tell me it's true. Bessie, dear. you're not going to get married again, are you?"
 Mrs. Stefferson smiled, blushed, and nodded.
 The visitor gasped But not-not MT. Crawley. Oh, Bessie! I hope you are not going to do anything so foolish as thatP
 Mrs. Stefferson coicred again, but this time with indignation. 'I think I am the best judge of whether it is foolish or not" she ad 'I den, consider that l will be fooii3p at all. l expect to be per- | think 1t is anybody's business"
 But you can't possibly know what you gre doing persisted the elderly woman Bessie you know that I am friend of yours, and wouldn't have you any. thing but happy. You may not think it's my business; but I feel it is my duty to tell you that MT. Crawley is a bad, bad man."
 "Oh, not at heart.'
 'At heart and all through. My dear, do you know his habits? Do you know his character? Neither could be worse. It's my plain duty to tell you that, and if you have the least doubt of it, I can prove 1t to you.'
 I'm not going to listen to you" said Mrs. Stefferson. 'You don't know him as I do. Nobody does I've heard all l those tales about him, and I don't say | that he has been perfect, but what he | needs, and always has needed, is a good | woman's influence
 "Pah!' exclaimed the visitors. Bessie, you must be a fool Is it possible that after all the misery you experienced ill your first marriage you can still delude l yourself with that idea? Did your in. | fuence help SteffersonY'
 | Mrs. Stefferson sighed. You forget my dear. that he died" she said. gently. "Do | you know, I often think that if he had | lived, I might have made him see hi3 1 faults and repent of them Who knows l but he might have become a thoroughly 1 good man?"
 | Altogether an extraordinary case, wasn't 1 it?