Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-05-21
When Miss Matty Found Out
(Copyright.)
By Edith Bernard


All her life had Miss Matty been a
mere substitute. As child, a mem
Der OF large family, her clothes were
those handed down to her from sis
tiers who had outgrown them. When
she grew older she was occasionally
called upon to teach the village school
when the regular teacher was alb
sent. Even in the matter of q love
affair, she did not have a lover who
was absolutely her own. While An
drew Truitt called on her for a time,
1T 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 marry 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
ives going into new world.
After the first wonder of it all, the
joy of possession had come upon her
III was hers, all hers. For she gradu-
ally realized that the new home was,
she could not be dispossessed; that
khe house and the husband were hers,
and not the less hers for having be-
longed to 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
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. Spranzy's 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 it 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-filled 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
wife's cousin, Julia Keene, was coming
on visit for few days.
In the two days before Mrs. Keenes
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.
ooh, hope / have everything all
right" she said, and clasped her
hands nervously together Then she
wiped her eyes, and went to the front
door.
Mrs. Keene's large person was pre-
ceding Mr.. Spranzy up the little rose
bordered walk.
"Oh, you got roses!" she was say
ing. Il always did tell Julia this place
needed flowers" She nodded, toward
the figure of timid hesitation in the
doorway. There you are" she called
out reassuringly, and in a moment
she was kissing Miss Matty cordially
on the cheek. Il was just tellin' Mr..
Spranzy how nice the place looks"
she said. Julia never could bear the
clutter of flowers; said green grass
was good enough for her, and plenty
of trouble to take care Of | like
something real bright an cheerful my
self, an I'm glad to see your taste
runs the same way!"
Everything in the house called for
comment, and always brought forth
approval. Miss Matty was so filled
with amazement at the things Mrs
Keene was revealing, however that
she almost forgot to be glad at the
lady's words Of praise. But it was at
supper that she received the greatest
shock of the day.
Land, you must think I'm comp'ny,
putin flowers in the middle of the
table," explained the first Mrs. Spran-
zy's cousin, when Miss Matty sum-
moned her to the little dining room
''Not but what l like it; l like to take
a little pains for folks myself, and
like to be the one pains is took for
But Julia wasn't that kind, was she,
Josiah? What? Oh, yes, amt sayin
but what Julia was a good woman,
an my own cousin, too; but guess
your second does better by you
Miss Matty, this brown bread Is as
good as any I ever ct, if not better;
but you oughtn't a made it especially
for mel"
1t was only the desirability of sam
ping the excellence of the meal that
gave the lady pause; but Miss Matty
Lad chance to say:
I'm real glad you like it, Mis-
Keene. / make it fresh every day,
for Mr.. Spranzy's used to it that way,
an l want to do everything just like
she did"