The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-10-19
The Worst Man in Town.
And His Wife.
BY Lena Spaiding.


~ He had long had that reputation. so
every disreputable deed was laid at
his door, and many of them he had
been forced to acknowledge as mis-
work. This last one he had not ac-
knowledged, but would when they
came for him in the morning, if not
before. So he and his wife sat and
waited the inevitable They had
waited that way before on lust such
an occasion There was little said;
they both understood the situation and
each other. 1t was so easy. so natural
to break the law, but so impossible to
dodge its agents. Better not to try.
They both knew he would be sent away
but then, he had been before. He
was hard lot and she was only his
wife She would continue to wash and
keep the home and herself until he got
back. Then he would turn over a new
leaf and do better! He always prom
ised this and it always ended the
same; but she did not chide him: she
was his wife, and no other person un-
Aerstood him better. He took a dirty
worn bill from his pocket and passed
1t to her. He would not need It and
she might
The wind howled outside; they did
bot notice it until the weather beaten
door flew open. He went TO close II,
Ais ear caught another sound. he lis
tened, leaning far out His wife was
watching him, she stepped to his side.
What yer hear?"
Hear it?" he asked.
Someone hurt or drunk, we think?"
He didn't reply. but turned back into
the room and lighted a lantern, then
went out and closed the door
Five minutes passed. 10 20: she
turned her attention from the clock
and watched from the window in the
direction he had gone. The light APP
peared, 1t came slowly, unsteadily,
once, twice it stopped, then came on
slowly to the door she was holding
open. He staggered into the room I'M
der his burden and lowered ii to the
floor
Hurt or drunk?" she held the Ian
tern close to the fellows face.
Both. found i'm at the bottom of
the ledge" He walked to the door
and looked out, then closed and bolted
II.
The woman bather the blood from
the mans face
"I'll put i'm in the other room. He's
nothin' but a kid If they see i'm
heer they'll run i'm in, sure"
Together they moved him to the 9th
er room and placed him on their bed.
oh
kitchen. Hours passed She sat with
her barred elbows on the table. her
chin resting in her water-soaked hands,
gazing into space. Her reverie was in
terrupted by her husband coming into
the room and lifting the coffee pot
from the stove TO test its contents.
"I'll have il for yer in a iiny," she
assured him taking the empty pot
Hes nothin' but a kid" he again
Informed her: che came here to get
work. and got in with the gang and
got goin' and lost his dough. He start
ed cross lots for the yard TO catch
freight and hike back home He was
hazy an walked of the ledge
Much hurt?" The woman asked the
question abstractedly Her attention
was divided between her task and the
door.
Guess not. let i'm stay till he feels
right 7 told i'm to go home and cut
II out an forget IT,"
The sun slanted through a rent in
the curtain onto his face AZ first he
could not think where he was or how
be came there slowly St All came
back to him. slowly and painfully. for.
&C made his head ache 10 think
The woman was busy at her washtub
when he appeared at The kitchen door
She stopped to pour the coffee and
cut the bread while ne bathed his face
at the sink
OF slept late" he remarked apolOget-
ically "Has he has your husband
gone to wort?"
"Ycs" She answered briefly
Gle did me "a great turn last night
and gave me some good advice when
I'm going 10 follow right away
thought was broke and would have
70 wait tll dark and jump a freight
but 7 found This in my pocket don't
see how ever overlooked g." TIE
smoothed o dirty. worn bill between
his fingers THANK God I did now 7
can go home like % man" re had