Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-09-26
" Twas fool quarrel, same as that

Twas TOOL quarrel, same as that
Kind centrally are. As much my fault
as his and as much his as mine, call
late. Anyhow, we was both proud, or
thought we was, and neither would
give in. And he says to me, You'll be
sorry after I'm gone. You'll wish me
back. them And says l. bein' fool,
guess not. There's other fish in the
sea- He sailed and l did wish him
back, but wouldn't write fust and
neither would he. And then come an
other man"
She paused. hesltated, and then con-
tinued.
Never mind about the other man.
He was handsome then, in a way, and
he had money to spend, and he liked
me. He wanted me to marry him. If
II the other, the one that went away,
had written 1 never would have
thought of such a thing, but he didn't
write. And, my pride bein' hurt, and
all, | finally said yes to the second
chap
| Well, for the first year 'twa'n't so
bad. Not happiness exactly, but not
misery either. That come later. His
people was we'll off and he'd never
worked much of any. He did for
little while after we was married, but
| not for long. Then he begun to drink
and carry on and lost his place. Pref
ty soon he begun to neglect me and at
last went off to sea afore the mast.
We was poor as poverty, but could
have stood that; did stand it. / took
In SEWN and kept up an appearance.
somehow. Never told soul. His
| folks come patronizin' around and Of
fered me money, SOS needn't dis
grace them. l sent 'em rightabout in
hurry. Once in a while he'd come
home, get tipsy and abuse me- Still
l said nothin'. Thank God, there was
no children; that's the one thing I've
| been thankful for.
"You can't keep such things quiet al
ways. People are bound to find out.
They come to me and said, Why don't
you leave him?' but wouldn't.
could have divorced him easy enough,
there was reasons plenty, but
wouldn't do that Then word came
that he was dead, drowned off in the
East Indies somewheres. come back
here to keep house for Sol, my broth
er, and l kept house for him till he
died and they offered me this place
here at the parsonage. There! that's
my story. part of 1t, more'n ever told
livin' soul afore, except Sol"
She ceased speaking. The minister.
who had sat silent by the window.
alphabetically listening or trying 10 lis
ten. turned his head.
81 apologize. Mrs. Coffin" he said
DULY, you have had trials. hard ones.
But"
But they amt as hard as yours.
you think? Well, l haven't quite nm
ished yet. After word come Of my
husbands death, the other man come
and wanted me to marry him. And
wanted to-oh, how wanted to!
cared as much for him as l ever did;
more, guess. But wouldn't
wouldn't, though it wrung my heart
out to say no. give him up-why ?
h cause thought had duty laid on
me-"
Ellery sighed. 81 can see but one
duty" he said That is the duty
given us by God, to marry the one we
love"
Keziah's agitation, which had grown
as she told her story. suddenly flashed
into fame
is that as fur as you can see?" she
asked fiercely. Its an easy duty,
then-or looks easy now. I've got
harder one; it's to stand by the prom
Use gave and the man l married"
He looked at her as If he thought
she had lost her wits.
The man you married." he replied.
why, the man you married is dead"
NO. he amt. You remember the
letter you saw me readin' that night
when you come back from Come-Out-
ers' meetin'? Well, that letter was
from him. He's alive. Yes, he's alive
Alive and knockin' round the world
scmewhercs. Every little while he
writes me for money and. if l have
any, send it to him. Why? Why
cause I'm coward, after all, guess,
and I'm scared he'll do what he says
he will and come back. Perhaps you
think I'm fool to put up with 1t;
that's what most folks would say If
they knew it. They'd tell me ought
to divorce him. Well, can't, can't.
walked into the mess blindfolded
married him in spite of warnin's and
everything. | took him for better or
for worse. and now that he's turned
out worse. must take my medicine.
l can't live with him-that can't do
but while he lives I'll stay his wife
and give him what money can spare.
That's the duty told you was laid or
me. and It's hard one, but l don't
run away from it,"
She stopped short; then covering
her face With her apron, she ran from
the room. John Ellery heard her de-
scending the stairs, sobbing as she
went.
All that afternoon he remained in