The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-08-14

But was considerable worried
about Martha. She was an awful ro-
manceful kind Of girl. couldn't shut
my eyes to the fact we was engaged to
each other legal, all right And If she
| wanted to act mean about it and take
| it to a court it would likely be binding
on me. Then l says to myself If she
| is mean enough to do that III be dern
| ed if don't go to Jail before ! marry
her and stay there
And then my conscience got to work
| ing inside of me agin. 1t wasn't but
what | liked Martha we'll enough. 1t
was the idea Of getting married and
| staying married made me feel anxious
| Being married may work out all RICH,
| fur some folks. But l knowed it never
would work any with me. Or not fur
| long. Because why should | want to
| be tied down to one place or have
| steady job? That would be mean
| way to live.
or course, with person that was the
doctors age it would be different He
| bad done his running around and
would be willing to settle down now.
| I guessed, and leave off being jest
travelling fakir.
Well, thinks to myself now that be
l has got to be that mebby her and him
wont suit SO well now, even II they
does get their differences patched up.
Fur all the forSiving In the world amt
| going to change things or make them
| no different But so long as the doctor
| appeared to want to find her so derned
bad | was awful glad had been the
| means Of getting him and Miss Lucy
| together
| We had to change cars at IndianapO.
| lis to get to that there little town. We
was due to reach it about 9 O'Clock in
| the afternoon And the nearer We got
to the place the nervOuscr and nervous
| err all three of us become and not own
ing we was.
| "NOw." ! says to them two as we got
of the train. ''follcr me and will
show you the house"
| Well. it has always been my luck to
run into things without the right kind
| Of lie fixed up ahead Of time. They
was three or four purity good stories ]
had been trying over In my head to
tell Martha when | seen her. Any one
Of them stories might Of done all right.
but I hadn't decided which one to use.
and, of course, run plumb into Mar,
tina. She was standing by the gate.
which was about twenty yards from
the veranda.
Jest says to her:
"Helloy'
Martha, she is surprised to see me
| And she looks scared too.
us Miss Buckner at home2" asts
Colonel Tom, lifting his hat very po
lite.
"AIiss B-B-Buckner?" Martha slut
tiers, very scared-Hkei and not taking
her eyes off Of me to answer him.
Miss Hampton, Martha" says.
"Y-y-y-es. s-sh-she is" says Martha.
wondered what was the matter with
her.
1t is always my luck to get left all
alone with my troubles. The doctor
and the colonel they walked right past
US when she said yes and up toward
the house and left her and me stand
ing there When 1 next looked up they
was all in the house.
"Martha"- begins But she
breaks In.
Danny" she says, looking like she
is going to cry, don't l-l-look at me
l-l-like that If you knew all you
wouldn't blame me. YOU
wouldn't blame you fur what?" !
asts her.
II know it's wrong Of me-" she says.
begging-llke.
"Mebbe it is and mebby it amt"
says. But what is it,"
But you never wrote to me-" she
says.
"You never wrote to me-" ! says.
not wanting her to get the best of
me- whatever it was she might be
talking about.
"And then he came to town.
"Who?' asts her.
| Don't you knowT' she says. 1.-THE
| man l am going to marry"
| When she said that I felt II Of a
sudden like when you are broke and
| hungry and run acrost half dollar
you had forgot about in your other
pants. was 80 glad jumped
| Great guns" I says,
had never really knowed what be-
ing glad was before.
ooh. Danny, Danny" she says, put
ting her hands in front Of her face.
land here you have come to claim me
for your bride!"
Martha" I says, you amt acted
right with me-"
"Oh, Danny, Danny" she says 81
know it; know it!'
"Some fellers in my place." says,
would raise dickens of row."
| IT did love you once" she says, look
ing at me from between her fingers.
"Yes," says l, acting real melan-
choly, "you did. And now you've quit
it. They don't seem to me to be moth
Ing left to live fur. Some fellers would
kill themselves on the spot"