Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-05-09

Stri hlaud'> shoulder
Tom. my boy" lee sid. ia rather
rive Marry 20 yuu than to amy Other
uu in tn. world. and you ought to
In kqoWu Il without my jelIin' you
I've known YOU and liked You all the
time you've been CROWN up. and
owe your father like he was my own
brother. i am glad you and MARY
have got IT all settled. and I'm sure
Mrs. rDdhuuter thinks rs much of you
u do God bless YOU and Mary both
my boy
There was sudden break in the
.olOnel's voice. Its up to YOU and
Mary to arrange all the rest Of it..
young man" he spoke again after a
little pause. Then. with whimsical
smile: And all Of your troubles are
ahead of YOU both May the good Lord
have mercy on your souls"
\ splendid gratitude shone in Toms
eyes. "All I've got to say is this, Colo
mel Todhunter." he said. God helping
me. I'll make Mary the best husband in
the world
you'll need the Good Marsters help
considerable, too, my boy responded
Colonel Todhunter quizzically. And
don't bank on bein' too blamed success
full in that there undertaken. sub. Be
in good husband amt no sinecure,
not by long shot. It's the biggest con
| tract You ever undertook. and you've
got to keep hammerin' away at it ev'ry
| minute. sub. It's enough to skeer a
man to death, Tom, if it want for one
thing-bein' good husband means
havin' happy wife, and that's the fin
est thing on Gods green footstool. You
just live up to that great truth, Tom
and it's all I'll ask of you
"You won't have to ask more than
once. Colonel Todhunter.' replied Tom
fervently IN think of nothing but
Mary's happiness all my life. sir And
thatll mean mine, too; we're going to
be the happiest couple in all the world
colonel"
Now that's where you slip mp again.
| Tom,' said Colonel Todhunter. Mar
ried life amt just one long dream of
unalioyed bliss. not by a jugful, sub
| You got to take it as it comes. the bad
with the good. and sometimes it may
look like the good amt as plentiful as
| it might be. but that's percisely when
you got to sit tight and watch and pray
/ for change O. luck. And a mans wife
amt no chronic angel; young man. no
moren't a womans husband is. You'll
be powerful lucky If Mary makes you
as good a wife as her mothers made
me, but, all tie same, I've seen days
when Mrs. Todhunter looked more like
destroyin' cyclone to me than any
thing else. And she can tell hundred
Shortcomings on me where l can tell
you one on her. SO there you are. sub.
| It's give and take, that's what 1t is,
and you just got to do your best. keep
on whistlin' for cheerfulness' sake and
stand ready to make quick duck il
things get too stormy, suh!'
Tom Strickland could not help but
laugh. well, colonel" he responded.
IF Mary and ! are as happy as you
and Mrs. Todhunter I'll be more than
satisfied And I'll try to make her a
good husband. promise you that"
Il know you will, Tom" replied
Colonel Todhunter. "And know
Mary'll try to fill her part O the con-
tract the same way too"
The young mans gaze went nervous
~ past the door through which Mary
and her mother had vanished.
] II wonder where they are. c0lonel?"
he ventured apprehensively. Il hope
there's nothing serious happening"
Colonel Todhunter tugged at his grix-
zled mustache to keep from smiling
openly in Toms face.
Don't you worry none about Mary
and her mother. suh," he spoke.
They're just havin' a heart to heart
talk on the all absorbin' subject Of
marriage. Tom, and they got to have a
good cry while it's goin' on. l bet
they've already shed enough briny
tears to float battleship. sub. That's
a woman's way at such time as this.
All mothers has got to wall over their
daughters then like they was goin' to
die stead o gettin' married. But
they're all right after that. sub. When
| Mary and Mrs. Todhunter get through
and wipe each others weepin' eyes
they'll show up out here as serene as
summers day. reckon it's the
Good Marster's will-they got to do It
that way. subj"
At this moment Mrs. Todhunter ap-
peared in the doorway. She went
straight to Tom and put both hands
on his shoulders and kissed him on
the forehead.
God bless you and make both of you
happy. Tom," she said. her voice trem.
bling. "Mary loves you very dearly.
You've got to be a good man. Tom.
for her sake. You will. too, won't
you?"
Mary's sweet face was now in Toms
view from where she stood in the
shadowy old hall behind her mother.
The young man bowed his head at
Mrs. Todhunter's tremuIous speech.
God helping me. ! will. Mrs. Tod
hunter" he replied.