The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-14

a Duncn or GrOGOl0- It was Martha that done it All this past and gone love story had been hearing about reminded me of Martha. And I was steering straight toward her and no way out of it. How did know but what that there girl might be ex- pecting fur to marry me or something like that? Not but what was awful in love with her whilst we was to- gether, but it hadn't really set in on me very deep. I hadn't forgot about her right away. But purty soon had got; to forgetting her oftener than I remembered her. And now it wasn't no use talking. jest wasn't in love with Martha no more and didn't have, no ambition to be. '
 But I was considerable worried about Martha. She was an awful TO- 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 says to myself if she is mean enough to do that I'll be dern- ed if don't go to jail before I marry her and stay there.
 And then my conscience got to work ing inside of me agin- It wasn't but what liked Martha well enough. It was the idea of getting married and staying married made me feel anxious. Being married may work out all right fur some folks. But knowed it never would work any with me. Or not fur long. Because why should I want to be tied down to one place or have a steady job? That would be a mean way to live.
 Of course, with a person that was the doctors age it would be different. He had done his running around and would be willing to settle down now, I guessed, and leave off being jest a travelling fakir.
 Well, thinks to myself now that he has got to be that mebby her and him won't suit so well now, even if they does get their differences patched up. Fur all the forgiYing in the world ain't going to change things or make them no different. But so long as the doctor, appeared to want to find her so derned bad I was awful glad I had been the means of getting him and Miss Lucy together.
 We had to change cars at Ind1anapo- lis to get to that there little town. We was due to reach it about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. And the nearer we got to the place the nervouser and nervous CT all three of us become and not own ing we was.
 "Now,'' says to them two as we got off the train, 'tfoller me and I will show you the house.
 Well, it has always been my luck to run into things without the right kind of a lie fixed up ahead of time. They was three or four purity good stories I On- &5H 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 tha. She was standing by the gate, which was about twenty yards from the veranda. jest says to her:
 ''HeTlor' Martha, she is surprised to see me. And she looks scared too.
 els Miss Buckner at home?'' asts Colonel Tom, lifting his hat very po- lite
 SHf1ss B-B-Buckner? Martha stut- ters, very scared-like and not taking her eyes of of me to answer him.
 Miss Hampton, Martha" says.
 H'Y-y-y-es, s-sh-she 1s," says Martha. wondered what was the matter with her.
 It 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 next looked up they was all in the house.
 "Martha''- I begins. But she breaks in.
 Danny" she says, looking Nike she is going to cry, "don't ,i-l-look at me 1 l-l-like that If you knew all you wouldn't blame me. You"-
 teWoufdn't blame you fur what7'' asts her.
 '.I know it's wrong of me,'' she says, begging-like.
 'sMebbe it is and mebby it a1n't,'' 1 says. ''But what is 1t?'' -
 -ssBut you never wrote to me- she says
 .1@You, never wrote to me.'' I says, not wanting her to; get the best of me, whatever it was she might be talking about.
 "And then he came to town''-
 'sWho?'' I asts her.
 Don't you know?' she says. tsThe man I am going to marry"
 When she said that felt all of a sudden like when you are broke and hungry and run acrost a half dollar you had forgot about in your other i pants. I was so glad I jumped
 f9Great guns!" says. 1 had never really knowed what be l ing glad was before.
 1 "Oh, Danny, Danny" she says, put l ting her hands in front of her face, "and here you have come to- claim me for your bride!''
 'tIartha,'' I says, tyou ain't acted right with me"
 ooh, Danny, Danny she says, "I 1 know it; I know 1t!''
 Some -fellers in my place. says, would raise a dickens of a row."
 ''I did love you once" she says, look