The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-05-15
CHAPTER XII,-(CntInued.)


Never mind about the other man.
He was handsome then, in way, ana
he had money to spend, and he liked
me. He wanted me to marry him. n
if the other. the one that went away,
had written 1 never would nave
thought of such a thing, but he didn't
write. And, my pride bein' hurt, and
all, I 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 1t. = TOOK
in SEWN and kept up an appearance,
somehow. Never told soul. HIS
folks come patronizin' around and Of
fered me money. SOS I needn't dis
L
a hurry. Once in while he'd come
home, get tipsy and abuse me. Still
I 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
sou leave him? but / wouldn't L
SouId have divorced him easy enough,
shere was reasons plenty, but l
QouIdnt do that Then word came
chat he was dead, drowned on in the
Nast Indies somewheres. I come back
here to keep house for Sol, my broth
or. and I kept house for him till he
died and they offered me this place
here at the parsonage. There! that's
my story, part of it, more'n I ever told
Twin soul afore, except Sol"
She ceased speaking. The minister,
who had sat silent by the window,
alphabetically listening or trying to lis
ten, turned his head.
IL 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 fin
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. l give him up-why =?
cause thought l 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
az she told her story, suddenly flashed
into fame.
"Is that as fur as you can see?" she
saaed fiercely. Its an easy duty,
then-or looks easy now. I've got a
harder one; it's to stand by the prom
ise l 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"
mo, 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
somewheres. Every little while he
writes me for money and, if l have
any, | send it to him. Why? Why
cause I'm a coward, after all, / guess,
and I'm scared he'll do what he says
he will and come back. Perhaps you
think I'm a fool to put up with it.;
that's what most folks would say if
they knew it. They'd tell me I ought
to divorce him. Well, l can't, can't
walked into the mess blindfolded;
married him in spite Of warnin's and
everything. I took him for better or
for worse, and now that he's turned
out worse, 1 must take my medicine
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 on
me, and rs a hard one, but | done
gun away from It"