The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-22

he's very hungry"
Mary flashed swift Indignation at
her father. Mrs. Todhunter. looked at
the colonel in surprise. Then in sud
den understanding, she shot a quick
glance at the young people. Tom
Strickland bIusiled redder than ever.
Mary fired at her mother one soft vol
! ley of entreaty from dewy eyes and
then fed precipitately into the house.
Her face filed with comprehendtng
tenderness, Mrs. Todhunter followed
Mary, making no excuses
Tom" said Colonel Todhunter, "you
seem to have been kicking up a mighty
funny rumpus this load o. poles, young
manr'
Tom stood like a condemned feIon
in the dock st reckon have, colonel"
he made answer. Then, after a dis
may filed pause, 'I-I-Tve been ask
ing Mary to marry me, sir"
Colonel Todhunter's face was impas-
sive.
Tom Strickland stood very erect
! Pride shone in his eyes. 81 don't know,
sir, whether you've noticed it or not"
ne resumed, t'but I've been in love with
Mary for long time
a re1ishfuI twinkle was in Colonel
TOdhunter'S eyes.
'And, sir-and-welI, Colonel Todhun-
YER, it's just this exultantly but blush
hgly exclaimed Tom, 81 know 1 don't
deserve i'll can't hardly believe it
but Mary says she loves me, too-and-
/ well, sir, 1 want to ask Mrs. Todhun-
ter's and your consent to our marriage,
SIR
Colonel Todhunter was contemplate
ing the young man with eyes brimful
| of kindly amusement.
''Tom,'' he said, ''as long as you live
you'll never forget how skeered you
/ are this minute, sub. But you got
through with it like a hero, a blamed
sight better than 1 did when asked
for Mira. Todhunter. That sure was
terrible experience
But the next moment his face was
grave He laid his hand on young
| Strickland's shoulder.
tom, my boy" he said, I'D rather
give Mary to you than to any other
man in the world, and you ought to
ha' known it without my tellin' you.
I've known you and liked you all the
time you've been CROWN up, and I
love your father like he was my own
brother. L am glad you and Mary
have got it all settled, and I'm sure
Mrs. Todhunter thinks as much of you
as do. God bless you and Mary both,
my boy"
There was a sudden break in the
! coloneIs 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 a whimsical
smile: "And all of your troubles are
ahead of you both. May the good Lord
have mercy on YOUR souls"
/ A 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 quizzica1ly. +And
don't bank on bein' too blamed success
full in that there undertaken, sub. Be
in a 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
man to death, Tom, if it want for one
| thing-bein' a good husband means
havin' a 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. "I'n think of nothing but
Mary's happiness all my life, sir. And
| thatH mean mine, too; we're going to
be the happiest couple in all the world,
colonel
I ''Now that's where you slip up again.
| Tom,' said Colonel Todhunter. MAR
rfed life amt just one long dream Of
unalloyed Sb1iss, not by a jugful, sub.
You got to take it as it comes, the bad
with the good, and sometimes it may
look ike 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 woman's husband is. You'll
be powerful lucky if Mary makes you
as good a wife as her mothers made
me, but, all the same, I've seen days
when Mrs. Todhunter looked more like
thing else. And she can tell hundred
Shortcomings on me where 1 can tell
you one on her. so there you are, sub.
It's give and take, that's what it is,
and you just got to do your best, keep
| on whistlin' for cheerfulness' sake and
stand ready to make quick duck if
| things get too stormy, subj"
/ rom Strickland could not help but
laugh. well, colonel he responded,
Elf Mary and are as happy as you