Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-03-07
CHAPTER xII.-(cntinued.)

Never mind about the othel NAL
He was handsome then, in a way, ana
he had money to spend, and he liked
me. He wanted me to marry him. II
IL the other, the one that went away
had written never would have
thought of such thing, but he dldnt
write. And, my pride bein' hurt, and
all. l finally said yes to the second
chap.
We'll, for the first year 'twa'n't SO
bad. Not happiness exactly. but not
misery either That come later. HIS
people was well 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. Pret-
ty soon he begun to neglect me and at
last went OF to sea afore the mast.
We was poor as poverty, but l could
have stood that; / did stand 1t. took
In SEWN and kept up an appearance,
somehow. Never told a soul. His
folks come patronizin' around and Of
fered me money, SOS / needn't dis
grace them. l sent EN- rightabout In
a hurry. Once In a while he'd come
home. get tipsy and abuse me. Still
7 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
you leave him?' but l wouldn't l
could have divorced him easy enough,
there was reasons plenty, but |
wouldn't do that. Then word came
! that he was dead, drowned off in the
East Indies somewheres. come back
here to keep house for Sol, my broth
er. and | 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 / ever told
a livin' 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.
81 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
lshed 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 | ever did;
more. l guess. But l wouldn't
wouldn't, though 1t wrung my hear
out to say no. i give him up-why
cause thought had duty laid OF
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"
Keziahs agitation, which had grown
as she told her story, suddenly flashed
into fame.
'Ts that as fur as you can see?" she
asked fercely. TITS an easy duty
then-or looks easy now. I've got {
harder one; it's to stand by the prom
Use gave and the man / married"
He looked at her as IL he though
she had lost her wits.
The man you married." he replied
"Why, the man you married is dead"
No, he amt. You remember tn
letter you saw me readin' that nigh
when you come back from Come-Out
ers' meetin'? Well, that letter wa
from him. He's alive. Yes. he's alive
Alive and knockin' round the worl
somewheres. Every little while h
writes me for money and, If hav
any, / send It 70 him. Why? VIII
cause I'm a coward, after all, l guess
and I'm scared he'll do what he say
he will and come back. Perhaps 20
think I'm a fool to put up with II
that's what most folks would say
they knew it. They'd tell me / ougf
TO divorce him. Well, | can't, can
walked into the mess blindfolded;
married him in spite Of warnin's an
everything. Itook him for better {
Tor worse, and now that he's turne
out worse, / must take my medicin
can't live with him-that l can't do
but while he lives I'll stay his vii
and give him what money / can spar
That's the duty told you was laid O
me, and it's a hard one, but don
run away from IT."