The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-01-23
|D|S|NHER|TEO
Weekly Short Story.

WOulu ever care 10 Spen0 all eNeHlnt
anywhere except with his dear wife ir
their cozy little home and for the first
fortnight he went nowhere in the eve
ming unless he took her with him.
During the second month some OF
his prematrilnonial cronies were hav-
ing a little poker party and telephon-
ed him to join them. He did SO.
| That was chickering's first relapse
but not his last Indeed he had a great
many of them--so many that he found
it difficult to find excuses for them
Mrs. Pickering was dear little wo-
man and very sensible one. She ar
gued that If she found fault with her
husband for leaving her alone nights
while he enjoyed the pleasures OF
bachelorhood there would arise SER
les of alterations which would render
his home unpleasant to him and he
would stay away altogether.
Nor was this the worst of it. A man
1obnobbing with men must spend
money. He can't avoid it, It's game
of billiards, a cigar. an evening at the
theater. This all makes a considerable
total. The consequence was that when
his wife felt like enjoying an evening
where she might listen to music, of
which she was very fond, the hus-
bands expenditures had so reduced
the exchequer that there were no funds
for the purpose.
This wasn't right. Pickering knew
it wasn't right, but found himself un-
able to break away from his associa
tons lie said the only way to do that
was to leave the place where they llv-
ed and 80 to some other. But when
his wife asked him how he was going
to get position in some other place
he had no answer. He looked sober.
and that ended the conversation.
So Mrs. Pickering fell into the habit
of enduring without complaint
One night when Pickering had gone
out there came ring at the telephone.
Mrs. Pickering answered the call and
learned that her husbands aunt was
very i'll and Tom was to come around
Immediately The aunt. maiden lady
of 90 and In chronic bad health was
very fond of her nephew and 1t was
expected that she would make him her
heir. Mrs. Pickering held lengthy
conversation with her informant, the
old lady's housekeeper, with view to
taking steps to find the missing man.
But it led to nothing and Mrs. Picker
ing concluded to go to the sick wo-
man herself
She found the invalid suffering great
pain. A physician was present, and
the house was in hubbub The old
lady was sure she was going to die
and had sent for her lawyer to add
codicil to her will covering some small
requests she wished to make. Seeing
her niece, she called her to her bed
and told her to go to the telephone and
not cease her calls till she had located
Tom. He was the only relative she
had in the world and she must have
him with her when dying.
Since Tom Pickering was attending
a show freauented only by men--no
one knew where--his wife was unable
to reach him. She gave 1t up and an
nounced the fact to his aunt.
The old lady meanwhile had got al
relief and was In fine con-
dition to be angry with the man she
wanted and couldn't get. She began
q fire of questions at his wife as to
his habits which the poor woman tried
In vain to parry. The old lady was
very sharp and drew out the fact, in
spite Of Mrs. chickering's efforts to
1t, that Tom was away most of
the time nights, spending 1t with his
men cronies.
And what do you do?" asked the
sick woman.
"Oh, I am great home body. II
don't mind staying alone
HIM" The old lady thought few
then asked that the attorney
be sent to her. when he came she di-
rected him to draw will for her to
sign leaving all her property to Mary
Ellen Pickering. The young wife was
present and heard the order She was
much relieved, thinking that the old
lady was about to disinhcrit her hus-
band and leave her property elsewhere.
Ellen made no comment. sitting silent
until the will was drawn, signed and
witnessed. Then she put her arms
about the testator and assured her
that she would live to make dozen
Wills.
AT midnight Mrs. Pickering went
home, intending to return early In the