The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-04-16
He Was a Very
Mean Man
By OSCAR cox

I knew q man who was so mean that
he married a woman he believed to
be waiting for his best friend to
marry her.
Ralph Newland and Herbert Tucker
were the friends. Ralph was the self
ish man. Herbert was sc generous that
he would have given away his head 1t 1t
could have been of use to another. The
secret Of Ralph's power over women
no n could explain except the girls
he fooled, and it is a question IL even
they knew Just how he did it At any
rate, he seemed to draw them as honey
draws flies.
Tucker became engaged to Laura
Perkins and introduced his friend
Newland to her. Within a fortnight
she had deserted Tucker for Newland.
Tucker was philosophic about 1t. BE
said that If the girl preferred his
friend to him his friend was welcome
to her and she to him. After the dam
age had been done Newland sheered
of and left Miss Perkins out in the
cold. She tried to make it up with
Tucker, but Tucker would have moth
ing to do with her. What made her
mad was that Tucker seemed to be
more friendly than before with the
man who had deprived him of her. 1t
was a direct reflection on her, indi-
eating that Tucker felt grateful for
having been saved from her.
After awhile Tucker made up to
another girl, Helen Spingler. He intro
duced Newland to this one, too, telling
him that If he could win her away
from him he was welcome to do SO.
Tucker didn't want any girl for a wife
who didn't love him better than the
whole world. He asked his friend to
put his second love to a similar test
to the first. Newland accommodated
him and captured the girl.
Tucker was 10 pleased at having
been saved from a girl who could not
have been in love with him-so he con-
sidered it-that he blew Newland of
to q champagne dinner. Newland was
surprised that his friend took all this
s%upplanting with such equanimity, but
could not detect the slightest wounding
Of his amour propre. Its all right"
said Tucker, "only a matter Of taste.
Some day I may find a girl who will
truly love me; then no one IAN take
her away from me. Meanwhile l ap-
preciate these services you are do
ing me-"
Newland dropped the last girl as he
had dropped the first. Miss Spingler
had more tact than the other. She
didn't let on she was a bit displeased.
She only said that there wasn't enough
in both the men to make n real, no
BILE, good man. and she was we'll rid OF
both of them. But she did not say this
to either Tucker or Newland; she said
it to a friend. AS to the men. she. told
them she hoped they would both be
her friends for ever and ever. This
was after she had known of how Tuck
er stuck to Newland despite the way
the former was taking the latter's girl
away from him, and probably she
wanted to show that a woman might
have an equanimity of that kind In her
as well as a man.
One day Newland received an anony-
nous note informing him that Tucker
was counting a third girl and keeping
it a secret from his friend. Newland
showed the note to Tucker, who de.
MED the Impeachment. Newland only
half believed him. Only persons of
real innocence believe in the innocence
Of others, and Newland wasn't exactly
an innocent man. as may appear from
this story.
Presently he received another letter
informing him that Tucker was about
to be married. Newland did not show
this letter to Tucker. He kept It to
himself. but concluded to watch his
friend. 1t happened that Tucker had
q platonic friend on whom he called
occasionally. and n evening Newland
Swallowed him to her house.
II WONDER" said Newland to himself.
IL after all I've done for him he
thinks he's going to fool me. Ill get
even with him." (.
Tucker told Newland one day that
he was going out OF town for q week
A few hours after the parting New.
land was called to the telephone, and
the following brief dialogue occurred
between him and a female voice:
"Mr. Newland?"
Eyes, I'm Newland."
care you aware that your friend,
Mr.. Tucker, is about to be married
this EVENING""
"NO. Is he?"
Eyes, at a quarter to 9 at 274 Null.
ford street."
"You don't mean TT"
There was a click. and Newland
could get nothing mort It was half
past 8. No time to lose. He was in
evening dress. ready for a wedding.
Calling a cab. in ten minutes he was
at 274 Nulford street and entered a
room where q bride and two brides
maids were evidently awaiting the
groom. The bride was yelled, and the
bridesmaids turned away.
"For heavens sake, don't marry Her.
bert Tucker" he said to. the bride. HE
will make your life miserable"
There was q hurried dialogue. The
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