The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-12-28
HIS SECOND WIFE.
4 NEW YEAR STORY.

ind Jake to get along" continued the
complaining voice Of Mary Ann Bur
on. You know when we got married
Rther lowed to give me something t.
tart on. but crops was bad that year,
md Jake never liked my saying any
hing about it since. I've done Just
Is Jake said these ten years, and now
hlngs are getting SO bad that he had to
rive in and consent. So l came over
o see father.
"Wen. what did he say?" her COM
,anion asked brusquely.
Just what he said when we was
married. Crops is bad and he can't
zee his way to helping us this year;
that lawsuit mighty nigh broke him
up. he says. He lows to give me my
share next spring II he amt in the
%poorhouse himself by that time. 1 sup
pose father does have a powerful hard
time, like tee rest of us. But next
spring won't do Jake any good; he'll
have fretted himself into the grave by
then" The weak, uncertain voice sank
into a sob of distress. The woman op-
posite her sat bolt upright in an un-
compromising chair. There was n look
on her face Of genuine sympathy,
mingled with indignation.
MARY Ann" she said, don't you
know that your father is the stingiest
man In seven states?" She brought
this out rs II from forced conviction.
She was angry for having to say
! plainly what she had reluctantly ad.
mitted to herself not long ago.
Mary Ann stopped sobbing from
pure establishment. You don't mean
TO say he was lying to me-" she asked
NO, he didn't think he was lying to
you. He thinks he's getting poorer
You've heard Of misers? Well, John
Anderson is on the way to become a
miser. l believe he lays awake at
night tormenting himself about the
%roorhouse. He's laying up money in
the bank all the time"
"But what's he going to do with it?"
Mary Ann asked in bewilderment.
DO with it? Why, give it to you and
the children, and to them he cares fol,
to be sure. He can't bear to part with
a cent until it m his time to die.
and sometimes folks get mighty tired
waiting. III tell you what, Mary Ann,
I'd hate to see anything Of that kind
happen to your father, as good as he
is."
But it won't" protested Mary Ann.
me and Jake wouldn't want him to
die for all the money in the world
Mary Ann sobbed again. Things
are getting mighty hard. Little Susie
amt got no shoes to wear to school
and frosty mornings are coming on.
Jake don't sleep at night for thinking
know. 1 told father all that and he
said it was hard"
Yes, and that's ali he'll do. Here"
she said, untying a knot in the corner
Of her handkerchief, 'Take his mon
ey and get Susie some shoes, and I'll
ind a way into your fathers con-
science and bank account or my name
amt Mirandy Bowen. About tomor-
row III be coming over" She went
to the door with her visitor and added:
"If l was you, Mary Ann. I wouldn't
tell Jake what your father said, but
I'd kind O. get round it some way till
I come"
She had come to the home OF Johp
Anderson before his wife died; had
stayed with that good woman through
her long illness, and seen Mary Ann
married. Then she had remained te
Cnnn hn1,on Now tan roorc otar oho
was still there, and was regarded as
the hostess by the visiting country
neighbors, to whom the fact Of her be.
ing hired help was no detriment,
She stood With her elbow 81 the
mantel, the freight from the hearth
lending an additional glow Of color to
the bright dress. The dark wood be-
hind brought her out in stronger relief,
and she was far from unlovely. 1t
looked like one Of RubenS' bright in
%teriors. only Mirandy was unconscious
of that, and she grew ~momentarily un-
certain. The color shot into her face
as she heard a step outside. John An
derson came in and looked at her-the
central figure in his especial Rubens-
surprised and pleased.
why, Mirandy," he said, II reckon
you've fixed up to be kissed" He
rubbed his hands and chuckled over
his OWL gallantry. He was q nne
looking man, hale and hearty, with n
strong tendency to humor. Mirandy
looked at him, finding it hard to resist
him.
"No," she answered. with a touch OF
coquetry, mo nan kisses me until the
preacher makes US better acquainted"
II say, Mirandy, what's to hiHder
our going over to the preacher to-mor-
row and getting married.. We can
tell Mary Ann the next time she
comes, and it amt anybely else's bus
mess"
She gave a hysterical laugh and
blush, then shut her teeth together and
drew 4 hard breath. There atn',
anything to hinder that l know Of az.