Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-09-07
The
Woman Tanner
By CLARA DELAFIELD

That's Bill Jugson. That was his
brother Tom you seed, him that runs
the feed store. Nope, they don't speak.
And Yet there was a time when the
Jugson Brothers We're known as David
and-what was the other feller's
name?
Twenty years they'd lived together
In the old homestead since old Mrs.
TUCSON died. She was woman, she
was. Beat up old TUCSON every time
he come home with a load. and was
said to take the strap to Tom and Bin
after they'd reached twenty-five.
guess it was old Mrs. Jugson that
made the boys decide never TO marry.
Can you blame emf
mo woman should ever come be-
tween them they said, and there they
lived, doing their own chores, two old
crusty bachelors Wouldn't have a
woman on the place. One night Tom
him that runs the feed store-come
home with a strange look in his eye.
BIZ takes squint at him and says,
"A woman put that there
tom denied it for long time but
at last the trnsh come out. He'd met
Mrs Johnson, the widow of the sta
ton agent, and it seemed to have been
case of love at first sight-least-
ways, on Mrs. Johnson's part. Tom,
like fool, had fell for her at the
church sociable, which he still at
tended everS year. because old Mrs.
Ssgson had larruped him for rot going
twenty years before.
"Next night Mrs. johnson walks in
st the door.
"'This is my brother BILL says Tom,
uncomfortable like. Pleased to meet
| you. says Mrs. Johnson. AS for Bill
Jugson, he nearly swoons when he
sees what's coming after Tom. Mrs.
johnson had figger like bag of
beans, and red hair. She looked de
termined, but it was the red hair that
finished Bill. He took a greater dis
Ike to her than to any woman he'd
ever seen.
"'Why, you poor boys says Mrs.
johnson, do you live like this2 You
want woman's hand around,
Strengthening things out for you
"'Bill and me don't like things
| straight says Tom timidly.
ut don't matter. it's good for YOU
says Mrs. Johnson, and puts in two
hours raising Cain generally about the
homestead. When she was through,
Bill couldn't find his pipe, and Tom
only had one slipper.
"'Nhat'll / do about it, Bill? asks
Tom that night. i won't get clear Of
her till she's married me. Help me,
| Bill
bill pondered. You don't deserve
Ii, Tom" he said, but I'll do what l
can for you. When she comes in to-
morrow night. to tidy up again, you
hide in that there closet.
"Sure enough, next night Mrs. john
son was round TO the house with a
bundle. I've brought you boys some
home made cakes, she says. Where's
Tomp
"BiII cackled. Toms out he said
Fact is, / didn't like to mention it
before. bur Tom goes on spree now
and again. He's over to Lentville. rails
ing Cain in the saloons All this, of
course, happened some years ago.
"Mrs. johnson looks at him In a
queer kind of way. He hasn't got any
other vices. has he? she asks.
"Bill thought a while, because he
wasn't very quick. I dunno If you'd
call gambling vice. he says. What
/ objects to is the way he treats wom-
en- when his temper's up
"How's thatY asks Mrs. Johnson
quickly.
"Reats EN- says Bill. That's why
we can't keep a woman about the
place. He's like fiend, Mrs. john
SON But that amt nothing to his
language
81 see I was mistook in him. Mrs.
johnson signs. and doesn't stay very
long. When she was gone, Tom pops
out of the closet.
'Whadya mean by telling that pack
| of lies on me?' he roars to Bill. Now
you've druv her away. Temper, have
I? Language, eh2 Well, you'll see a
| bit of both now =
"With that he lets fly with his fists.
1t was the first quarrel the brothers
had ever had, and still seeing now that
Tom had really wanted the Widow
| Johnson, and had been purtending out
Of deceitfulness, warns up too. They
was pretty evenly matched, and they
went at 1t hammer and tongs for
nearly half-an-hour AT last, when they
was both wore out and both showed
signs of wear and tear, the Widow
Johnson walks in on 'em again.
"Bill opens the door. I had to come
back, she says, I was so worried
about your poor, weak brother. Ought
mt you to go over to Lentville and see
II you can persuade him to leave that
den of mid
with that she spots Tom, standing
sheepish in the parlor, and in minute
she takes in what's happened. She
tesas one step toward him, but Toms
| 700 Quick for her. He was out of the