The Glenwood post., 1924-02-14

1.-THE Ostable jail, Of course. There
amt no other in these diggin's. Obe
and me were In there at the same
time"
'When was thisr' she asked.
''Eh? oh, dunno. -Four years ago.
maybe. How about comm acrost with
the butterT
She put the butter-plate beside him.
you and-and my husband were
in-in the Jail together four years
agoY' she asked.
"Sure, Mike!"
''What-why was he therer
'Eh? Oh, same thing that gets 'em
all. Needed the coin. guess. Didn't
he never tell your
She wanted to cry, but instead she
tried to laugh.
"Was-was you in there for-for
stealing"
"Me? Not on your lifel Rum was
my ruin, same as it's been a whole
lot of others. Eth? Haw, hawl"
"How long was-was Mr.. Ellis
there?"
81 dunno. Year or so, maybe.
amt seen him since He got his dis
charge week afore they let me
loose"
A familiar step sounded on the walk
by the side door. Lurelia started.
''You-you stay right here" she
commanded. Don't you go away.
And don't you speak or-or move.
My husband is comm. We-wel
surprise him."
She hurried into the dining room,
closing the kitchen door behind her.
The familiar step came nearer. The
side door, that from the walk to the
dining room. opened. Obed came in.
"Ship ahoy, old ladyl" he hailed,
jovially. DINNER ready7 Amt late,
I hope, am L? Why, what's the mat
teri"
She faced him, white and trembling.
but firm.
"Obed," she said, "sit down. Din
nerll be ready in minute. Sit down.
I want to-to speak to you about
somethin'."
He sat down, regarding her won
deringly.
ITO speak to me7" he repeated. "y'or
the land sakes, what's happened1 Is
the COW deadT
mo Oh, don't taught {. e. don't
feel funny Just now. Obed. do you
remember that time when you asked
me to marry your"
"Eh? 81. Well, sayl Do you think
I'd be liable to forget it7 Luckiest
day in my life that was. Why"
"Hushl Obed, l asked you then II
If you had past"
"a which?"
"a past. Some secret in your life
you hadn't told me. You said no. Now
1 ask you again. Have your"
He stared at her. Have your she
repeated.
"What-? Say No, of course,
amt"
"Obed-oh, don't lie to mel !
couldn't ever forgive your lynn to me-"
"Lie-to your Who said I'd ever
lied to your I'll break the swab's ever
lastin' neck -
"Hush Sit right down again in that
chair. Obed, was you ever in the Os-
table jail?"
He hesitated. Then he colored.
"Why-why, yes" he admitted. ''But
1 didn't think"
"Oh, hush! Be still You were
there and-and you never told me-"
'Why-well, no, didn't. You see,
I was kind Of ashamed, and-it didn't
amount to nothln' much, anyhow"
'Didn't amount to anything1 Oh,
my soul, how can you talk sol Did
you know a man there named-what
was it-Duganw
"Dugan7 Yes, certain. Tough look.
In critter, regular tramp. In there for
bein' drunk and smashin' windows and
raisin' hob generally. Yes, I knew
him. He was the only one had to
look after for one spell. We got to be
kind of-well, chummy, as you might
say. Twas lonesome bein' janitor and
keeper and everything else In a place
like that one-horse Ostable Jail, and a
Teller has to talk to somebody. Ths
sheriff, he only come around once In Q
while, SO"
swat Oh. wait You wereea keep
er therein the jaili"
"Surei I suppose likely had ought
to have told you about 1t, Lurelia ,
but, you see, was kind Of ashamed
same as I said. 'Twan't much Of q
job, but took It cause mother was
sick|twas Just afore she died-and
the boat shop where I'd been workin'
had shut down and needed money.
Then. another thing made me ashamed
Of 1t was on account Of bein' fired.
Politics, twas. Jim Leghorn, he was
sheriff. and he give me my walkin' pa.
pers to make room for another Demo
crat, same as him. Only Job l ever
was discharged from, that jail job
was I'm sorry I never told you, Lu-
relia, but :. Ehf How did you come
to know about It and-and that Dugap
tramp"
She did not answer. Instead, she
hurried out into the kitchen, closing
the door. The kitchen was empty. 40