Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-06-03
Patch Tupper's
Decision
BY WILLIAM M. ROUSE

yTyHEN folks on Coon mountain
~ said that Ialch Upper was
sIultless ii was because they did not
under stand his soul. That he was
content to live in two-room shack
with his hound cog, Pedro, was be
cause he had never seen any other
condition of life that promised adven-
ture enough liz the getting of it.
'"Tain't lively enough" was Patch's
reply to every offer of job.
That was his feeling about matri-
mony until he met Rose Garvey at
kitchen dance on Solomcns flats. Then
| his lean and muscular and cookbook
| ing six feet reused to action.
ssRose," he said huskily Il want
you and, by crimus, I'm going to have
| you !"
Scarlet famed in her checks. Her
mouth suddenly lost its curves and
little lights played in her black eyes
Patch stepped forward and swung her
up over his shoulder.
| With double armfu Of wildcats he
would have had d comparatively
| peaceful trip over the shoulder Of the
| mountain She left red burroughs
| down his cheeks before he got her
wrists under control; then she bit his
| ear and he had to shift her under one
| arm. like a bundle Of old clothes. Be
| fore he got her fairly settled she had
| BACKED an eye.
| At last Patch set her down care
| fully in his own kitchen, and jumped
back out of range He set his back
against the door and took out his
watch.
1--WE got five minutes left before the
Reverend Simmons gets here" he said
"He's coming to marry you and me.
Maybe you want to fix up little. No
use argering, Rose, for | made up my
mind"
The fight lasted three of the five
minutes 1t ended when Patch got
her over his knee and spanked her
with a hearty hand. To his surprise.
when that was over her arms went
around his neck: she hid her face
against his shoulder.
81 guess I guess I love you.
| Patch" she whispered. II thought
| you never would show any spunk !"
The rest of that day was filed with
10y for Patch Tupper. The gold ring
upon the hand of his wife cleaned like
beacon of happiness. She cooked
the best supper he had ever eaten in
his life
1t was in the cold hours Just before
! dawn that the first rift appeared
| Pedro the hound, came as had been
his privilege from puppyhood to share
his masters bed when the kitchen
grew chilly A yelp and a thump
awakened Patch. He explained Pedro's
habits.
"That dog can have a blanket and a
feather pillow and ribbon around his
neck, if YOU want him to-" said Rose,
"but never slept with dog yet and
l shan't begin this spring.
"My dog can sleep wherever he
wants to-" Patch told her, Indignantly.
Just how it happened he never knew,
but before he could gather himself for
defense his head was being bumped
against the floor
Dog painted Rose. Kitchen"
"All right !" yelled Patch. ITS too
late to anger tonight"
Patch Upper was not of the stuff
that yields without fighting, but he
got tired Rose was never tired. How
ever, wien Saturday Of that first week
came she went too far.
"Patch," she said, giving him a cake
of yellow soap and a towel, go down
to the creek and take your bath !"
"AIy bath" he cried. 81 amt got
any particular bath.''
"You're going to have one" she told
him EVERY Saturday, summer and
winter, the year round"
With a yell of defiance Patch Tup-
per flung down the soap and leaped
through the doorway.
"They's some things a man won't
stand.' he shouted, from the safety of
the steps, and then he bolted for the
woods.
Patch nursed his wrongs upon
rocky ledge Hours passed, and with
the placid stiffness of the May night
an idea came to him. He had got his
wife by main strength and daring; by
boldness and main strength he would
take her back to her fathers house
and leave her there to think il over
for a while
With the stealth of a panther he up
preached his house and got a coil OF
half-inch rope from the woodshed En-
cept for the ticking Of the clock all
was still in the kitchen. He stepped
over the threshold of the hedroom
A thousand streaks of fire Shot be
fore his eyes he melted down, slid
ing against the wall. with his bead
rolling foolshly A light larel pp
and he saw Rose, with Der Inbound