Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 163, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1914 — NO SACRIFICE AT ALL [ARTICLE]

NO SACRIFICE AT ALL

SORREL PETE, LIKE THE IMMORTAL BARKIS, WAS Little Matter of Temper In Wife, Who i Was in a Manner Thrust Upon Him, Really Made Little Difference. - • . ■ v . ...«'• in the door of his ranch house on a western prairie, Pete Harker—known as Sorrel Pete—oat idly whistling and whittling when his old churn Mac Towles rode up the trail and”| stopped. “Whoopi” yelled Pete. "Jest look who's here! Haven’t set eyes on you 4 since you saved my life in that old; flooded mine, back yonder.” “No," agreed Mac; “and speaking of that, l*m here right now to remind you of the promise you made then; do you remember it?" "Yes, sir! I ’lowed that any time you wanted anything off*n me, you’d I get IL no odds what it was.” * "Well, 1 want something now,” con- ' fessed Mac, "but l*m most afraid I’m asking too much.” % "Bho,l’ll bet you ain’L no such thing. What is it? Come, right out With it” ' "Well, my wife and I want you to come over and marry our cook." “Jinkins! Would she have me, s’pose?" "Oh, there won’t be any trouble about that You’re just the style she likes, and she isn't set on staying single." “Jest listen to that! She awful homely lookin'?” "Not so bad.” ' “Kin she cookt* "Fine.” "Well, I'm a bachelor man. I like womenfolks and good cookin* as well as any other lonesome old critter does, but where's the favor I'm doin' youT Looks to me like it’s all on the other foot—hey?" i “Pete, she’s the worst tempered woman that ever tackled a rolling pin. My wife don’t dare go into the kitchen, and I wouldn't haflker to, either. And she -won’t let us discharge her; we’ve tried that, but she just simply won’t have ft. Our only hope’s In marrying her off, and we thought of you—but I guess the sacrifice is too much to ask—” "Sacrifice nothin'!?' shouted Pete. "You hold on tm I get a critter saddled and I’ll hike right hor>e with you and marry the gal immediate, if J she’ll say the word. Things have been pesky quiet here lately; no fights; nor nothin’; I need a little shakin’ up. And anyhow, Sorrel Pete never goes back on a promise If an old chum that saved my ornery life at the resk of his own makes a pint of me marryin’ a cranky cook, I’ll do it without battin’ an eye. Come on!” It is pleasant to be able to add that, barring a few Interesting skirmishes, Pete and his wife, the excook, are now jogging along in a very ’ fair state of felicity.—Youth’s Companion. t