Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-03-18

The 'Sqm7o drove out of the yard
and the widow. with a smile of tri
| umph, looked after him
I'm pretty sure of being Mrs. Pog
ram, if | work my cards right" she
thought.
Meanwhile the Squire drove away
in brown study To think that the
prize for which he sought should after
all have fallen to the lot of the widow
with her ten poor acres. It was Ger
talnlv strange. Now how should he
find his own profit in it? IF he could
buy the farm even at FIVE thousand
dollars, he could readily make it pay
him fifty thousand. The Indications
We're that the oil spring was ricl
one. At any rate the water he drank
smacked strongly enough of the oil
But would the widow sell p? That
was an important question. The
more time she had for thought, the
higher, probably, would her price ad.
vance. If she consulted Norcross he
might as well give it up as lost
chance, for the lawyer would be rs
anxious to secure it as himself. That
was not to be thought of for a mo-
ment. But what if Mrs. Brown de.
clined his Offer Was there no other
way?
1t was just at this moment that
the other way suggested itself. He
was widower, Mrs. Brown was a
widow. BY marrying he would secure
the farm, and not be compelled to pay
down dollar, beyond the ministers s
fee for uniting them. Mrs. Brown
was not exactly the woman he had in
tended to marry for his second wife
she certainly was not handsome but
Squire Pogram was a practical man,
and he knew she was smart. prac-
tical woman, and would keep his
household in good order. Perhaps it
would not be bad plan. At any
rate he could hold it in reserve.
Punctually at 3 the Squire rode up
to the door of the cottage
Glow about the well, Widder :? " he
asked. "Does it t"eto ds strong as
ever -
Wuss and wuss Squire Here Is
some water just drawd up"
The Squire did not need to taste it.
He could see for himself the proper
ton of oil was greater than in the
morning.
"W ell, Widder,' he said, "have YOU
decided to take the four thousand dol.
lars ! offered YOU ? You see that it
will save vou all trouble, and vou can
G. IL l. r
days"
i Thank You Squire, said the
widow, ''but I've, about made mp my
mind to send for some man that knows
about these things, and get him to at
tend to it for me. I'll see Mr.. Nor.
cross first, and"
This was enough. The Squire had
made up his mind.
"Widder," said he, I've got anoth,
er plan to propose It may seem
kind of sudden, but I've been thinkin
of it a long time. How long, Squire? 2
And that is, that | need wife
Things is gcttin' slack at home, and il
needs woman to straighten them
out | ain't man of words. Wild
der, will you become Mrs. Pogram 2
90, Squire" said the widow, ''it i;
so unexpected that 1T quite hIstrate:
me. But | am free to saw that I've
always respected your character. anC
thought you a man that any woman
might be proud to marry"
~ on consent, then
L do said the widow promptly
"and I'm glad to have this new
burden off my shoulders"
Yes, Wilder. it ought to be at
tended to at once. | think we'd bet
ter marry tomorrow so as to lose n'
! time.
Just as you say, Squire. I'll b
ready"
The next day the clergyman's ser
vices were called in requisition; and
to the astonishment and anger of al
the aspirants to Squire Pogrsm'
hand, the prize was carried off by til
| Widow Brown, who was as ugly a
sin; goodness knows what he saw i
her :"
The day after there was anothe
surprise. A company of workme
were seen busily engaged in sinkin
deeper the new Mrs. Pogram's oil
well; and the rumor spread that pc
troleum had been discovered there
But, for some incom mprehensible re;
son, the first strong indications wer
not borne out by subsequent discover
les. The water regained all its OF
purity; and, after sinking several huut
red dollars, the Squire was obliged t
abandon the attempt III DISCUS
Mrs. Pogram, now installed IN til
great farmhouse as mistress, bore til
= disappointment with eqGanimity.- =
She at last had got what she bargain
ed for, and was satisfied " heth,
her husband ever suspected her con
= plicity s not clearly known. 1t ma
be confidently stated, however, th'
any gentleman desirous of starting
r petroleum company may obtain Il
Rrown farm on reasonable terms, wit
no extra charge for one oil well q
ready sunk.
The NEw YoRK Herald thus brief
t solves the presidential problem
n T5ma q ;aS Tba contest for n