National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-03-27
about what you've found in the

that. Tisn't long to wait til! them
'rll call as'in at three said the
squire. Don't forget your promise
4 WON'T said the widow.
The squire drove out OF the yard,
and the widow, with smile Of tri-
umph, looked after him.
pm pretty sure Of beng Mrs. Po-
gram, if work my cards right she
thought.
Meanwhile the squire drove away
in a brown study. To think that
the prize for which he had sought
should after all have fallen to the
lot of the widow with her ten poor
acres. 1T was certainly strange.
Now how should he find his own
profit IL it , Ifsi,e ScOuld buy the
farm even at five thousand dollars,
he could readily make it pay hin tf-
ty thousand. The indications were
that the oil spring was rich one.
Al any rate the water he drank
smacked strongly enough of the oil.
But would the widow sell ? That
was an important question. TIE
more time she had for thought. the
higher probably would her price adj
vance. If she consulted Norcross
he might as well give it up as q lost
chance, for the lawyer would be as
anxious to secure it as himself.
That Was not to be thought Of TO. %
moment. But wEat if Mrs. Brown
declined his Offer Was there no
other wayY
1t was just at that moment that
the other way suggested itself. He
was IA widowcr. Mrs. Brown was
widow. BY marrying her he would
secure the farm, ana not be Com
PEELED to pay down dollar. beyond
the minister's fee for uniting them.
Mrs. Brown was moi exactly the WO-
man he had intended TO marry for
his sccOnl wife; sine certainly was
NOT handsome. bat Squire Pogram
was practical man, and he knew
that she was 4 smart, practical wO-
man, and would keep his household
in good or,ier. Perhaps it would
not De q bad plan. At any rate he
could hold it in reserve.
Punctuaily at three the squire
rode up to the door Of the cottage.
How about the well, widdcrf he
asked. Does it taste as stron. as
cvcrr
'Wuss and wuss, squire. Here's
some water inst drawed up
The scai.e did not need 20 taste
it. He could see for himself that
the proportion Of oil was greater
than III tie rJoTE.ng.
.Well, idder.' he said, .havc yon
decided 10 take the four housantl
dollars | offered you' lol. zee that
ii will save you al! trouble, and you
can live comfortable the;,st Of your
days Thank YOU, squire said the
widow, 'but Eve about made up my
mind to send for some man that
knows about these things, and get
him to attend TO it toi me. III see
Mr.. Norcross first, and---'
This was enough. The squire
had made up his mind.
Widder,' said lie. I've got ano
ther plan to propose. it may seem
kind Of odd to you, bat Eve been
thinkin' Of it for some time, (hcw
long, squire y and that is, that
need wife. Things is gettin
slack ut home, and it needs:a WON
an TO stialghtcn' EN- ont. ain''
d man oi words. Widder will You
become Mrs. pogram 2
q squire, said the widow, its si
unexpected that it quite illustrates
me. But I'm free to say that Eve
always respected your character
and thought yen II man that any
woman might be proud 10 marry
you consent, then.
Il do said the widow promptly
'anG I'm glad to lave this new bur
den Oft my shoulders
yes, widder, it ought 10 he at
tended 10 ut once. ! thIHk wee
better marry tomorrow 50 as 10 lost
no time
Just as you say, squire. III ~
ready
The next day the clergyman'S ser
vices were called into rquisition
and TO the ASTONISHING; and ange
. cf all, the aspirants to SqIirc Pu
grams haud the prize was carrie'
Oft by The widow Brown, whose a
! ugly as sin; goodness knows VIVA
|, lac saw in her.
5 The day after there was anothe
surprise. \ company OF worame
. We're seen busi!y engaged IN SiEkin
dccpe, the new Ms. posram's o!
I, well, and the rHinOr spread That ~
: tr, nm had been discovered thcr,
Sui for some inccnprchensible ~;
= son the first strong Indications wer
not borne out by Subsequent di'
:. coycrics. The water rega'ned a
lis old purity, and after sinking se'
eral hundred dollars the squire WI
J, OF ligcd to abandon the attempt !
II disgust. Mrs. rogTn, now install
), cd in the great farm house Il
!, mistress, bore the disappolntmci
I with eq,lanimity. she at least ha
;. got what size barsained for, and wa
r satisfied. Whether her husban
ever suspected her completely is nc
G clearly known. 1t may he cont
y IDENTITY stated, however, ,hat an
Il gentleman desilous OF starting u ~
! troleum company, may obtain Il,
u Brown farm on reasonable term
:. with no extra charge Ioi one oil We
n already sunk.