Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-09-17
BILL AND THE WIDOW.

"Wife," said Ed. Wilbur one morn
ing as he sat stirring his coffee will
one hand and holding a plum-cakt
on bis knee with the other; and look
ed across the table into the bright
eyes of his little wife, wouldn't II
be good joke to get bachelor Bill
Smiley to take widow Watson tc
Barnum's show next week."
"You can't do it. Ed; he wpn't
ask her, he's SO awful shy. Why,
he came by here the other morning
when l was hanging out the clothes
and he looked over the fence and
spoke, but when shook out night.
gown he blushed like a girl and
went away"
81 think I can manage it." said
Ed; "but I'll have to lie just a lit
tie. But then it wouldn't be much
harm under the circumstances, for /
know she likes him, and he don't dis
like her, but Just as you say, he's Sc
shy. Pll Just go over to his place to
borrow some bags of him, and ifl
don't bag him before l come back
don't kiss me for week, Nelly"
So saying, Ed. started, and while
be is moving the fields we will take
lcok at Bill Smiley. He was rather
agood looking fellow, though his
hair and whiskers showed some gray
hairs, and he had gotin aset offalse
teeth. But every one said he was "a
good soul, and so he was. He had
as good a hundred acre farm as any
in Norwich, with a new house and
everything comfortable, and if he
wanted a wife, many girl would
have jumped atthe chance like "a
rooster on a grasshopper. But Bill
was so bashful-always was-and
when Susan Sherrybottle, whom he
was SO sweet on, though he never
said ''boo" to her, got married to old
Watson, he just drewhis head in like
a mud-turtle into his shell, and there
was no getting him out again, though
it had been noticed that since Susan
had become a widow, he paid more
attention to his clothes, and had been
very regular in his attendance at the
church the fair widow attended.
But here comes Ed. Wilbur.
"Good morning, Mr.. Wilbur;
what's the news your way?"
"Oh, nothing particular that ]
know of" said Ed, "only Barnum's
show that everybod y is talking about
and everybody and his girl are going
to. l was over to old Sockrider's last
night, and l see his son Gus has got
a new buggy, and was scrubbing up
his harness, and he's got that white
faced colt of his as slick as a seal.
understand he thinks of taking Wid.
ow Watson to the show. He's been
hanging around there a good deal Of
late, but I'd just like to cut him out
would. Susan is nice little woman
and deserves better man than that
young pup of fellow, though
would not blame her much either II
she takes him, for she must be dread
fully lonesome, and then she has to
let her farm out on shares, and il
isn't half worked, and no one elst
seems to have the spunk to speak W
to her: By jingO! if l were a single
man, I'D show you a trick or two."
So saying, Ed. borrowed some bag
and started around the corner of thC
barn, where he had left Bill sweep.
ing, and put his ear TO knot-holt
and listened. knowing the bachelor
had a habit of talking to himself
when anything worried him.
"Confound that young Sockrider!'
said Bill, "what business has h
here, I'd like to knowP Got a new
buggy, has he9 Well, so have I, snd
new harness, too; and his horse
can't get sight of mine; and declare
I've half a mind to-yes, I wilt II
go this very night and ask her to &C
to the show with me. I'Il show Ed
Wilbur that amt such calf as he
thinks 1 am, if I did let old Watson
get the start of me in the frs
place!''e
Ed. could scarce help laughing
outright, but he hastily hitched thu
bags on his shoulders; and with a Low
chuckle at his success, started home
to tell the news to Nelly; and a
about five o'clock that evening the!
saw Bill 60 by with his horse anC
buggy, on his way to the widows
He logged along quietly, thinking o
the old singing.school days-ant
what pretty girl Susan was then
and wondering inwardly if he woult
have more courage now to talk up t,
her-until, at a distance of about
mile from her house, he came to
bridge, he gave tremendous sneez
and blew his teeth out of his mouth
and clear over the side of the bridge
and they dropped into four feet 0
water. e aai .si b1 aaad t
Words cannot do justice to poo
Bill, or paint the expression of hi
face as he sat there completely dun
founded at his startling piece Of i
luck. After a while hestepped out Q
his buggy, and getting down on hi
hands and knees, looked over int
the water. Yes, there they were, a
The bottom, with crowd of littl
hshes rubbing their noses agains
them, and Bill wished to goodnes
that his nose was as close for on
second, His beautiful teeth that ha
/ onht hf,n ~ ,,,,,,l,. o,,1 Al