Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-02-27

ing out"
"I s'pose not, as you got the hull
ont" answered the Squire, altogether
misinterpreting Mr.. Grimp's moraliz-
ing.
"Ahem! All, yes! I presume You al
lude to the foreclosing of mortgage 1
held on his place. TWAS truly unpleas-
ant for me to do it, but duty to my chill
dren, 80 lately deprived of mother,
impelled me. AS the Scripture says,
If any provide not for his own, espec-
tally for those of his own house, he hath
denied the faith and is worse than an
infdel."
" Better had some keer for other folks
orphans as we'll" muttered the Squire;
but Mr.. Grimp did not hear, and pro-
ceeded:
"Well, at the sale OF Mr.. Barney's
place, bought it in, and since then I
have let Mrs. Barney have it at nomi-
nal rent-at q mere nominal rent, as
sure you, Brother Butterfeld. And it
is about that have called"
"The long and short ont is she amt
paid the rent and you want her put
out p
Well-yes and no. I wish steps
taken in that direction, but not to ex-
tremes. would like process issued,
but have final measures kept in abey-
ance, as think the matter may be am-
icably arranged"
"That is, you want some scarecrow
to hold over her to bring her to terms ?"
suggested the Squire, looking keenly at
his visitor.
Mr.. Grimp nodded. You will attend
to it, Brother Butterfeld ?? he said.
"Ill tend to it, said the Squire.
Then Mr.. Grimp bowed solemnly,
said Farewell, Brother Butter6eld,"
and passed out into the sunshine-his
figure almost too thin and dried up to
cast shadow in the bright sunlight,
yet sufficient to cast moral shadow and
unhappiness over homes and lives
around and about him.
For moment following Mr.. Grimp's
departure the Squire's face was full of
conflicting emotions. He arose from
his chair, and his small boot-heels clat-
tered on the office floor as he paced
hurriedly to and fro. .......
"The old skinfintP he muttered,
"Jest as If I didn't see through him
like book! He wants to convert the
widow into Mrs. Grimp number two,
an if she amt willin'-maybe she's re-
fused him already-he wants me to
make her think she'd better be. That's
what he wants. Ha, ha! I reckon
there's widower that Widow Barney
or any other woman would jest be
proud to git; he's not thousand miles
off neither the Squire paused
smilingly before small mirror, ad-
justed his collar, and smoothed the few
hairs carefully over the bald spot on
his head. "Not so old after oil; and
o sight better looking than old Grimpi
Guess he didn't know who he was o
comm to, did he? An he wants me
to sarve writ on Widow Barney.
George! TIL sarve it myself an git in
ahead of him! Big joke it'll be on
Grimp! Ha, ha!'
In the main the Squire was correct in
his cogitations. To secure the lively,
pretty, sensible young widow as help
mate in the place of the " late lamented"
was precisely what Mr.. Grimp desired.
He had at different times made advances
in that direction, but receiving only neg
ative replies he concluded to try mild
coercion, and" bring her to her senses" 4"
as he inwardly called it. Now, singu-
larly enough, the Squire also was a Wild
over, and he, too, was matrimonially
inclined toward the Widow Barney.
He had never made any proposition to
that lady, thinking, in his conoeit, he
had only to offer himself to be accepted
at once, and she be glad OF the oppor-
tunity.
But there was incentive to immediate
action. There was chance-it might
happen-that the widow, being ignorant
of the Squire's attentions, might posi-
bly, throw herself away on Mr.. Grimp i?
The Squire did not like the thought,
and, as above intimated, he resolved to
serve the writ and "pop the question"
at the same time. He would not delay
about the matter either. He would do
it that very evening-that he would !;
and then see the longitude Mr.. Grimp's
face would assume. The idea pleased
him greatly. He chuckled over it all
through the day; chuckled over it on
his way home in the evening, and at
tea-time chuckles interspersed them
selves throughout the meal, much to
the wonderment of the old housekeeper.
Indeeds her looks betokened SO much
curiosity that the Squire noticed it at
last, and after he had swallowed the
last morsel, and laid down his knife and
fork, he said: ss .a5
Mrs. Crandal, I'm goin' to git mar
ried.''' 4
:, :" Well, now, raillyp exclaimed the
old woman, almost dropping the tea
cups in surprise, F." May I be so proud
as to ask who she may be?
g Widow Barney" .q .
Whatl Widder Barney? Sakes,
now! When ye goin' to be married p
tIi 1avsk Innxx, h na1xn1 Ic,.