Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1883-05-10
SMILEY AND THE WIDOW.
A STORY OF MAKING LOVE UNDER VERY
SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES.


SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES.
Wife" said Ed. Wilbur one morn
ing as he sat stirring the coffee with
one hand and holding plum cake on
his knee with the other and looking
across the table into the bright eyes OF
his little wife, wouldn't it be a good
joke TO get bachelor Bill Smiley TO take
widow Watson TO BarnunI's show next
week."
You can't do it, Ed, he won't ask
her; he's so awful shy. Why, he came
by here the other morning wIe n | was
hanging out the clothes, and lie looked
over the fence and spoke; but when |
shook out night-gown lie blushed like
girl and went away
~ think | can manage it," said Ed,
but will have to lie just little. -
But then it wouldn't be much harm
under the circumstances, for / know
she likes him, and he don't dislike her,
bat just as you say, he's so shy. Ill
just go over to his place to morrow to
borrow some bags of him, and if |
don't bag him before come back don't
kiss nc tor week, Nelly"
So saying Ed. started, and while he
is moving the fields we will take look
at Bill Smiley. lie was rather good
looking fellow, though his hair and
whiskers showed some gray and he had
false teeth. But everyone said he was
a good soul, and SO he was. He had q
good hundred acre farm, with IA new
house and everything comfortable, and
if he wanted wife, manya girl would
have jumped at the chance. But Bill
was so bashful-always was-and when
Susan Sherrybottle, on whom he was
50 sweet, though he never said boo
70 her, got married to old Watson. he
just drew his head in like a mud-turtlo
into bis shell, and there. was no getting
him out again, though it had not beer
noticed that since Susan had become q
widow he paid more attention to his
clothes, and had been very regular ir
his attendance at the church the fail
widow attended.
But here comes Ed. Wilbur.
"Good morning. Mr. Smiley"
"Good morning, Mr.. Wilbur; what
the news your way2"
ooh, nothing particular that l know
of" said Ed, "only Barnum's show
that everybody is talking about, anc
everybody and his girls is going to.
was over to see old Stockrider las
night, and | see his son Gus has got q
new buggy, and was scrubbing up hi'
harness, and he's got that white faced
colt of his as slick as n seal. l under
stand he thinks of taking widow Wat
son to the show. He's been hanging
around there O good deal of late, but
would just like to cut him out, would
| susan Is IL nice lIllt WOuluil anu VIC
serves better man than that youni
fellow, though l would not blame he
much either if she takes him, for sh'
must be dreadfully lonesome, and theI
she has let her farm out on shares, ant
it isn't half worked, and no one els
seems to have the spunk to speak t.
her. BY jingo! if was single maj
Id show you a trick or two. :"
So saying Ed. borrowed some bag
and started around the corner of tin
barn. where ne lef; Bil sweeping, anc
put his ear TO the knot hole and las
tened. knowing the bachelor had
habit of talking to himself when any
thing worried him.
Confound that young Stockrider,
said i}.ll; what business has he ther
I'd like to knowf Got n new buggy
ha. he, Wen, ~ have !, a new liar