Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-07-18
WINNING A WIDOW.

cottage at the foot OF the lane"
Tell me something l didn't know
afore," said lothian, with more
ner.
And if she sends up to borrow the
rake or the hoe or the spade"
"Well, what then?'
Tell her she can't have 'em. Wo-
men are always borrowing l knew
! Hobart Palmleaf when he was alive
he was chronic borrower. l
don't want anything to do with the
widow"
''All right" observed lothian, philo-
sOphically, and his master resumed
the pcrsual of his newspaper once
more.
"Jotham." said Mr.. Wiggleton about
ten days afterward, us he came in
heated and out of breath from walk.
(Mr. Wiggleton wasn't as spry as he
had been before his five-and-fortieth
birthday, and the Locust hill was a
pretty steep ascent)
"Well, what now?"
II wonder if that was the Widow
Palmleaf | saw gathering black berries
into basket by the south wall OF the
cottage garden?"
kind O slim and tall?"
Yes
Blue eyes and hair as shiny as
satin?'
Yes"
"And alittle white parasol lined with
silk"
Yes"
"Rcckon likely it was" said lothian.
"But,' persisted the puzzled land
owner, "she doesn't look at all like a
widow"
There's as much difference in
widows as there is in other folks" OBJ
served lothian dryly.
Mr.. Wiggleton was silent for mo-
ment or two.
"Jotham!" he finally said.
"Wen?
HAS she sent to borrow auything?"
"Sent yesterday forenoon-asked il
we had a sCrew-driver to lend - the
hinge was comm loose on the garden
gate
And what did you tell herr"
''"lb III OiNSl was bOlGl oil " 1876 w
lendin' or borrOwin'."
lothian, you are fool"
''Ian't the first time you've said 80,
| and 'tan't the first time you've been
wrong said lothian, with Il calmness
| OF dcmeanor that was beautiful to be-
hold. Hard words is considered in
the wages, and | ant the man TO find
fault. | only did as you told me-"
yes, but, lothian, never mind the
next time she sends let her have what
ever she wants. y
said somethin' about wantin' man
to come and hSthem early potatoes.
"Certainly-of course. Neighbors
should act like neighbors, especially in
| the country
And Mr.. Wiggleton sighed and
wished that he was not too corpulent
and unused to labor to hoe the
Widow Palmleaf' early potatoes him
self.
But he did the next best thing; he
went over to look at the field after
lothian had hoed it, and gave the
widow good advice concerning a GER
tain rocky, uphill bit of sheep pasture
that belonged to the cottage.
I'D lay that down in winter rye if
were you, ma'am," said Mr.. Wiggle-
ton.
II am so much obliged to you,n said
the widow, sweetly. Since poor,
dear Hobart was taken away | have
no one to advise me on these sub
jects."
And Mr.. Wiggleton thought how soft
and pretty her blue eyes looked as she
spoke.
"Oh, pshaww said lothian, leaning
on the handle of his hoe, winter rye
ant the sort O crop for that spot.
Spring wheat's the only thing to grow
there"
Hold your tongue, lothian" cried
his employer, testify.
Eyes, sir, | will" sid Jotham."
with broad grin over Mr.. Wiggle-
tons shining bald head.
And about these hyacinth beds,
ma'am," said the latter, recovering
his equanimity; I'm come over
this evening if you will allow me-
ii shall be delighted" interrupted
the widow with smile that showed d
set OF teeth as white and regular as
pearls.
This evening, ma'am," repeated
Mr.. WiggletOn, with a bow. land well
sketch out a diagram. Hyacinths have
to be humored, Mrs. Palmleaf"
so | have always heard" said the
widow
, That evening after Mr.. Wiggletor
had returned from discussing the mo,
mentOus question Of sandy soil, bulb,
Gus roots, and crescentS and circles,
5 he found lothian on the front porcl
cOntentedly breathing the 1ower-scent
, cd air.
"A very pretty woman, that Mrs
Palmleaf, Jotham," said the en-
plOyer; not because there was an,
congeriality OF soul, but because h,
could have talked to the gate post
if lothian hadn't happened to b.
there.
well, nobody doubts that, as eve
heard on said lothian, witt
placently turned toward the full
moon.
'And she can't be over 80"
$50 | should a said myself" assent
cd lothian.
. I'm glad she has taken the cot
! tage on long lease, Jotham,' pursu
cd Mr.. Wiggleton. II like good neigh
n bOrS."
I Most folks does" observed 10Th
am.
;. And he got up shaking himself lik
Il a great New Newfoundland dog ant
went into the house, leaving Mr.
Wiggleton TO the commpanionship o
his own cogitations. There are time
in which solitude is said TO be the bes
company. Perhaps this was one O
those special occasions, in the estima
ton OF lothian Hardcastie.
The summer went by; the grea
maple in front of the Wiggletol
mansion began TO glow as if its leave
had been dipped in blood melted gold
the astors reared their purple torche
along the stone wall by the cottag
under the HILL and any acute observe
might have perceived that Mrs. Palm
leaf had laid down the rocky bit OF up
hill ground in spring wheat instead o
winter rye.
'Jothamr" said Mr.. Wiggleton to hi
farm hand one evening: IL was the frs