The Somerset reporter., 1889-02-14
SELECTED.
WINNING A WIDOW.
How JoruAM STOLE A MARCH on HIS
EMpLOYER


| Helen Forest Graves
lothian !" quoth Mr.. Wiggleton to his
chief farm-hand
"Woll, what's wantin2" lazily respond
ed lothian Iardcaste, with half-mas
ticated straw between his teeth, as hi
looked up from the bit of harness he was
mending
The Widow Palmleaf has taken tn,
cottage at the foot of the lane"
TELL me something | didn't know
afore," said lothian. with more freedom
than reverence in his manner,
"And If she sends up to borrow tn,
fatke, OF the noe, or the spad-
"Well, what then?'
"Tcll her she can't have EN-. Womer
are always borrowing. | knew Hobart
chronic borrower, don't want anything
to do with his widow"
IAN right" observed lothian, philoso
phcally, and his master resumed the per
ussl of his newspaper once more.
GOTHAM" said Mr.. Wiggleton, abou
ten days afterward, as he came in, heale,
and out of breath from a walk. (MI
Wiggleton wasn't as spry as he had beer
before his iive-and-fortieth birthday ant
the Locust Hill was pretty steep as
cent?
"Well, what now"
81 wonder if that was The Widow
Palmleaf | saw gathering blackberrie'
into basket by the south wall of tn,
cottage garden?"
kind o slim and tall?"
yes"
"Blue eyes, and hair as shiny as satin?'
"And little white parasol, lined witt
pink"
Yes"
"Rrckon likely it was said lothian.
"But," persisted the puzzled land-own.
er, "she doesn't look at all like a wild
ow.'
"There's as much difference in widows
as there is in other folks" observed 10Th
am, dryly.
Mr.. Wiggleton was silent for minute
or two.
GOTHAM !" he finally said.
"Well?"
HAS she sent to borrow anything"
| "Sent yesterday forenoon-asked If we
had screwdriver to lend-the hinge
was comm loose on the garden gate.
"And what did you tell her?'
'Said my order was contrary wise to
endin' or borrowin'."
GOTHAM, you are a fool"
"Tan't the first time you've said so,
and faint the first time you've been
wrong" said lothian, with calmness of
den eanor thal was beautiful to behold.
Hard words is considered in the wages,
and amt the man to find fault, | only
did as you told me"
"Yes, but Jotham-ncver mind-the
next time she sends, let her have what
ever she wants.
"Said somethin' about wantn' man to
come and hoe them early potatoes. Be /
to go?'
''Certanly-of course. Neighbors
should act like neighbors, especially in
the country"
And Mr. Wiggleton sighed and wished
that he was not too corpuent and unused
to labor to hoe the " dow palmleafs ear
ly potatoes himself.
But he did the next best thing; he
went over to look at the field after 10Th
am had hoed it, and gave the widow good
advice concerning certain rocky uphill
bit of sheep pasture that belonged To the
cottage farm.
I'D lay that down in winter rye, If !
were you, ma'am,' said Mr.. Wiggleton.
II am so much oblighed to YOU" said
the widow, sweetly. "Since poor, dear
Hobart was taken away have no one to
advise me on these subjects.
And Mr.. Wiggleton thought how how
soft and pretty her blue eyes looked as
she spoke
"Oh, pshaw." said Jo,ham leaning on
the handle of his hoe winter rye amt
the sort O. crop for that spot. Spring
wheat's the only thing to grow there
Hold your tongue, Jotham!" cried his
employer, testify.
Eyes, sir, | WILL" said lothian, with a
broad grin over Mr.. Wiggleton's shining
bald head
"And about these hyacinth beds,
ma'am' said the latter, recovering his
equanimity, "l'll come over this evening
If you will allow me"
Il shall be delighted" interrupted the
widow, with smile that showed a set of
teeth as white and regular as pearls.
This evening, ma'am," repeated Mr.
Wiggleton, with bow. land we'll sketch
out q diagram. Hyacinths have to be
humored, Mrs. Palmleaf"
$50 | have always heard said the
widow,
That evening after Mr.. Wiggleton had
returned from discussing the momentous
question of sandy soil, dubious roots and
cresents and circles, he found lothian on
the front porch contentedly breathing the
flower scented air.
"A very pretty woman, that Mrs. Palm
leaf, Jotham,' said the employer; not be-
cause there was any special congenialty
of soul between himself and his farm
hand but because he could have talked to
the gate-posts If lothian hadn't happened
to be there.
swell, nobody doubts that, as ever
heard on" said lothian, with his elbows
on his knees and his face complacently
turned toward the full moon.
"And she can't be over thirty"
$50 should said, myself" assented
lothian.
I'm glad she has taken the cottage on
long lease, lothian" pursued Mr.. Wig
gleton, II like good neighbors."
"Most folks does" observed lothian.
And he got up, shaking himself like
great Newfoundland dog, and went into
the house, leaving Mr.. Wiggleton to the
compan!onship Of his own cogitations.
There are time In which solitude is said
TO be the best company perhaps this was
one Of these special occasions, in the es-
tim .tion Of Mr.. lothian Hardcastle.
The summer went by; the great maple
In front Of Wiggleton mansion began to
glow a. II Its leaves had been dipped In
blood and melted gold; the as,ers reared
their purple torches along the stone wall
BY the cOttags under the hill, and any
acute observed might have perceived that
Mrs. Palmleaf had laid down the rocky
bit of uphill ground In spring wheat In
stead Of winter rye.
"Jothsm!" said Mr.. Wiggleton to his
farmland one evening; 1t was the first