Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-07-26
WINNING A WIDOW.

he looked up from the Dll OF harness
he was mending.
The widow Palmleaf has taken the
cottage at the foot of the lane"
"1ell me something | didn't know
afore,' said lothian, with more
freedom than reverence in his man
ner.
'.And il she sends up to borrow the
rake or the hoe or the spade"
'Well, what then?'
Tell her she can't have EN-. Wo-
men are always borrowing | knew
Hobart Palmleaf when he was alive
he was chronic borrower.
don't want anything TO do with the
widow"
''All right, observed lothian, philo-
sophically, and his master resumed
the persual of his newspaper once
more.
GOTHAM. said Mr.. Wiggleton about
ten days afterward, rs he came in
heated and out OF breath from a walk.
(Mr WiggletOn wasn't "a spry as be
had been before his fve-and-fortieth
birthday, and the Locust hill was Il
pretty steep ascent.)
.'WcU, what now?'
81 wonder if that was the Widow
Palmleaf | saw gathering black berries
into basket by the south wall of the
cottage garden9'
kind o. slim and tall?"
yes"
Blue eyes and hair as shiny as
satin?'
Yes"
"And alittle white parasol lined with
silk"
Yes"
Reckon 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 rs there is in other folks" OBJ
served lothian dryly.
Mr. Wiggleton was silent for q mo-
ment or two.
"Jotham!' he finally said.
"WellP
HAS she sent to borrow anything?"
"Sent yesterday forenoon asked il
we had II screw-driver TO lend 49, the
hinge was comm loose on the garden
Sgate. -
And what did you tell HERO
"Said my order was contrary wise TO
lendin' or bOrrowin'."
GOTHAM, you are fool.
Tan the first time you've said So
and 'tan't the first time you've been
wrong said Jotham, with calmness
OF demeanor that was beautiful 10 be-
hold. Hard words is considered in
the wages, and | ant the man to find
fault. ! only did as you told me-"
Eyes, but, lothian, never mind the
- IL. ! I. l.
ever she wants.
'Said somethin' about wantin' man
70 come and hoe them early potatoes
BE TO goy'
Certainly course. Neigbbors
should act like neighbors, especially in
the country"
And Mr. Wiggleton sighed and
wished that he was not too corpulent
and unused 10 labor to hoe the
Widow Palmlear' early potatoes him
self
But he did the next best thing: he
went over To look at the field after
Joiham had hoed it, and gave the
widow good advice concerning GER
tain rocky, uphill bit of sheep pasture
that belonged TO the cottage.
I'D lay that down in winter rye If
We're you, a'am, said Mr.. Wiggle-
ton.
IL am so much obliged to you" said
the widow, sweetly. "Sihce 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, pshaw" 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, Jothamr' cried
his employer testify.
Eyes, sir, will" sid Jothamr"
with broad grin over Mr. Wiggle-
tons shining bald head
'And about these hyacinth beds.
ma'am,' said the latter, recovering
his equanimity; an come over
this evening if Won will allow me"
al shall be delighted" interrupted
the widow with a smile that showed "A
set OF teeth a white and regular as
pearls.
This evening. ma'am," repeated
Mr.. Wiggleton. with bow. "and well
sketch out q diagram. llyacinths have
to be humored, Mrs. Palmleaf"
$50 | have always heard, said the
widow.
That evening after Mr.. Wiggleton
had returned from discussing the mo-
mentous question Of sandy soil. bulb
Gus roots, and crescents and circles.
lac found lothian on the front porch
contentedly breathing the nower-scent-
ed air.
~ very pretty woman. that Mrs.
Palmleaf. 10Th nm" said the en-
ployer; not because there was any
congeniality OF soul, but because he
could have talked to the gate posts
81 lothian hadn't happened TO be
there.
well. nobody doubts that. as ever
I heard on said lothian, with