Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-04-04
A COW BOYS "AD."

very commonplace. Mr.. Jacob With
am wanted a vito.
In seeking, hOwCvH.' COR n part
nor with whom TO share his namo,
liberty and other hCrrditamCntS he
rCS0rtrd to the not unprecedented
but somewhat unconventional meth.
Cd of publishing his craving in the
newspapers of San Francisco. Moro
over, tho advertisement was not hid
den away in that wCariSOmo laby-
rinth of type popularity termed tho
want ads, but in bold face, which
occupied at least ten squares of dis
play. 1t read:
II want n wife. | am 35 years
old, thoroughbred and square.
own 1000 cattle, 600 horses, have
$50, Geo sunk, and barring billiards.,
nOrthrrS and other viSitationS of a
glorious climate shall never tighten
the ClnCh strap for hunger Morally
! am ON the fence. drink when
please and swear at tho cattle, but
would not swear ut Il woman That S
ali. Whore is the woman? She
must be undCr 25 and show up a
registered pedigree. Jacob Witham,
Qucmadura Flat, Cal
But Mr.. Witham : aspirations, pro
claimed beyond all misintcrprrta-
ton, wore destined to be considered
by an individual mamfcStly insult
ed to is requirements. In coy
parlOr within the ariStOcratic limits
of San Francisco it bad caught the
eye of ono Frederick Weldon, and to
that gentleman handsome features
it brought smile of amusement
Possibly he was contrasting tho adj
vcrtiSCr's position with his own-he
was being entertained by Il young
girl of admirable wifely adaptations
And yet such was not tho exact
trend of his thoughts. Miss Dor
othy HalStcd was very pretty girl
and withal charming. Moreover, she
was 1T that moment seated beside
him on low sofa, and her dainty
head seemed as if created by nature
to rest contidingly on some strong
male shoulder But San Francisco
was graccd with many of her kind
They were all attractive. He loved
the sex.
But in MIR Williams announce
mcnt, which he had carclcsSly lifted
from table at his elbow, Fred dis
cerned an opportunity for possible
diversion, and he extended it to his
companion
Lets apply, was his suggestion
Miss HalStcd smiled
Il am only 10, she returned. Il
can wait year or two longer before
resorting to any such desperate
means
Fred was on his knees metaphor.
ically Mt once
dolly! Miss Dolly" he ejacu.
lated rcproachfully.
But his assumption of tender dep
recation elected only n light, rip
pling laugh 1t is to be feared that
the young girl deemed all such cour.
tcous platitudcs her just tribute
Nor need it be stated with what
equally specious phrases she divert
ed the conversational bark into 9th.
er channels Suffice to say that she
exhibited the skill of an adept
Meantime, however, Fred retain
cd tho newspaper, and after brIct
interval he again asked.
why not answer 1t? III write
the letter and you copy it, Then
We'll inclosc the photo of an actress
if you can find one consistent with
his idea of n registered pedigree
and await results.
Again Miss Halstcd laughed, but
it was only n musical murmur, man
ifesting little appreciation. Sho even
appeared somewhat bored by his per
sistcncy Nevertheless she rosc and
procured the materials requisite for
correspondence.
But what namc shall ] sign
she asked when at last it had been
copied
You might use a composite, i"
was the rcply. Yes, that'sit-make
it Dorothy Weldon
The young girl colorcd and lower
ed her eyes But she accepted the
suggestion, and over such pScu
donym WAS the letter sent
AS an cpistolary precursor of fu
turo hymcncal joys 1t was master
piccc-or SO at least Fred avcrrcd
1t was TO hc presumed that the I'M
known Mr. Whitman was cattle
baron. o., n cowboy on whom for
tune had smilCd-thcrcfOrcall stiltcd
eleganC" of phraScOlOgy was avoid
ed. Moreover, the gentleman ap
pearcd To desire a wife considerably
his junior, and for that reason n Ger
tain maidonly COyncSS and naIvctc
were necessary But Fred was equal
to the task Miss weldon was
ashamed, almost afraid, to address
Mr. Witham. She was alone, how
over, with no one to advise, was
what people vulgarly termed a
"shOpgirl. She had also been told
that gentleman in his walk of life re-
tanned much of that chivalric Gle
mcnt of disposition long since ex-
tinct in large cities, wherefore she
trusted and believed that he would
accord her communication that con-
fidcncc hciitting her own sincerity.
Fred contemplated this last bit of
fattcry with smile of compla-
cency
Hell not swear at his cattle for
n week after that" he observed
Then he consigned tho letter to his