Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-10-03
wooING A WIDOW.
After Considerable Experience Wa.
Peterkin Found the Right .:-ihod.

-
After Considerable Experience Mr.
Pcterkin Found the Rig hs Method.
Il have often wondered" said squire
Ben, why it was that some women
are overwhelmed with suiturs, so to
speak, while others have not a soli-
tary one. There is something queer
about it, but perhaps it comes from
perfectly natural conditions, but OF
which we are unaware. And this re-
minds me of a story. Some thirty odd
years ago-I don't know exactly how
many, but 1t was some time during the
| War of the Rebellion heard a story
| which a returned soldier was reading
In Il newspaper to a little group gath
cred around him, to their great enjoy
ment. The story made such an i'm
| preston on me that / haven't forgot
|! ten ii. and will tell /. in outline.
Mr.. s. G. Peterkin was a prosperous
! young man of business in New York
city, who got ahead In spite of his
constitutional mOdesty. This was his
way in society more than in trade; he
was afraid of w0men more than men.
| For n long. long time he had set his
heart upon n lovely young lady named
Violet. He often called upon her, and
resolved again and again to offer her
his heart II hand, but as often that
heart failed him. At last he became
| alarmed by the fact that the dasiling
Capt. Latham. of one of the sound
/ steamers, was often at the house when
he called to see Violet. At last he
] could not bear the suspense any longer
and he ventured with much hesitancy
and awkwardness. but with do-or-die
determination, 10 ask her IL she would
be his wife. With remarkable cool
ness she replied:
"'Iou should have spoken long o
Mr.. Peterkin; i have been engaged to
Capt. Latham for some time past, and
we are TO be married very shortly. 1
am sorry to disappoint you. but we
will be as good friends as ever, aud
you must come to see me just the
same. The captain will always be
glad to have your company
"Peterktn went away sorrowful. But
a brighter day soon dawned, for with
in three months after they were mar
ried the captain fell off the steamer in
a fog on the sound and was drowned.
Now peterkin took heart. He would
have the widow. A year Of mourning
wore slowly away. He kept his eye
on the widow, but would not insult the
memory OF the dead by proposing I'M
I'll n decent interval had passed. The
year ended, and he laid his heart again
ut the little feet Of Violet. She heard
him quietly and gently remarked: My
dear Mr.. Peterkin, l am sorry to disap-
point you again, but for the last six
months l have been engaged to DIR.
Jones. 1t was hard for me to make up
my mind between him and his friend,
the handsome Lawyer Bright, but DIR.
Jones was so good to me while | was
sick in the winter, after my husbands
death, that ] promised him / would
be his at the end of the year.
$50 poor Peterkin retired nee more.
The Widow Latham became Mrs. DIR.
Jones, and so remained, while the dis
comfited Peterkin wished the doctor
might take enough of his own pills to
make an end of him. Time passed on.
PeteTkin was walking down Broadway
n day, while not far ahead of him
he saw two men. one of whom he
knew to be this hated DR.. Jones. A
large fat stone was being hoisted to
the coping of a new building; the
ropes gave way; it fell and instantly
killed the two men.
"Peterkin rose to the emergency OF
the moment. For the dead he could be
of no avail. His thoughts were on the
widow. He turned. he ran, he flew to
her abode. When she entered the room
where he awaited her he began: My
dear Mrs. Jones, l bring you dreadful
news. 1 was walking on Broadway,
when I saw a stone fall from a rouse
upon your poor husband, and he is
dead, but you must let me comfort
you. l beg you, now, to be mine-my
Violet, at last
Dear Mr.. Peterkin. / am sorry, but
when DR.. Jones and Mr.. Bright were
both begging me to marry, | took the
doctor and promised Mr.. Bright If any
thing happened to Jones l would GER
tainly be his. So you see I am en-
gagged. / am sorry, for l think a great
deal Of you, my dear Peterkin.'
"Peterkin was very calm and self
contained. He said: And will you
promise to be mine when the lawyer
is no moreg' Certainly / will, with all
my heart and soul Then come to
my arms. my Vioet, for the same
stone hat killed the doctor was the
death of Bright. and you are mine at
last! Boston Herald.
Use of Birch OIL.
~