The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-08-19
WOOING A WIDOW.
after Considerable Experience Mr.. Pete.
Kin Pound the Right Method.

After Considerable Experience Mr.. Pstsg.
kin Found the Right Method.
81 have often wondered" said Squire
Ben, why it was that some women are
overwhelmed with suitors, so to speak,
while others have not a solitary one.
There is something queer about it, but
perhaps it comes from perfectly natural
conditions, but of which we are I'M
aware. And this reminds me of .
story. Some thirty-odd years ago-I
lon't know exactly how many, but it
was some time during the war-I heard
story which a returned soldier was
reading in a newspaper to a little
group around him, to their great en-
joyment. The story made such an i'm
preston on me that haven't forgotten
it, and will tell it in outline.
"Mr. 5. c. Peterkin was q prosper
Gus 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 women more than
men. For a long, long time he had
set his heart upon lovely young lady
lamed Violet. lie often called upon
lcr, and resolved again and again to
)tfcr his heart and hand, but as often
that heart failed him. At last he be-
came alarmed by the fact that the
flashing Capt. Latham, of one of the
ound steamers. was often at the house
when he called to see Violet. At last
e could not bear the suspense any
~ or, and he ventured, with much
tr>,tancy and awkwardness, but with
o-or-die determination, to ask her to
Ic mis- wife. With remarkable GOODNESS
he replied:
'lou should have spoken long ago,
Mr.. PetcrSin; | have been engaged to
apt Latham for some time past, and
We are II be married very shortly.
n sorry to disappolnt you, but we
al bc rs good friends as ever and you
u,t come to see me just the same.
"a captain will always be glad.to
"' your company.
i. rl;in went away sorrowful But
br."ht"r day soon oawned, for with
n three months after they were mar
led the captain fell Off the steamer in
= fog on the sound and was drowned.
nave he 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 until
decent interval had passed. The
year ended, and he laid his heart again
at the little feet of Violet. She heard
him quietly and gently Remarked: My
dear Mr.. Peterlin, l am sorry to dis.
appoint you again, but for the last six
months | have been engaged to DR..
Jones. 1t was hard for me to make UP
my mind between him and his friend,
the handsome Lawyer Bright, but DR..
Jones was SO good to me while l 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 once more
the Widow Latham became Mrs. DIR.
Jones, and so remained, while the dis
| comtited Peterkin wished the doctor
might take enough of his own pills to
make an end of him. Time passed on.
Peterkin was walking down broadway
one day, while not far ahead of him he
saw two men, one of whom he knew &c
be this hated DIR. Jones' A large fla,
stone was being hoisted to the coping of
a new building; the ropes gave way; il
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 few, &c
her abode. When she entered the
room where he awaited her he began
My dear Mrs. Jones, bring you
dreadful news. ] was walking on
Broadway, when l saw q stone fall
from house 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 SO sorry
but when DIR. Jones and Mr.. Brigh,
were both begging me to marry, I tool
the doctor and promised Mr.. Bright il
anything happened 10 Jones I would
certainly be his. So you see am en-
gagged. / am sorry, for think grea,
of you, my dear Peterkin.'
"Peterkin was very calm and self
contained. He said: And will you
promise to be mine when the lawyer il
no moreT Certainly l will. with all
my heart andsoul' Then come to my
arms, my Violet, for the same stone
that killed the doctor was the death OF
Bright, and you are mine at lastr"-
boston Herald.
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