Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-06-25
TAKING CARE OF THE WIDOW.
She and Her Six Children Get . Husband
and Father,


| and Father.
Charles Custer, the popular store
keeper ut Renton, came to the Post-In-
telligencer Office, where was en-
ployed, and related a very sad story. He
said that q German woman with six
children had arrived in Renton from
the old country few days before on
her way to Newcastle to join her hus-
band; that on her arrival in Renton she
had learned that her husband had been
killed in the mines six weeks before
She could not speak a word of English
and was without money or friends.
Custer said the people of Renton had
supplied her immediate wants, and that
he had come to Seattle to arrange for
the county to take care of her until she
was in position to care for herself and
family. When he had finished his
story he turned to me and asked what
would advise.
Jarvis and his ranch, with plenty of
room for the children to romp in and
plenty of milk for them to drink and
the four dining-room chairs popped
into my mind like fash, and I replied:
"Custer, do you think your widow
would consider matrimony as a way
out of troubles?''
"Why, the idea almost staggers me-"
replied Custer. "Who on earth wants
to marry woman with six children,
who has only learned of the death of
her husband within the last four days?
Besides that, she cannot speak q word
of English. She speaks German alto
gether."
"She has not much the better of my
man," l replied. "He is a Frenchman,
and can neither speak English nor Ger
man; but 1 guess if they get married
they soon will be able to understand
each other"
Custer went further into the partic-
ulars of my scheme. 1 told him who
the man was and my reasons for think
ing that he would be willing to marry
the German woman, children and all
That afternoon Custer went on horse
back over to Jarvis ranch, laid the mat.
ter before him, and to his surprise and
qualification Peter jumped at the
chance. "You go back to town and
make the arrangements" said Jarvis,
land I'll hitch up and drive over this
evening and have the job done at once"
"All right" said Custer, ''but don't
forget to put couple of extra seats in
the wagon for the young ones"
How many did you say there were"
asked Jarvis.
"Only six. Now. don't spend too
much time sprucing up, because I'll
have everything ready before you can
reach town if you go for the horses at
once"
As Custer left the farm the old man
shouted: "Good-by. You will have to
ride lively if you beat me to town. My
horses are not driven for a bride very
often, and they can stand it to get over
the ground at a rapid pace for once in
their lives"
Sure enough, Custer had hardly time
to break the news to the widow,
through an interpreter, before the
dashing Frenchman came tearing
through the streets like mad, and
refined his painting horses up in front
of Clusters store. Before leaving Seat
tie that day Custer had taken the pre-
caution to secure the necessary license.
with the understanding that it could
be returned if not used. A preacher
was called in, the bride and groom were
introduced, and made man and wife,
in almost the same breath, and half an
hour later Mr.. and Mrs. Jarvis and the
six little ones were comfortably seated
in the big lumber wagon, bound for
the Jarvis homestead ON Cedar river, as
happy as CLAIMS at high tide.-Seattle
acknowledgement.