Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-04-21
w1aaLnBY n LOVE.
By Will 8. Gildey.

When q man has lived to the mature
age OF forty outside the pale OF matri-
mony, and during the last half-dozen
years Of that period has scarcely
looked at a woman, there Is very lit
tie hope for him.
Such, at least, was the case with
Hezekiah Wigglesby. Whenever Wig
glesby saw himself in a mirror, which
happened once day, when he shaved
himself mot being vain or woman,
Wigglesby had no occasion to con-
suit it oftener), he had deplorable
habit of addressing congratulatory
remarks to his reflection in the glass
on the fact that they-he and the
shadow--were fable to get along
without the silly SEX as Wigglesby
alliteratively expressed it.
! use the term deplorable, and II
certainly Is, deeply so, when an other
wise sensible man is addicted to talk
ing to himself in the glass and trying
to deceive himself into the belief that
be is a perfectly happy and contented
old bachelor when such thing 10 an
utter anomaly and impossibility.
Wigglesby knew at the bottom OF
his heart that the life he was lead.
ing was unsatisfactory and incom.
rlete, that his daily self-congratula-
tons were a hollow mockery and q
farce, and one thing more than all
else that caused him to realize this
was an occasional glimpse which was
vouchsafed him Of plump young
widow who had recently moved into
the roony old farmhonse across the
way.
For years the place opposite had
been what is known as IAN abandon
ed farm" but It had lately come into
the possession Of Mrs. Wiltsey, a sub
stOntial and pleas t-loohing widow.
who, in company with younger sis
ter, had moved there from the city
to engage in the fascinating and
(sometimes) profitable pursuit of
chicken-raislng.
Until they came Wigglesby's daily
vision had been undisturbed by the
sight Of a woman, save when one hap
pened to drive by and in that case
there was no law compelling Wiggles-
by to look at her--and he usually
didn't.
Wigglesby attended to himself after
fashion of his own, which was GER
tainly original, though it probably
would bother him some to secure a
patent on it, He had a way of max
ing bed, for instance, so that no-
body on earth except Wigglesby him
self could tell which end was intend
ed for the head and which the foot,
and sometimes he couldn't. And
when 1t came to baking Aapjacks, a
dish of which he was very fond, Wig
glesby usually distributed the dough
impartially over the top Of the stove,
the griddle and the floor, so that when
he got through preparing the meal
the kitchen locked as If the battle Of
Bunker Hill had been fought over
again on the spot, with dough for
ammunition.
II was one Of those interesting oc-
casions-when Wigglesby was strug-
Cling with n refractory batch of zap
Jacks, I mean--that he received his
first call from Mrs. Wiltsey, the
plump widow across the way. He had
a griddleful Of fapjacks baked on one
side, and he was making heroic ef-
fort to turn them over, using table
knife for that purpose, SO they could
bake on the other, when a pleasant
face suddenly appeared in the half.
opened doorway, and musical voice
said:
"Excre ., this is Mr.. Wigglesby,
| presu
The flap,aek which Mr., Wigglesby
was in the act Of turning dropped
with thud to the floor, and poor
Wigglesby turned all the colors of the
rainbow ct once and incoherentl,
stnmmereo.
"N-n-no; | m-mean yes, I'm
MIR, Wiggs-I should say Wiggles.
by; and-and--"
"And I'm Mrs. Wiltsey, your new
neighbour and can't find my tack
hammer, and | would like TO borrow
yours little while If you don't mind
lending it, But see Pm interruptinq
your work. and-pardon me, bit your
fapiacks are burning. Allow me tc
turn them for YOU won't you? THERE
now they are all right, but you really
need a.
"Oh, no; mo, ! don't" inter.
rupted Wigglesby. hastily. Really
l--l-"
why, yes, you do, Mr.. Wigglesby,'
calmly went on the plump widow;
you need regular pancake turner!
They only cost few cents, and you
would find ii ever so nue. handler
than a knife for such worl
Gosh, that was a narrow escape
| thought she was going to say al
wife" muttered Wigglesby to himself
as he dashed out of the room In
search of the tack hammer.
THANK you very much" said Mrs
Wiltsey, with grateful smile, when
Wigglesby returned with the article
1t is real kind Of you to lend your
hammer, and will be sure to bring
t. the minute I'm through using
olre welcome, l. ~ sure; and
and there's no hurry about bring.
ing it back" Wigglesby managed t.
stammer, as his fair caller took hel
departure with the hammer.
Altar che uau rama uu.-<~lo.l.. ....