Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-04-21

But don't want you TO buy It."
she laughed. "This is your tack
hammer, and my sister said to tell
You she was ever and ever 30 much
obliged for the use Of It."
"Er-excuse me, miss" stammered
Wigglesby. 'T-I-took you for a.
one Of the confounded-er-I should
say, female agents, and I-fact is, T.
er-oh, Lord, why didn't your sister
come with it herself; then this
wouldn't have happened"
And with this somewhat lame and
lncoherent conclus on to his attemp.
ted apology Wigglesby seized the tack
hammer and fed. leaving his aston.
ished caller still standing at the door
When Maud Maxwell flor such was
the young woman's name) upon her
return laughingly related to her sis.
ter the particulars Of her interview
with Mr.. Wigglesby, she wound up
saying: Don't you think he must be
Just triHe cracked, Kitty"
And with a smile of superior intel
ligence the astute Kitty otherwise
known as Mrs. K tie Wiltsey) drily
observed:
II guess nOt-that is. no more
cracked than any old bachelor is"
From which it is evident that the
plump widow did not have a very ex.
allied opinion of a man who preferred
to flock by himself"
But to return to Wigglesby. Fol-
several days after the hammer cpl.
sode he spent the most OF his time
drifting uneasily about his house and
grounds and casting furtive and fire..
quenr Chances across tine way TO see
II perchance his fair neighbor might
be coming to borrow something else
A woman, he reasoned, is always los.
ing things; and Mrs. Wiltsey wal
liable at almost any minute to need
some tool that couldn't possibly be
found, and, Of course, in that case
she would have to borrow II. And
where else could she 20 except 70 mel
nearest neighbor? So Wigglesby kept
on the qui vive, with his entire col.
lection Of farming and household
equipments in readiness for lending
at seconds notice. But alas! the
plump widow came not, neither tc
borrow nor to lend; and finally Wig
glesby was In despair He even be.
gan to think seriously of sneakine
across the way some dark night and
stealing some of Mrs. Wiltsey's tools
so she would be compelled to come
the next day and borrow of him.
The reader has probably guessed
the truth. Wigglesby was in love, but
being new experience to him he did
not fully recognize the fact. He knew
that something allied him, but wasn't
exactly certain what II was. He had
a general sort of idea, however, that
the society Of the plump and pleas.
ing widow across the way would be
good for his complaint, and when an
old bachelor reaches that stage there
is some hope for him yet.
For fortnight Wigglesby waited
in vain for second call from his
new neighbor, and then it occurred
to him that perhaps she was waiting
for him to return her call; or maybe
she didn't consider her borrowing ex-
petition a call at all, and was waiting
for him to make the initial call on
her Wigglesby wasn't very well up
in the etiquette governing such mat.
tiers, but he finally decided that, in
any case, 1t would be only neighborly
to call and let her know that his ser.
vices and the resources of his estab
lishment were at her disposal at any
time she should happen to need them
So, shaving and dressing himself
with unusual care, he betook himself
across the way, and was in the act
Of ringing Mrs. Wiltsey's doorbell
when the plump widow herself came
around the corner Of the woodshed
in her working clothes. and with a
chuckling and protesting pullet under
her arm.
"Why, good afternoon. Mr.. Wig
glesby," began she, smilingly, and
without the slightest trace of embar.
rassment; "Im so glad you happened
to call as you did. Perhaps you can
tell me how to make this hen stay or
the eggs until they are Matched. She
has been setting two weeks, and now
has taken notion to quit. This
makes the third time / have caught
her off the nest in the last two hours.
"Why-why don't you fasten hel
on?" suggested Wigglesby, with q
sudden burst Of inspiration.
"Oh, thank you!' exclaimed Mrs
Wiltsey, 81 thought of doing so, but
wasn't sure whether II was rirht O,
not. just hold her a minute, will you
while | hunt up rope to tie hel
down with"
And the next thing Wigglesby knew
he was standing there alone, looking
very foolish, but happy, with thai
balky hen tightly clasped in botf
hands, while his hustllng neighbol
had vanished in search of the requi
site cord to secure the fowl to thu
nest.
She presently returned with It ant
offered to relieve Wigglesby Of hi,
charge, but Wigglesby said: mo, 1,
would take at least two persons Il
properly anchor that pullet on tn,
nest, and seeing her sister wasn't OF
hand 70 render the necessary assist
ance he would just as soon go alonl
and help as not"
From this It would be seen tina
Wigglesby was improving very rapid