Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-11-23

Inc next afternoon, in the early
uusK or November, Mr.. Winsor's
horses head appeared at the ton of the
NH and few moments later Adoni-
ram entered Ruth's kitchen. He was
freshly shaved and he wore his Sun
day suit under the army coat. He
bore an immense turkey by the legs
lie slapped the fowl down on the table
with the remark that it weighed eight
cen ana three-quarters and that no old
maid in the world could ever eat Il
without help, mans help too.
My dog n cat are all the helm T
want, was the response.
Mr.. Winsor drew out the wings from
his pocket and presented them. Then
he took off his coat and hung it IN.
lie said he had thrown a blanket on
his horse, and if Ruth didn't mind he'd
stop awhile. The two partook of hot
biscuit and cold corned mutton and
tea. Ruth explained that she didn't
always keep pies on hand just before
thanksgiving, as she herself could get
along well enough if she never saw a
pie.
At the second cup of tea Adoniram
spoke OF the fact that he had often
thought he had missed it not marrv
ing. There was no reply whatever to
this, and he changed the conversation
to the subject of rutabagas, upon
which Ruth grew fluent, having made
experiments in the raising of that root.
1t was O'Clock before Mr.. Winsor
took the blanket from his horse. When
he had risen from his chair he had
said:
Now, Ruth, | want to tell you once
more, N | want you to understand it
i hope it'll snow Thanksgiving.
When he was unhitching his horse
he called loudly and cheerily:
1t does look m feel like snow. n
the winds dead east. Whether it SHOWS
or not I'm goin' to drive over"
Ruth was under a degree of excite
ment when she went to bed. Twice in
the night she rose and looked out of
the window. She could see no stars
and the wind dashed against the east
side of the house. She slept later in
the morning at last, and when she rose
the ground was white and a fine snow
was sitting down the wind, the whole
SKY looking as If it might storm for
weeks. There was a chickadee calling
on the butternut tree in the yard.
Ruth was rather tired with herself,
because her excitement continued.
She looked very calm, however, save
that her eyes were brighter than COM
mon. When she combed her hair.
which had always tried to curl she al
lowed the locks on her forehead to lie
more loosely, but this was all the con-
cesslon she made 70 her excitement.
Mr.. Winsor came at $50 in the
morning. Instead of covering his horse
he put him in the barn. When the man
entered the kitchen his elderly face
was glowing. The odors of baking
turkey were in the room.
You've lost your bet" exclaimed
Ruth.
Il know it; I'm glad of it," Adoniram
walked quickly to the sink, where his
hostess was pairing turnips 81 was a
mean skunk to make such a bet, but
old Dill made me so mad didn't care,
Ruth Avery, will you marry me?"
Ruth stopped her work and leaned
her hands on the edge of the sink. Her
cheeks were red.
Il sh'll have to think about that"
she said.
Yes, know you will I've got to tell
you what we bet-that is, what the
loser was to do-he was to come here
and ask you to marry him. 1t was a
horrid thing to bet. | didn't realize 1t.
Oh Ruth, don't look like that! | want
you to marry me. I'm goin' to come
here every week n ask you till you
say yes, ! won't give IL UP, You're mad
now; I don't wonder"
You'd better go home" in a mufrled
savage tone from Ruth.
Yes, yes; I'll go, but | sh'll come
back next week N right along. I've
kicked myself every minute since /
done that-'n' | guess | sha'nt feel
right till I've kicked old Dill too. I
sh'll come next week"
And he did; he kept coming, but
Ruth steadfastly refused to marry him
until the next Thanksgiving. which
was also snowy, with the sun shining
once in a while between the clouds
New York Tribune