Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1899-02-09

Hg&G 70 riue Win uiiA.
W&NS Jared was what some
N.Y. OF the people Of the
neighborhood called a
sreguIar born old bach" He had houted
and scorned womanhind most OF the hfty
years Of his life, and had openly set forth
his conviction that men were better on
without 'em than with 'em," particularly
VIXEN it come to marrying Of EN-" he
had held to this conviction SO long and
had proclaimed II so boldly and so con-
stantly that all of the match-makers in
the rural neighborhood in which he lived
had given him up hopeless case beyond
the pale of their schemes for making
benedict Of him.
Jared was not, like most avowed women
haters, Grabbed, cross-grained, sneering-
ly cynical man, which made his celibacy
all the more objectionable in the eyes OF
the matchmaker.
He'd make real good husband II he'd
try" they said. Then he has the incest
farm In the neighborhood, with one Of
the best houses on it and money out at in
terest, although he's not bit mean and
stingy. He'll do his full share always for
a neighbor in distress. 1t isn't because
he's too stingy to support her that Jared
doesn't get him a wife"
1t was a clear, crisp morning in Febru-
airy when Jared rode to the village with
/ the widow Darby seated beside him in
his neat little cutter. The sleighing was
| fine and the air keen and exhilarating. 1t
gave the widows plump checks beauti-
| full crimson glow and made her black eyes
sparkle. She was in high spirits and her
/ ~ attf frorrtanflv n and
ripping as the laugh Of child.
/ But then the widow Darby was proven
| biaIIy CHEEKY. She had suffered keenly
the loss Of her husband and both Of her
children, but time had softened her grief,
and she was too wise to spend her life
| In gloom and grief over the loss of those
| who were beyond all care ami sorrow.
She had comfortable little home. and a
few acres of land adjoining Jared Kent's.
She had known Jared all Of her life, but
not once had she thought OF him as
possible successor to Joel Darby.
..Jared viii never marry any one,s she
had said. "He isn't of a marrying dispo-
sition. Some men are that way. It's all
they lack to make 'em what God intended
they should be. My husband and used
to talk Jared over good deal, and we did
our full share to get him settled for life
with good wife. We used to invite lots
of nice girls. young and elderly both, to
our house and then have Jared come over
to tea and to play croquet with him. He'd
be nice and pleasant and all that, but he
never came any ways near falling into
any OF the traps we set for him. We
thought once that he did take kind OF
. shine to a nice, sweet, real good looking
girl of about 30 named Janet Deane from
over Shelby way, who was visiting us
She'd Of made him an awful good wife,
and | sung her praises all the time, but
nothing came Of it"
"It's an elegant morning, isn't /? Z? said
Jared, as he and the widow few along
over the hills and through long lanes in
which the snow was drifted almost to the
top rails OF the fences.
"Oh, it's loyelyv' replied the widow. q
like snow"
$50 dol. You got much to do in town y
.4No; I'll be through with all OF my err
rands in an hour. can let something gC
IL you don't want to stay in town that
long,
..Oh, thatn be none too long for me
: Where shall l meet your
"Ill be at Smith & Hanscom's dry goodi
store, any time you say"
.sWe'li call it IL O'Clock, then"
1t was three minutes after IL wher
Jared drove up to the appointed place o.
meeting, The widow had stepped int
the sleigh and he was tucking the robes il
around her when she said:
..There, Jared. I'm just like other won
en-; I've forgotten something"
s.What is itT
II forgot to go around to the postofice
! I know that there's nothing there for me
because one OF the Stone boys brought m.
, mail out last night, and there's no mai
| trains In until noon; but poor old Jan
Carr came over just before ] left an'
wanted me to be sure and see II there wa
letter for her. Her daughter Is yer.
sick out West. and she hasn't had lette
for week, and she's half wild. couldn'
bear to tell her I'd forgotten to 60 TO th
ONCE"
"I'il drive round that way" said Jared
tIt won't be three blocks out Of the way.
J Two or three boys stood idling in from
! of the postoffice and Jared said to one o
them he CHANGED to know:
Say, Jimmie, run into the Office and Sc
IL there's any letter for Mrs. Jane Carr
You needn't ask for me, for I've bee
! around and got my mail"
''You might look in box 1884," said Mrs
| Darby. "Mebbe there's drop letter 70
me"
The boy came out moment later wit
: very large square white envelope in on
hand and small blue envelope In th
other. He grinned as he handed them t
: Mrs. Darby. She glanced at the blue en-
velope aud said joyfully:
20 here's letter for Jane, and it's fror
her daughter, ! know by the postmarl
How glad Jane win bel And here--wel
declared"
She burst info merry laugh as e