The Springfield herald., 1900-02-16

I'VE tOhGOl LEN oOMc I1iA<N'
he'd try" they said. Then he has the
incest farm in the neighborhood. with
one of the best houses on 1t and money
out at interest, although he's not Dit
mean and stingy. He'll do his fuii
share always for a neighbor in distress.
It isn't because he's too stingy to sup
port her that Jared doesn't get q
WIFE,"
It was a clear, crisp morning In Feb
ruary 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 cheeks beautiful crimson
glow and made her black eyes sparkle.
She was in high spirits and her laugh
rang out frequently as merry and rip
pling as the laugh of child.
But then the widow Darby was pro-
verbally 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 and sorrow.
She had a 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 a possible successor
to Joel Darby.
Jared will never marry anyone"
she had said. He isn't Of marry
ing disposition. Some men are that
way. It's all they lack to make 'em
what God intended they should be.
My husband and l used to talk Jared
over a good deal. and we did our full
share to get him settled for life with
q 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 a kind Of shine to nice.
sweet, real good looking girl of about
30 named Janet Deane from over Shell
by way, who was visiting us. She'd of
made him an awful good wife, and l
sung neT praises Ill VIC .iho, cue hoeh-
ing came of it."
Its an elegant morning. isn't it?"
said Jared. as he and the widow flew
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 lovely!" replied the widow
II like snow"
so do 1. You got much to do in
town."
mo; I'll be through with all of my
errands in all hour. l can let some
thing go if you don't want to stay in
town that long"
"Oh, that'll be none too long for
me- Where shall l meet you?"
I'll be at Smith G Honderson's dry
goods store any time you say"
We'll call it II o'clock, then"
1t was three minutes after II when
Jared drove up to the appointed place
of meeting. The widow had stepped
into the sleigh and he was tucking the
robes in around her when she said:
There, Jared, I'm just like other
women; I've forgotten something"
What is III"
81 forgot to go around to the post
Office, l know that there's nothing
there for me, because one of the Stone
boys brought my mail out last night,
and there's no mail trains in until
noon; but poor old Jane Carr came
over Just before l left and wanted me
to be sure and see if there was letter
for her. Her daughter is very sick out
west, and she hasn't had letter for
bear to tell her I'd forgotten to go to
the Office
"I1l drive round that way" said
Jared. TT won't be three blocks out
of the way