Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-30
HIS RRENDE

When a widow puts a notice in her win
dow to the effect that there is accommo.
dalton within for a respectable single man.
1t usually means mischief, 1t is the old,
old invitation of the spider to the fly.
How on earth could a mere, ordinary, in
experienced, guileless single man be other
wise than clay in the hands Of Mrs. Pot.
ter?
Originally a Whelks, she had married in
the first place a Higson and in the second
the late but unduly unlamented Potter.
The grass on the grave of the latter hav-
ing now begun to grow quite luxuriantly,
the relict considered that to remain a wild
ow any longer would be sheer waste Of
time and opportunity; hence the card
6 inches by 4-with the announcement re-
ferred to.
1.-THE rest" said Mrs. Potter, II leaves
to Providence"
And Providence, thus piously invoked,
responded with Joshua Jebbings.
He was an unassuming individual, was
Joshua, and SO was conscious at times of
a vague presentiment that this was a con-
dition of affairs too good to last. 1t was
Joe Whibble who first opened his eyes to
the snare that was being spread for him.
"Reckon ye'll DO for putting up the
bands fore long" remarked this worthy,
with a significant wink.
"Bannsl' exclaimed Joshua. II amt
got nothink to do with no banns, 1 amt"
Unabashed by the array Of negatives,
Joe executed another wink of even dead
lier significance, but contented himself
with the skeptical monosyllable "G'arn. u
This was all that passed at that time,
but Joshua went home with the ominous
word ''bands'' ranking in his breast.
He was very silent over his tea, except
when a bone went the wrong way. His
landlady kept an intermittent watch on
him out of the corner of her eye.
"It's about time l give i'm a int" she
thought. Chimes getting on, and Whit
suntide'd do as we'll as noJ."
1t was at this moment that Mr.. Jeb.,
bings, looking up, caught her eye. But
for the poison instilled into his mind by
Joe Whibble it is probable that he would
have seen nothing particular in 1t. As it
was, 1t seemed to look bands" at him.
which was worse than daggers. Mr.. Jeb.
bings choked again, partly from emotion
and partly owing to another misdirected
fish bone.
Mrs. Potter sighed a sigh of fond rem
iniscenoe.
II declare, If you don't remind me for
all the world of Higsonl Wonderful one
he were to choke. I've knowed him to go
black in the face over a red herring. And
more'n once he's brought my heart into
,,ox, ~,,D,,<1 NTH n oyu1o Cpro P,,t fnw oil
that, he lived to die in his bed"
AS soon as supper was over Joshua slip
ped out and sought solace and security at
the Ham and Chicken. Joe was there,
and to him Mr.. Jebbings-after the usual
interchange Of opinions on the weather,
the crops and the price of pigs-put a
poser.
"S'posin a wid-that Ia, a wom-least.
ways a female makes up her mind to marry
q man and he won't have her, what them"
GAS q gin'ral rule" responded the ora
Gle, after seeking inspiration at the bot
tom Of his blue and white earthenware
pint mug-''as a gin'ral rule she marries
him all the same"
Mr.. Jebbings rasped his chin Respondent
~ with the back Of his hand.
CANT there nc way of choking her
off, he asked desperately.
depends whether she's single or a
widder," replied Joe, with an expression
Of deep meaning.
"S'pose we allows, just for the sake o
argument, as she Is q widder."
"Then," said Joe, slowly and emphatic
ally, "my advice is 'ook It,"
Joshua Jebbings quilted the Ham and
Chicken strung up to the pitch of giving
his landlady a weeks notice. By the time
he reached the corner Of his road his reso-
luton was oozing fast. There was hardly
a vestige Of it left as he raised the latch.
The first thing that met his too con.
soious gaze was Mrs. Potter.
"If It's all the same to you," put In
MI. Jebbings with considerable trepida-
tion-"if it's all the same to you, I'm
thinking Of leaving you this day week II
If no objection, " he concluded lamely.
BLESS us and save us ALL" exclaimed
Mrs. Potter. So.
"Goo-good night" answered MIR. Jeb.
bings, executing a retrograde movement
In the direction Of the staircase. Never
mind about getting me a candle, and-l
shan't be wanting any supper"
xACACS yOA OAAA NWoR HHMN .IN
The words hoated after him and had
the effect Of making him quicken his steps.
"Thank goodness, that's Overt" he
thought as he bolted himself in. II wish
next week was over and done with too.
Wonder whether she's taking on muchs"
Somebody's bin and put him up to
this" refhected the lady. well, after all,
/ dunno's 1t matters muoh."
1t was a four roomed house, two down
stairs and two up. The one for which Nh.
Jebbings paid a weekly rent was at the
back, overlooking a patch of kitchen gar.
den. There was a pigsty in the farthest
left hand corner, and some early fowls
were clucking around after early worms.
1t was a fine morning, and MIR. Jebbings
admired tho limited but promising pros
pect In the intervals Of his toilet.
'.Thein peas Ia coming on wonderful, "
BIO unused. Reckon they'll soon be At
for picking, and with a billed CANNON O.
-. atu.~eA L. . ltn~n A~~ ALn 1AaA