The silver star., 1900-02-16

I'VE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING.
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 bit
mean and stingy. He'll do his full
share always for a neighbor in distress.
II isn't because he's too stingy to sup
port her that Jared doesn't get a
wife,"
II 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
kesnly 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 q comfortable little homo
and . few acres Of land adjoining
Jared Kent's. She had known Jared
Ill of her life, but not once had she
thought Of him as 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.
Ny husband and used to talk Jared
over q 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
an 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
20 named Janet Deane from over Shell
BY way, who was visiting us. She'd OF
made him an awful good wife. and !
sung her praises all the time. but moth
ing came Of It,"
"It's an elegant morning. isn't TT"
said Jared. as he and the widow dew
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"
$50 do I. You got much to do In
town."
"No: I'll be through with all Of my
srrands In an hour. I can let some
thing 10 II you don't want to stay In
town that long,"
"Oh, thatIi be none too long for
me. Where shall meet you?"
It'll be 1t Smith 4 Hcnderson's dry
goods store any time you say"
"We'n call II II o'clock. them"
It 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 whom she said:
sThsrs, Jared. I'm Just like other
women; I've forgotten something"
"What n itf'
II forgot to 30 around to the post
once. I know that there's nothing
there for me. because one Of the Stone
boys brought my mail out last night.
ana there's NO mail trains In until
noon; but poor old Jnne Carr came
over Just before left and wanted me
70 be sure and zee n there was letter
for her. Her daughter is very sick out
west, and she hasn't had letter for
week. and she's half wild. couldn't
bear TO tell her I'd forgotten to 80 to
the ONCE"
"iri drive round that way" said
Jared. 1T won't be three blocks out
Of the way"
Two or three boys stood idlins In
mont Of the pOst0fSicc and Jared said
70 one Of them he chanced 70 know: