The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-05-12
WEB HAWLEY
AND HIS COURTING AND
 HAVING
Ills Fortune Told The Teacher Helps Him Co Success in His Suit~Was Very Would Say, '0h, Dunnov

Dunnon
 q never told you about Web Hawley
 and the school ma'am, did I'D said
 Uncle Daniel Sanford. Web was
 about the bashfulest feller on earth in
 them days. He was boardin' with us
 that summer, and I seen by the way Web used to come down to talk things over with me that he was just tryin' to git chance to shy around her, but l
 never let on. He'd come evenins and
 want to know what l thought was the best way to handle sick calves, or meh- by he'd ask if I'd rather put out buck wheat on low ground, or something of that kind. One evening when we were settin on the front steps talSin' about it. out come the school ma'am, and l might tell you that che was one of the beautifulest little creatures l ever seen. You ought to of heard her play on the melodeon, too. She could almost make you think it was haven, tul niin and
 ookin' at you with them eyes of hers every littlew hile, and never missin a note l went in and left them talkin' there, but all I could hear was her voice, with Web kind of drawlin', oh, I dunno once in aw hile, till it got SO late l went to bed and forgot all about 'em. Web come the next night and she went out on the porch again, and l left 'em there, and 1t went on that way night after night for am onth or two, and him never gettin' bit further than he was right at the start with his Oh l dunno,
 "One Saturday along in July, instead of goin' home up in town, she stayed over at our house, and Web he come around pretty soon with his best cotb,s on. They sot out on the porch, and couldn't help hearin' what they said, and them 'sposin' all the time that I had went to church with nav
 After they'd been kind of quiet a long time, she says:
 What did you say?'
 'Nothin',' says Web.
 "tOh she says, I thought you spoke
 No, says Web. Well, you were just goin' to-, though, weren't you?' she says.
 Oh, I dunna, says Web.
 'S'posing, she says, that you had been going to, what would you have said?'
 Oh, dunno, says Web.
 We'll. if you had not been goin' to speak then, but were just settin' ready to say something now, what would 1t be-? she asked him. asked him.
 Oh. I dunno, says Web.
 After that l didn't hear anything for a pretty long spell, and then she says:
 How would you like to have me look at your hand and tell your for tune?
 T could hear Web breathn' hard and short and pretty son he says, kind of faint and easpy
 |" Oh, I dunno
 Then she hitched her chair over to where he sot and in about half min was goin to happen
 What a queer fortune you have | she says. You are going to marry a widow with six children
 Then she stopped bit, but Web he i didn't say nothln'.
 She's tall and has reddish hair she f says, and you will be very happy, but | you'll only live few years after you | get married to her
 T heard Web give a cough then to | Hear out his throat but he didn't say lothin'.
 You'll meet her very soon now | 'he says and fall in love with her at irst sight But you don't look as hough you believed what I'm telin you'
 Web didn't say word
 '' She will be several years older han you, the school teacher said. but ' ,ou won't mind that, don't believe age :, ught to make any difference where we owe. do you?
 Oh l dunno he says.
 You would jest as lieve marry Il ady who was several years older than ou are as not. wouldn't you?' she ask d him..
 No says Web.
 Why not?' says she.
 " Oh, I dunno says he.
 By that time I felt like goin out here and throwin' him off'n the porch nd eivin' him good swift kick or two esides and l guess she was disgusted. 1o because she didn't say anything for uite long time Then at last she avs to him;
 " I'm afraid I'll have to get you to xcuse me, and she got up. 'I heard him gettn' up, too, then and ushn' his chair from the edge of the orch. She said good-by to him and ha | alked down the path to the front gate Then he got there and had shut 1t be- ind him he hollored back kind of slow l nd solemn: q You said she was a widow, didn't Du?'
 '' Yes she answered, with several lildren,
 " I don't believe in fortune tellin',' TVS he.
 " Why not?' says she Cause you ain't ed-headed l idow with children says he. But it seemed to me he took the longest way around to get to of anybody I ever seen,'-Chicago ecord Herald.
 w. c. T. '. SERVICES