Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-09-24
FARMER DALHs MISTAKE

81 WAS on wheeling tour and stop
ped for supper and all night at n
forlorn-looking farmhouse. was
surprised to see no woman about, all
the work being done by the owner of
the place, Ezra Dale After supper
lighted pipe and sat on the porch
smoking. Dale came and sat beside
me.
You have finished your evening
chores early" l said. when my wife
Is without servant, she never gets
the dishes washed before 8 o'clock"
'.Waal, We see, 1 don't do 1t that
away. wash dishes oncet week.
Then put 'em all on ter the wagon,
drive 'em inter the creek, take mop,
an when get through they shine like
pewter"
Don't you think n wife would be
handy? She could do your mendlng."
Don't need no wife. 1 got needles
an thread an buttons. There's my
ATS Anu lluhuSu iNc IL SttSG COu-
tanning the articles mentioned and no
more
where's your thimble?" 1 asked.
Don't need no thimble. tried one
oncet an couldn't use it. It's handler
to git the head Of the needle ag'in the
wall and drive it through that away"
did you never have love affair"
Eyes, oncet. 1t was when was n
young feller-very young an very
green. l used to look on gal rs a
heather would look on sacred i'm
age. There was little one Twin
across the creek, Farmer Owens
daughter Daisy. Purity? Ye bet, an
gentle as kitten. She took shine to
me. was fair-lookin' young Teller
then, straight an slim an light OH my
feet. One evenin' l was a-passin
Farmer Owens, and Daisy come run
min out with her finger a-hleedin' an
asked me ter tie it up fur her. had
ter git her arm under mine somehow,
an hold OH ter her hand an wrap the
linen strip an wind the string an lot
of things all at the same time. While
was a-doin' of it her hair got ag'in
my check, an'-waal, lost my head
nm. turnln', put an arm around her an
kissed her.
DO yc know, stranger. I've since
made up my mind she done it all a-pur-
pose. b'lieve she cut her finger on
tentlonally. tell We, women folks is
tricky"
II think that was very nice feml-
nine way of catching your attention."
remarked. go on"
THAT'S jist what did do. went on
from day ter day, week ter week, till It
seemed ter me II anything happened be-
tween ME nm that gal I'd collapse.
Somethin' did happen. Farmer Owens
TUX Il. farm han fur the haydn, an
what did Daisy do but take him out In
her buggy that her father bought fur
her at Christmas an drive right by that
house a-purpose ter show him on ter
me. l tell ye.. stranger, she had the
wickcdest eye in her We ever see."
another feminine trait" observed.
Miss Daisy was evidently woman"
"She was woman, stranger, an the
worst Kind Of one" Dale went on
lugubriously. "She broke me all up. |
fist rented this farm an Went away, 1
didn't come back fur ten years. Then
made up my mind that women folks
wasn't wuth worryin' about, an TUX
my farm ag'in an began ter work 1t.
The fust time went by Farmer Owens
Daisy come out-she had grown ter be
flnc-lookln' young woman of 26--an'
what do We suppose she did:"
II can't imagine"
asked me IL wouln't tic up n cut
finger. She had the same wicked look
in her eye she had when she drove that
lopsided farm han by my house ten
years afore. Women is the persistenest
critters ever see. jist squared off an
said: 'Ye don't git me that away ng'ln.
Ye done 1t oncet, an that's enough
But. do We know, stranger, she was SO
slick about 1t that in five minutes had
my arm about her an she was a-restin'
her head on my shoulder. She was
a-cryin', too-cryin' crockerdile tears,
no doubt.
"Waal. We was engaged, but it didn't
las long. The question come UP rs ter
whether we'd be married by n justice
or parson. don't like parsons my
self, an l wanted Il justice. Daisy
wanted parson, an she was so blame
set about 1t that reckoned If she was
as obstinate about small matter like
hOt t,o tiY,S fa,,,
so l called the thing off, an I've been
Twin alone her ever since"
"AIr. Dale" said, you have mis-
taken natural feminine traits for gen
cral cussedness."
That's what they is, tell ye, stran-
ger. Yc don't understand"
"You have declined to give up that
which to a woman is n great deal, while
to you 1t is nothing. Miss Owens was
right to insist ON being married by n
parson, and you We're ungenerous to re-
fuse her. Now, let me give you bit
Of advice. Miss Owens is still single!
Yes. Well, go to her and tell her that
when you first met her you were a
laundering idiot and that later you
were an obstinate brute. Say that ii
she will overlook your past errors you
will spend your life in doing penance.'
why, stranger, If was ter do that
I'd never have my own way about any.
thing afterward."
ut is the only way to have your OWL
way about everything with woman
Toss 1t all into her hands, and shell
toss 1t right back to you. More than
that. she'll expect you to lead. and II
you don't lead SHE'LL not respect you"
Eye don't n It'll Say, stranger
what sort G keup do We call that
fNwayr