Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-09-08
A CLOSE CALL
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Is that boy, now"
Mrs. Jackson stood, with arms AKIN
DO, gazing down the street, trying to
catch a glimpse Of the delinquent
Jimmie" she called again.
'T'm comm, ma" yelled the young
ster, as he emerged from a shop across
the street, suspiciously wiping his
mouth on his shirt sleeves
James Jackson, you've been spend
ing your money for something to eat;
your stomach will be the death Of you
yet And you have been in swimming,
too. No, don't deny it. You need not
tell me you would have such a clean
face at this time Of day, to say moth
ing Of your feet. Look at them and
tell me you were not in swimming, will
your
Mrs. Jackson was tall and command
ing, and possessed will Of her own
that brooked no contradiction. James
was wise in his generation. He made
no attempt to deny the charges, but, as
was the habit in such emergencies, he
broke in with a voluble and animated
story to divert his irate parents atten-
ton.
Ma, you can't guess who moved into
this neighborhood? You couldn't tell
in thousand years-it's Mister Han
som. Yesm, L knew you would be
'sprised, but it's a fact. He jest set
up his shoemaklng establishment in
that little shop caty-corner. He was
askin' about you. 1t seems like he
can't keep away from you, ma
James, you go in and eat your sup
per. There is piece Of pie on tie
pantry shelf, but don't smear every
thing, do you hear:"
YES, ma" answered the willy James,
who made dart for the pie.
Meanwhile the Widow Jackson stood
gazing across the street, trying to dis
Germ which shop her olIpring desig-
mated as "caty-corner.'
oh that must be the place With the
geraniums in the window; Silas always
was Of an elevated turn Of mind. Dear
me, there he is at the door-and look
ing this way, too. l can't let him see
me staring at him." With this remark
Mrs. Jackson went into the house to
catechise her son concerning Mr.. Han
som.
Usually James was reticent but with
judgment still hanging over his head
he answered his mothers questions
fiuently.
James, did Mr.. Hanson ask how
we were getting along?"
Eyes, ma; he said Jim is your moth
er aworkin' as hard as ever?' And
told him yes, hardener. Then he said
you were the best woman ON earth and
for me to study hard SO as to soon be
able to help you. 1 said you bet
meant to do that and 1 told him when
I got big you would never work anoth-
er day. Ma, may l have another piece
of pie?"
Mrs. Jackson betook herself to an
upstairs window, where she could get
an unobstructed view Of the little shoe
shop.
MY goodness" she soliloquized,
isn't it a pity that man is so bash
ful-he is actually standing in his own
light. Cooped up in that little place
instead of having a comfortable home
Of his own, with me to look after him.
1t just breaks my heart to think of him
there alone, with not a soul to bid him
the time Of day when he comes in of
an evening. Well, it's his own fault; l
waited as long as seemed reasonable
for any woman, and l never would
have kept company with Jamie's pa
only to egg Silas along. 1t did no good;
he just sold out his shop and l never
set eyes on him till my poor husband
was put in his grave, then he hobs up
again and, as jamie says, he does not
seem able to stay away, and yet that
fool Of man has not got the courage
to come to the point 1 don't know as
it is worth my while wasting time over
him, yet he needs someone to look after
him. 1 am afraid he'll drive me to pro-
pose to him myself. And I declare I'll
not do it-no, not if I go to my grave
widow"
With this declaration Mrs. Jackson
closed the shutters and went down,
still thinking Of some strategy by
which the bashful lover might be made
to declare himself
Silas Hanson dropped the shoe he
had been mending, and for once the
busy hands were idle. He had fallen
into a reverie, and, as usual, the train
of his thought was the widow. His fall
tering tongue could not utter the words
he wished to say; could not tell the
story he repeated every night to the
photograph that hung opposite his bed.
How many, many times in the past
twelve years he had repeated to him
self: 'Tll tell her tonight; yes, I'll tell
her tonight or die.''
Hello, Mr.. Hanson, here's pie ma |
sent you. Ouch, it's hot, where will |
put it Say, Mr.. Hanson, you'd better
eat piece while it's hot-it's much |
better"
"Take piece yourself, Jamie; do,