The daily Alaskan., 1905-07-06
A WIDOWS WAY
Inrleinall

In the good old village or New Am tterdam, now New York, thcrO dwclt a little widow, Joanna Van Schaack. Most Of the Dutchmen of those days were not gifted with quick intelligence with which to penetrate abstruse prob lens. Indeed. Co use common phrase of today, they could not sec through a millstone. But Joanna Van Schaacs, though she appeared as stupid as the rest. was quick witted She had been married at sixteen and now at thirty four had a daughter of seventeen years. Katrina. Both mother and daughter were comely-the mother In bloom. the daughter In the bud.
 There lived also In New Amsterdam in those days a young man. killian Van Horn. Kinian was six years younger than Joanna Van Schaack and eleven years older than Katrina. Cntll Katrina was sixteen he paid attention to the widow, and it was thought there would be a match between them, but when the daughter budded the young man instead of being ambitious Co be her father concluded he would Ike Co be her husband. He gradually dropped away from his first love and took up with the second. He was a year in shifting. at the end of which time be mustered up courage Co ask Joanna for her daughter. Conscious of the posi- ton he occupied between thc two wo men. he approached the mother shame facedly. But to his surprise she ig nored his former attentions Co her and treated his offer for her daughters hand as a matter to be disposed of in the usual practical Dutch way. Jnfor- tunately the young man was not over proSperous. while the widow possessed a snug farm on the banks of the Hud- son river and had a number of gold and silver pieces carefully put away In woolen stocking When killian admitted that his sole possession was a small sloop. with which he brought to market clans and oysters, the widow declined his proposition for her daugh- ter. and he went away much cast down.
 From thls time forward Joanna kept her daughter under such strict watch that Killian could not even com. munlcatc with her Ills trouble he came known Co several of his friends, and one night when they were drinking together at a tavern one of them, Peter Gansvoort, said:
 Why don't you run away with Katrina, Kilian|
 "I can't get near enough Co her tc arrange plan" replied Killian.
 "I'll give you a plan" said Peter "The mother and daughter go Co church every Wednesday evening We fcl lows when they ure going home may set upon them and carry them both ofI you taking the daughter and Che resi- of us the mother"
 The friends an agreed that thi' would be a fine lark, and killlan was persuaded Co enter Into G. An agreed Co put the plan In practice the neNt Wednesday evening,
 When the evening came the friend. and the lover stationed themselves midway between the church and th' widows farm The night was dark which they considered fortunate. Th' friends listened and soon heard voice, which they recognized as those ot th, persons they waited for AS the tw' women passed the men spranC out nn' | threw a sheet over each. killian whis pered to the one he held: Katrina don't be afraid. It Is I, your killian. A soft pressure of the hand was her re ply, and, picking her up, he carried he away to the dominie'S,
 Now, though it was scarcely @ o'clock most Of the people in the village wer in bed, and so was the dominic. kiI Han knocked on the door, and the domi nie came down and let him In. At tha time the method of getting a light wa by flint struck with steel The domini searched for the implements, but couh not find them. Killian. who was i'm patient and feared delay might spo his plan. told the dominic that all h wanted was to be married and the kno could be tied as well in the dark. Tn dominic assented and performed th Il ceremony.
 Kiluan's plan was to take his brid home to her mother and implore foi giveness. She tacitly assented, an they walked down to the little farm house. When the gate clicked behin them the door was opened, and ther in the lighted opening stood figure.
 Your mother has returned sal Knlan. "Now, my dear, brace youl self for the ordeal"
 When the newly welded pair entere the house 1t seemed Co killian tha somehow he had got turned round. Tn l ,,-,,,,,,, n,gTHo bfs,, Vf-FFh whom fn Nn