Evening journal., 1907-05-15

gives I'm ia, a Cnance les soing-1J
propose to her within a week. JuS
think Of having millionaire and hero
for son-in-lawi l could probably get
the whole farm wire fenced at halt
cost Can't we manage to leave him
and Hetty together on the piazza in the
evening"
Couldn't you manage to tend to
your own affairs if you tried hardl"
tartly replied the wife. Samuel John.
son, / never saw you acting up as you
are now. Are you going to break out
with bolls againi"
"But you hain't doing anything, and
Hetty hain't doing anything, and so
you see
Il don't see nothing except that Het
ty wouldn't wipe her old shoes on no
such man as this Meeker"
"You don't say sou groaned the IA.
ther. what on earth can the gal
wantg"
"she wants to be let alone"
Mr.. Meeker stayed on for the third
week. There was no doubt in any
mind that he was seeking to make
favorable impression. but ut least two
minds doubted his ability 1t was
near the end Of the third week that
Mrs. johnson saw Mr.. Watterson
drive past the house for the first time
since the tiff" She also saw that be
took notice OF things out Of the corner
OF his eye and seemed in no hurry to
get out Of sight. She knew that Hettv
hadn't seen him, and with look OF
childish innocence on her face she
waited ten minutes and then said to
the girl:
"Hetty, you remember that Mrs. Bas.
comb borrowed my best hatiron last
week and hasn't brought It back. Don't
you want TO take a walk down there
and bring It home? Tell her didn't
have a quinsy sore throat, as l thought
was going to have"
Down there" was three-quarters OF
q mile down to the next farmhouse
Hetty had dressed for the afternoon
and looked as sweet as a peach, and as
she set out the mother ran upstairs to
the garret window. from whence she
could survey every foot OF the road
After one glance she hauled in heI
head and said:
"Mr. Watterson has turned around
and Is coming back. and they are
bound to meet at the crab apple tree
Providence will take care OF the rest"
She had not been downstairs ten
minutes when things began to happen.
The husband was working down in
the turnip field, and Mr.. Meeker had
gone there an hour ago. All Of a sud.
den the farmer came dumping in over
the clean floor to exclaim:
"Well. ma. whatd ] tell your The
hero and the millionaire wants to be-
come our son-in-law. He's in love with
Hetty, and he wants to stay on and
win her heart He'll wire fence the
farm for half price, and he thinks he
can get me $50 of the price of wind
mill I've given my consent to the
marriage, but he wants to know what
you think Of IT,"
The wife had her mouth open to re-
ply when the knocler sounded on the
front door, and a woman was In wait
ing to ask If a Mr.. Meeker was stop
ping there. The question had hardly
been answered when a second and q
third drove up, and the last announced
that the wire fence man was skating
for the woods. Each OF the three
claimed him for her hero and Million
aire husband, and all we're talking at
once and berating each other when
/ Hetty and Mr.. Watterson quietly en-
tered, and the latter as quietly said:
"Mr Johnson, l have the honor of
/ asking your consent to my marriage
| with your daughter"
/ It was several hours later, when a
calm had settled down and Farmer
/ johnson was doing the milking, that
he muttered to himself:
'HO, now, but what you about, you
one horned critter! Dang it. but can't
help but think Of that ere Meeker and
that ere Watterson and the old wo-
man and Hctty and the three wives!
/ There's another. but he's too big fool
to think of, and that's me, and II this
Internal old COW don't stop switching
her tail I'll chop it off with an AK"