The Cairo bulletin., 1907-07-28
JONAS BIRTHDAY.
PRESENT

, except when he was a little boy. al
most too young to remember" she
added sympathetically
Ibid he say that2,'' asked Jennie
Deering, with curious blush.
Yes, he told Uncle John so,''
said May quickly, and. when Uncle
repeated II to me just decided thar
he should have present this year.
sure"
oh. glrlsl" broke In Salle Greea,
with ringing laugh I've thought
of the very thingl Let's give Jonas
wife for bis birthday present! He
has everything else that he needs,
aud you know he is altogether too
timd to ever secure a wife without
some assistance"
Won't he resist it," asked the
girls, timidly, but May checked them
impcriously.
i Certainly not. IL she is the right
lone What man would The only
Thing Is TO see that she is In every
way worthy OF him. for Jonx II
really a splendid fellow, even II Re
is bashful Jonas shall have wife
for his birthday, that much is set
Tiled Now who shall she be, and how
will We present herr"
The three girls sat for a moment
In silence; then suddenly May was
struck with d bright idea. The other
| girls stared at her In GREATNESS
amazement when she told them what
| it was.
Here we are. getting slider add
older every day, and not man In tho
village that is marriageable except
Jonas. Now We all like him, Won
know we do; but, If We wait for him
to propose. wen all die old maids,
and that would be awful All Jonas
needs is a little Encouragement, and
no one win ever know that we used
our influence for each other"
And, finally, her reasoning pre-
vailed. possibly By the aid OF tender
sentiment existing toward Jonas In
the hearts OF both he blushing maid
ems.
II say Jonas, you'd oughter be /
thinkin' OF marrYin,' said Uncle |
John Gardner shortly after the i'm /
portant agreement between the three I
young ladies'.
81 s'pose so. said Jonas absently. |
with a little blush +
Pears to me you'd better be
lookin around. continued the old
farmer as Indifferently as possible. T
"Your thirty-hfth birthday is comm
and you've ben half your life With
out wife Must be sort o. DESC
late fer We. I'm thinkin.
''whatl do2" asked Jonas.
sheepishly.
ASK one Of these pretty girls
as he glanced slyly at Jonas
Which onen I ask? queried Jonas
ASK 'em all.'i said the old far
mer, with roar OF laughter. He
had evidently thought OF something
that was exceedingly funny.
John Gardner. be YOU oft OF your
head" said Jonas, half angrily.
But the farmers words burned in
his brain long after he had parted
with his friend and neighbor
And that evening he put on his {
best suit and went over TO call on
Jennie Deering.
An hour before midnight they
were sitting alone in the kitchen, for
the old folks had gone TO bed in 4
most accommodating manner.
Ibid you know my birthday was
next week. Jennie?" said Jonas. sud
denly. He was sitting ms near her
as he dared when he asked the qnes. ,
lion.
Suddesly Jennie giggled In most
unaccountable way.
DO you want birthday present,
Tonas?" she asked. with a NJ o.
laughter that bordered on hyster 60
II want a wife," he said, boldly. I
and then blushed as red as a poppy.
That's what | mean" said Jen-
nie. still lowering on Mysteries. Do
you want a wife for a birthday pre-
;ent?"
Jennie was desperately In earnest.
~ well as Jonas. she nal 10 iulEi' =
her part toward securing the COM
,ination wife and present.
MAY Gardner or Sally Green
would marry you. | am sure. They >
ire both nice girls. and you're bouEd
10 like them." She blurted out the
words in the most astonishing way.
md then finished BY bursting into
IL OF crying
But ! don't want Sallie Green or
Nav Gardner. want you or ~.
BODY. for my wife!" Jonas sail Z
oravely.
The sight OF her tears had mad
Tim bold. and he was holding her
hands now in the tenderest fashion. .
And before 12o'clock she was his
,romlsed wife. and when he left hs- =
here was only one cloud upon asI
happiness The girls will be aw- :.
'ully mad" she sail TYR and over. r
but. anyhow. ! have KEEP; ny pro-
am going TO give l,nss =
rife for his birthdss" &
=. -.s-xa To- d, S.ft -. f-t.-