The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-11
JONAS BIRTHDAY
PRESENT

May Gardner, In q. determined man
ner. 'Just think! He'll be thirty
Ave years old and has never had one'
except when he was little boy. al
most too young to remember" she
added. sympathetically.
Did he say thst?" asked Jennie
Deering, with a curious blush.
Yes, he told Uncle John SO"
said May quickly and, when Uncle
repeated 1t to me just decided that
he should have present this year,
sure"
"Oh, girls!" broke In Sallie Green.
with ringing laugh. I've thought
of the very thing! Let's give Jonas
a wife for his birthday present! he
has everything else that he needs,
and you know he is altogether too
timid to ever secure wife without
some assistance!"
Wont he resist IT." asked the
girls, timidly, but May checked them
lmperiously.
Certainly not, II she Is the right
one! What man would! The only
thing is to see that she Is In every
way worthy OF him. for Jonas II
really a splendid fellow. even II ae
is bashful. Jonas shall have wife
for his birthday, that much is set
tied! Now who shall she be, and how
will we present her?"
The three girls sat for moment
In silence; then suddenly May was
struck with bright idea. The other
girls stared at her In breathless
amazement when she told them what
It was.
Here we are, getting older aao
older every day, and not man in the
village that Is marriageable except
Jonas. Now we all like him, you
know we do; but. II we wait for htm
to propose. Wen sll die old maids.
and that would be awful. All Jonas
needs is little encouragement, and
no one will ever know that we used
our influence for each other"
And, finally, h@ reasoning pre-
vailed, possibly by the aid of tender
sentiment existing toward Jonas In
the hearts OF both the blushing maid
ems.
~ say Jonas, you'd oughter be
thinkin' of marryin.'" said Uncle
John" Gardner, shortly after the i'm
portant agreement between the three
young ladies.
If s'pose So" said Jonas absently.
with little blush.
Pears to me you'd better be
lookin around" continued the old
farmer as indifferently az possible.
Your thirty-fifth birthday is comm
and you've ben half your life with
out a wife. Must be sort O. desc
late fer ye, I'm thinkin,'"
"Whatll do?" asked Jonas.
sheepishly.
ASK one of these pretty girls
as he glanced slyly at Jonas.
Which one'll ask? queried Jonas
ASK 'em all!" said the old far
mer. with roar of laughter He
had evidently thought Of something
that was exceedingly funny.
John Gardner, be you out OF your
head?" said Jonas. half angrily.
But the farmers words burned I'm
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 a
most accommodating manner.
Ibid you know my birthday was
next week, Jennie?" said Jonas, sud
denly he was sitting as near her
as he dared when he asked the ques
| tion.
Suddenly Jennie giggled in most
unaccountable way.
do you want a birthday present,
| Jonas?" she asked, with q fit OF
laughter that bordered on Mysteries.
II want Il wife." he said, boldly,
and then blushed AZ red as poppy.
That's what l mean!" said Jen-
nie, still lowering on Mysteries. DO
you want a wife for a birthday pre-
sent?"
| Jennie was desperately In earnest,
as we'll as Jonas. She had to fulhll
her part toward securing the COM
bination wife and present.
| May Gardner or Sally Green
would marry you. am sure They
are both nice girls. and you're bound
10 like them!" She blurted out the
words In the most astonishing way,
and then finished by bursting ineo a
fit OF crying.
"Bht I don't want Sallie Green OF
May Gardnerl ! want you or NJ
body. for my wife!" Jonas said
bravely.
The sight of her tears had mads
him bold, and he was holding baI
hands now in the tenderest fashion
And before l2o'cloek she was hi
promised wife. and when he left hei
there WAS only one cloud upon hel
happiness. "The girls will be aw
fully mad" she said ever and over
but. anyhow, have kept my pro
miss-I am going to give Jonas Q
wife for his birthday"
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