The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-11-19
THE MERRY WIDOW
Bv FRANK H. MELOON


( ing. Then one day came the annorn..
ment of sad news. She was goln.
back to Yaleville. Wis. She had has
enough OF New York. II she stasas
any longer, she would want TO s,ss
| forever.
That filled us all with the wiId...
hopes, and there wasn't man ~ ~
Fourteen but felt he just must ash ha.
to stay on with him. But where was
the chance to be found? pickla.'
stuck to the Merry Widow like
dock-burr. She followed her upstairs
and she trotted after her down. Buss
fully unconscious, as II seemed. of an,
alteration, the widow made no attemn,
TO rid herself of the incubus The one
consolation attending the Merry
Widows proposed departure would bs
that she would take Pickles along with
her
That night the Merry Widow was n,
her best Never had her blue eve.
flashed with so much happiness. Wa
felt actually jealous OF Yaleville. Wis
Was II possible she was glad she was
going home? No, that could not be
There must be some other reason for
the Merry Widows glee. Could Il
chance she had left a lover behind he,
In the far away town? Not likely. be
cause all the mail which had come Ia
her had been addressed In a feminins
hand. so much we forced Jake Ia
tell MS to set our minds at rest on
that score.
Never was there the like OF tina,
night In Jake Mann's. Pickles PLAYED
the piano tuned for the occasion. and
the Merry Widow sang Believe Me"
The Rocky Road TO Dublin" and all
the old songs II does our heart good
to hear. Jake wanted TO send the
champagne around, but the old aunt
objected. She said that as chaperone
she could stand for nothing stronger
than coffee. The Merry Widow hest
tated a moment, then poutingly as
scented. but we all felt that the yoke
OF propriety In this instance weighed
heavily on her. Still, we would have
been gladly willing for her sake to
drink dishwater
Pickles. too, could certainly touch up
the piano. think Jake felt little
bit ashamed OF certain things he had
said about the old lady behind her
back. when she struck up the tune
of Watch on Rhine, while the Merry
Widow announced she would sing
some verses her aunt had composed on
Jake Mann and German hospitality In
general
Following this, Pickles announced
that as IL was getting late, she would
go TO bed. but her niece. she added
could stay up while longer. Tht
Merry Widows blue eyes included IA
all In their flash OF appreciation. YET
every man felt II was intended mosl
particularly for himself
The Merry Widow stayed. We con
versed with her by turns. Part of the
conversation was aloud, part whis
Lered. The widow was dazzling. bu,
no man dared overstay his limit. We
all said our little say, each after his
own fashion. and the widow was game
to the finish. A. the stroke of IL, shs
begged to be excused for the night
Strange to say, not one OF MS ad'
1ourned to the bar after she had
gone.
For a while we INDUCED in our
usual game of forty-flves. then one by
one the members of the Fourteen club
stole away. | know that left, os-
tensibly for my room, but in reality to
keep date with the Merry Widow.
IL was only iive-minute chat In the
hallway. but | held her in my arms,
kissed her again and again. saw the
lovelight burning In her eyes OF blue,
interchanged vows OF eternal fidelity
and went my way.
The next morning at breakfast time,
the Merry Widow and Pickles were
still In their rooms, but Jake Mann.
excusing their absence, called on US
TO congratulate him. He announced
his engagement to the Merry Widow
Amid the chorus of voices raised In
surprised protest. detected the note
OF anger Otherwise | would have
laughed at the preposterousness of the
J idea. Then. great heavens! you
should have heard the rest of us claim.
ing the honor! Did the Merry Widow
propose to marry us all? Impossible.
think Was the first TO examine
my roll. wien flush, which was sell
dom, | usually carried about thou
sand dollars. breathed with relief as
felt II all there. But on opening the
bill-book, | found only a wad OF brown
paper inside. held It aloft. ! shook
lt. We investigated in turn. Every
man of us had been "stung" We
rushed hastily upstairs. There was no
sign that either the Merry Widow or
Pickles had occupied the beds the
previous night
After all. | am not sure but what
that five minutes with the Merry
Widow was worth thousand dollars
Jake Mann thinks his money was wen
spent. SO far as | can find out, the
other members Of the Fourteen cluu
are inclined to make the best OF II.
there was such place as Yaleyille
Wis., would certainly go there,
s>N-~~-~>-~~~~~-