The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-01-12
THE MERRY WIDOW
By FRANK H. MELOON
Copyright, by shortstory Pub. Coz


stuck to the Merry Widow like
dock burr She followed her upstairs
and she trotted after her down. Blise
fully unconscious. as il seemed, of OH
alteration, the widow made no attemp'
to rid herself of the incubus. The ons
consolation attending the Melr,
Widows proposed departure would De
that she would take Pickles along with
her.
That night the Merry Widow was at
| her best. Never had her blue eyes
flashed with so much happiness. We
felt actually jealous of Yaleville, WIS.
Was it possible she was glad she was
going home? No, that could not be.
There must be some other reason Tor
the Merry Widows glee. Could 1t
chance she had left a lover behind her
in the far away town? Not likely, be-
cause all the mail which had come to
her had been addressed in a feminine
| hand. So much we forced Jake to
| tell us to set our minds at rest on
that score.
Never was there the like of that
night in Jake Mann's. Pickles played
the piano tuned for the occasion. and
the Merry Widow sang Believe Me,
1.-THE Rocky Road to Dublin" and all
the old songs it does our heart good
| to hear. Jake wanted to send the
champagne around. but the old aunt
objected. She said that as chaperone
| c a nOt11I CT for CT
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 a 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 it was getting late, she would
go to bed, but her niece, she added,
could stay up while longer. The
Merry Widows blue eyes included us
all in their flash of appreciation, yet
every man felt it was intended most
particularly for himself
The Merry Widow stayed. We con-
versed with her by turns. Part of the
conversation was aloud, part whis-
Eered. The widow was dazzling. but
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. At the stroke of II. she
begged to be excused for the night.
Strange to say, not one of us ad.
Journed to the bar after she had
gone.
For while we INDUCED in our
usual game of forty-ives, then one by
one the members of the Fourteen club
stole away. | know that | left os.
tensiby for my room, but in reality TO
keep date with the Merry Widow.
1t was only minute chat in the
hallway, but | held her in nv 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 lime
the Merry Widow and Pickles were
still in their rooms. but Jake Mann.
pYcIISinp tbnir n hca
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
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. When flush, which was sci
dom, | usually carried about a thou
sand dollars. | breathed with relief as
| felt it all there. But on opening the
bill-book, | found only wad of brown
| paper inside. held it aloft | SHOOK
| 1t. We investigated in turn. Ever,
man of us had been "stung." We
rushed hastily upstairs. There was NJ
sign that either the Merry Widow o.
Pickles had occupied the beds the
previous night.
After all, ! am not sure but what
J that five minutes with the Merr,
) Widow was worth a thousand dollars
, Jake Mann thinks his money was vel
: spent. So far as can find out, tn,
other members of the Fourteen clul
are inclined to make the best of it. 1
, there was such a place as Yaleville
| Wis, l would certainly so there.