The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-05-13
ABashful Wooing

of bees started to swarm at once. The
widow rushed out and began hammer
ing on pan and got the bees to alight
for the nonce, but that was as far as
she could 60. She stood yelling for
help when help came. A traveller on
the highway stopped and hitched his
horse and walked up the path. He
saw what should be done, and he went
ahead and did it. In quarter of an
| hour he had the swarms in the new
hives, and after look at the others
Informed the widow that it would be
several days yet before they would
come out. She had time to look at him
While he was at work, and she rather
liked his looks. So far as she could
make out he hardly glanced at her, and
he certainly had but few words to
say. When he had finished his work
he looked over her head, said he was
glad to have been of use and took his
departure. The widow had saved the
bees, but she was piqued. Any widow
would have been.
Three or four days later the other
hives swarmed and were taken care Of
by the hired men. Then the stranger
appeared again to ask how the insects
were getting along. He seemed en-
barrassed and In hurry and refused
the invitation to enter the house. He
also appeared to look everywhere else
but at the widow. Her hair was nicely
combed, her apron snow white and her
cheeks like roses, but he paid more
attention to the pear tree and the soap
kettle and the summer squashes than
to her. He just wanted to know, you
know, and was glad to find out and
then was gone.
OF course widow that had turned
down dozen offers Of matrimony
could not do otherwise than look after
the retreating stranger and toss her
head and say that he was man that
did not appreciate good thing. New
ertheless she made some cautious in
Quiries of the hired men and in that
way found out that he was new res.
ident Of Elenton, but no more.
Then another week passed and the
stranger called to say that he was
looking around to purchase a good
farm, aud he wished to inquire IT the
widows was for sale. On this occa
sion he entered the house, but evident
ly with reluctance. He was certainly
bashful man. In that he was a nov
city. When Deacon Graham, widow
er, came to buy the farm year be-
fore he had stood III the kitchen door
and boldly announced:
"Widder Winchell, I'm a-looking tt
buy farm. If you go with this, II
pay $40 an acre."
That meant $50 an acre for the farm
and $40 an acre for her, and, though q
blunt way of putting it, she was not
so very indignant The stranger, who
had at last introduced himself as Mr.
Bingham, threw out no hint of want
ing anything but the farm. Most any
widow would have felt the slight An(
then, too, when she had replied tina
the farm was not for sale lie at once
rose up to depart without speaking Of
how wheat and corn were looking VI
or casting second glance at the bar
rel of soft soap she had made the day
before and left at the kitchen door t
COOL 1t hurt and it aggravated. MI
Bingham might be bashful man, Du
there are times when even bashfu
! man should force himself to talk.
Two weeks passed away, and thel
as the widow sat on the piazza on
) afternoon looking so nice that Farme
Z Johnson's mouth watered as he drov'
past Mr.. Bingham called again. Thi
. time it was to see If the widow hat
q cow to sell. He was invited to 81
down, and COWS were discussed Eli
was looking away into the garden in
stead Of at the woman, as he sough
to do his share Of the discussing. Tn
widow had no cows to sell, but sh
didn't say so. She left the impression
on the callers mind that if he cam
again he might possibly buy one. Sh
jumped from cows to calves and frOr
) calves to sheep and lambs in hopes t
; detain him, but he got away as 500
) as possible. Others had sat aroun'
until fairly driven out of the hous
) with the broOmstick. Others had bold
ly dattered, but he had said nothing
) In praise. The widow tossed her hea,
: and said she didn't care, but we know
she did, just the same.
At the end Of another ten days tn
5 bashful Mr.. Bingham was back t
ask II the widow would sell him
hog or two with the COW. She wa
sitting on the veranda again, and, a
before, he was invited to take sea-
When he had done so she moved s
% to hem him in and said:
Nov, sir, look me square in tn
face. Are you a widower? Do yo
want to buy farm? Do you want t
buy COW and some hogs? Do yo
want to buy hens or ducks? Are y0
after lambs or gandersY
Mr.. Bingham blushed and cast dow
his eyes and ddgeted around, and til
widow continued:
III you are widower and after
; wife, why don't you say so and Civ
; Us both SHOVE Lord, man, haven
! you any spunk?"
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