Putnam patriot., 1909-07-30
\ BACHELORS
 LAST CHANCE,
By ARAeealA JASON.

con spooner. sat on The veranda of her house in fbe village of ParkHine with some sewing 8a her iap. when there was a faatAe sf wheels in tAe road. 8 "whaa,@ from man driving . one horse Wasaa. aad she looked ug to eateb hcf ffsaIA snd eaeiaims
 .sNoR. fb~n. f ttfe aint san Beit. ford whvm ] Hafeaf seen TOT the iast six years f'fei f 4e hia taia hrsfhar fBa4za Esalazs 1s. never had suyt
 II Wax -aH TIe HTHFad hfs Harze snd entered tae aa They aere soon saaaiae aaHa ifa Hshlns #ssai eaeh ather fath 4 atah aas brouel ari tf nm a1 anr Maa5 renera ias f8+ a#d H8
 san ygu sFe lHs Narfied nd troublad and a saFF3 ra aee t is there anything eu sour edgd fhat you want 10 consult He l.ani
 ..There ls. Maff fe fnilrd @fhafs the reason why Ee fonBe over to see you after al this tine fes Iye been worried for q good spell back and hadn't anybody fo go to for adYice. All at once the other night ! happened to think of you. md i says to myself says 1, Why uet Re over aud see Mary spoonef about itf and that's why am here
 "i hope you are mol going to lose your farm ou q mortgage
 No: nothing af ths. kind Mary. i've got to be fifty years old. and I've been living alone hli these years I'm The oldest old bachelor tn the county leu years ago 1t kluder seemed f9f awhile AS fl yoB ahd mo was going to Innke q mhfft af if but fl fell through The deacon came aloBg. and you preferred him te ne 1 ain't klek ing about II Iie was 4 good HHa. the deacon was. ahd was sorry when beard that YOU WIS left widdef Hes been dead tVe years or mafe. but dan't think I've come a.oouftina Tse got old and sbaetlety and bald headed and ! know | would he na use to begin talking about turtle doves to you
 
 quiet reply IS fhe widow breathed a sigh ot relief
 -In fact. Mary. I'm sorter bound tb another woman another widder md I'm not the mnn tn he euYortlng around after two wldtLef women al once Shes . woman nunied Grimes living about three miles this side of my farm. She owns what they call the Plum Tree farm"
 Yes. l know her by sight so you've fallen in love with herr
 "i-e-s. my hearts been a-throbbing for her for the last six months She hain't no great shakes ns far as locks go. and l wish her hair wnsnt so red. but shes got nlee farm there, Mary . mighty nice farm and she can cook the best boiled diuner n hungry man ever sat down to. We agree on the Hible. on the best way to smoke hams. on having wire screens to the windefs in summer ~on every thing but one. aud that is what Is bothering me aud why I've come ovet 10 see you"
 And what's that. Samf" asked the widow.
 ..i popped the question two months ago. but there's another felicr did the same thing He's Abe Johnson il wld. ower He's about ms age and ae bet ter looking, and the whder Is banging Ire as to whether II k best for her te marry an old hneh or an old widower She says shes got to take time to think lt over
 And you want to hurry her upY'
 That's just IT, Mary. You are un' derstanding ths situation right of Yes. want te hurry her up. and want the decision to be in my favor You are woman aud a widder Neu ought to know what another woman and wiider would do under certain circumstances
 "Perhaps" was the doubtful reply "What are the certain circumstances ' ''Jealousy. Mar,-1ealousy. I've had tt oil planned out for week past. and l believe that II you will help me can win out as easy as grease. talk, it that Abe and me stand about eaua ip the Midder Grimes affections. it's like balancing a stick on the top raj of Il fence Ahe can drive oxen ant nat swear and in ease the preacher sint there he can tnke the lead at [ funeral or prayer meeting. can driy, hog out of the sandea without yell ,us to be heard mile away. and have made two speeches on the Fourtf of July It's about an even thing be tween us. The wiader is balancing She may balance fer il year If some thing haint done Something Is goin, to he douo I'm going 10 appeal to bel jealousy Fun seing 10 make her thini she's lost me forever"
 But just how ?"
 That's where you come in. Mary You'li set day. and i'll drive eNel here and get you l'n drive you pas the farm and back She'll surely ses ua. She'll see us sorter euddled up {, each other and talking eonndentiaiiy Right in front of her house she Il sex my arm stealing around your waist and we'll both hs looking as happy s' all outdoors The demon of jealousy as they call II will bubble up iu hei heart af once. and shell feet that shs loves me ouly and must have me ol die When l pass for the third thu. after leaving you home phe'll ee dowi fo the gate to step tne aud say. Sas Bottford. you hump yourself and hrins preacher here aud marry me CT II show you what desperate wcmat can do She'll say that. Mary. ana within two hours she'll he mine