Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1909-07-02
TWO SNOW,
By M. QUAD.
49,. W1' ON0sEf -.
Copyright, 1909, by Associated Literary


u The Widow Spillman had been q
widow for two years when Elder Hope
lost his wife. The two families had
lived in the village for ten years and
had always been the best Of friends.
The Widows mother had come to live
with her after her bereavement, and
the elders only daughter had become
his housekeeper after he had laid his
good wife away.
There was no reason on earth why
the gossips Of Pontiac should have be-
gan saying within three months after
the death Of Mrs. Hope that the elder
would take the Widow Spillman for
his second wife. When the people
began to talk the widow sat down in
the rocking chair one afternoon and
did some thinking and said to herself:
'"The elder was good man to his
wife, but he is fussy and set in his
ways. He's a bit stingy too. He
wants liver for breakfast every morn
ing in the year, and I cant bear liver.
No, I couldn't marry him.
About the time the widow had come
to this wise decision the elder sat
down on the sunny side Of the barn
and also tackled the case.
Mice woman, the Widow Spillman
is" he said to himself, ''but she's been
a widow for two years and got to be
independent. Don't want to be bossed
no more. She's also got cranky no.
lions. Throws the dishpan away as
soon as a hole comes in the bottom
lnd won't use a teapot without a
handle. No, it wouldn't do for us to
get married.
Both parties had arrived at salts
factory conclusions and would have
gone their way in peace but for those
same gossips. After a bit the widow
began to hear that the elder had said
this and that about her, and things
reached the elders ears that made him
indignant He went over to her house
one day to ask for an explanation, but
was bitten by her dog at the gate and
turned about and went home. She
started to go over to his house next
day, but found him driving hog out
Of the garden, and in the driving he
steered the hog so that the animal ran
against her and upset her. After an
elder has been bitten by a Widows
dog and widow has been knocked
down by an elders hog it is war to
the knife.
For a year or more the whole vii
lage enjoyed the situation. The people
were divided on the question. What
didn't happen, one or the other side
made happen. What the principals
didn't say, one or the other side made
them say. It finally came to the point
where the widow said to her mother:
II can't stand this 20 longer. shall
go over to Templeton tomorrow and
consult lawyer about bringing a suit
for scandal, with damages at $4,000
That same day the elder said to HIM
self: <oS ~
'The Widow Spillman is going be-
yond all bounds. I've stood it and
stood it until I can't stand it no longer.
I'll go over to Templeton tomorrow
and start suit against her and bring
her to time.''
Both went over to the county seat
town next day in a binding snow
storm. They were the only passengers
in the stagecoach, but kept as far
apart as possible, and not a word was
exchanged. On the way back they
were again the only occupants of the
coach, and the snow became so deep
and was coming down so thick that
the driver lost the road and ran his
vehicle into pasture. He then un-
hitched his horses and foundered of
with them, and the two passengers
were left to take care of themselves.
The elder got down to find the snow
up to his knees and himself all turned
around. He yelled and yelled, but
there was no answer. It was not very
cold, but the situation was an unpleas-
ant one. He saw no other way but to
stay by the stage. The widow got
down in her turn, and she also got
back again. For long hour nothing
was said. Then she exclaimed:
''This is pretty state of affairs!'
Sand who's to blame for it, want
to known retorted the elder.
''You are! What did you go to Tenn
pleton for?"
ITO sue you for SANDER. What did
you 60 for?''
ITO sue you for the same thing!'
Then there was silence for another
hour. The widow wept, and the elder
sighed, but neither would speak. Final
" the widow asked:
elder, must we stay here all
night?" ~
'Guess We'll have to-
Then there was silence up to mid
night. Both pretended to sleep, but it
was the rankest deception. It was the
elder who at last broke the silence by
saying:
widow, if we sat on the same seat
we'd be warmer"
5tsYes''
& He moved over, and three minutes
later he said:
IF was to put my arm around you
we'd be warmer STILL