The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-08
THE EVENING STORY
For Love Of a widow.
(By Donald Allen.)

with the widow Harper, who owned
the next farm on the west. He had
known her for a year, but love had
come creeping along so insidiously
that it gave him q shock when he
came to realize it,
The widow Harper owned her farm;
John Dale was simply q hired man
at $40 q month. The widow Harper
could discuss Shakespeare; John Dale
had simply heard that Columbus dis
covered America. The widow Harper
quoted pottery; John Dale couldn't
even repeat a Mother Goose rhyme.
On account of these things and many
others poor John Dale felt that the
widow was as far above him as the
clouds above the cornfeld. Love had
come, but 1t was a hopeless love. She
was not for him. When. he strolled
over to her house she might welcome
him with a smile and repeat lines
from Byron or Milton as they sat in
the cleaning, but In the end she
would marry sewing machine agent
and he must suffer with broken
heart.
For a week the farmers hired man
kept his hopes and fears to himself.
Then he could stand it no longer, and
he made a confidant of lightning
rod man who came along and stayed
over night. After supper the strang-
err was taken out behind the straw
stack and told all. He listened with
out smiling once. He listened to the
very end. and then he sighed and
shook his head in a solemn way and
replied: .o,,., 49,.
girl it would be different. but she's
widow, you see. A widow is a curious
creature No man just knows how
to handle her. She may fall into the
arms of a tin peddler, or she may
tell millionaire to take his hat and
''Then there's no hope for me"
plaintively asked the hired man.
yes. there's one hope. If the WIDOW
she's romantic, You have q chance.
you've got to appeal to her romance
by dying for her-dying for love OF
but if I died sure couldn't marry
her"
"You mustn't really die, but almost.
Here, now, let us do some planning.
I'll beat a farmer every day in the
week when it's business, but when 1
find a man eating his heart out for
unrequited love 1 can't go back on
him"
The talk between the two was strict
ly private, but one of the results came
to hand within a week. John Dale
was found by his employer in the
barn just as he had swung off in a
noosed rope to commit suicide.
you tarnal idiot, but what did you
do it for!" demanded the farmer after
he had cut down and revived the vic
tim.
John Dale shed tears and said his
life was a burden to him and, of
course, the Widow Harper heard of
the affair and wondered over it. The
would-be suicide ceased to visit her,
and that was another cause for won
der.
Ten days after his first attempt the
hired man made another. He was
caught just as he was about to par
take of enough paris green to have
killed couple of horses. It was the
farmers wife that caught him this
time and as she gave him a box on the
ear and snatched the dish away.
from him she said: -
Well if you hain,t turning into
the biggest fool in America! What
in catnip aiIs you, anyway"
TITS my breaking heart!" was the
fearful reply
''Your breaking fddIesticks. It's
biltousness and nothing else. You
are acting like a boy ten years old"
The widow heard of this second at
tempt and it made her look serious
for several days. She would have had
a talk with John had he appeared,
but she looked for him in vain.
Two weeks passed this time, and
then came the third attempt at sui
eide. The farmer and his man were
moving grass beside the river when
John suddenly threw away his
scythe and leaped into the current.
There happened to be an old boat
the victim ashore and stretch him on
the grass. Then he gave way to his
Indignation by shouting:
you pot-headed Iunatic! What's
got into you this summer? This is
the third time you've tried to die. |
the mater?"
"I'm in Lowell" replied John after a
long minute.
you're in what?"
I'm in love with the widow Har-
per, but she don't love me. and that's
why I want to die. I stood it till
can't stand it no more"
Ever ask her to have you?"
ct dasn't."
you seven kinds of idiot! Don't
know whether she'd say yes or no,
but trying to kill yourself
The widow heard of the third at |
tempt through a farmers boy, and |
she was sitting on the veranda after |
supper and thinking the matter over |
when John Dale suddenly appeared.
He had a story to tell. and he went
right at it like a man hoeing corn.
''Widow Harper" he began. II
know I hain't fit to lick your shoes, |
owing you I tried to kill the feeling, |
but the harder I tried the more I
Owed. That's why I tried to hang |
Il see. she said. as ne paused ana
wiped away a tear.
'I was In hopes my sore throat
would make me forget you, but 1t /
lidnt I had suffered for you. and
you was dearer than ever. I couldn't
get you out of my mind. kept |
thinking and thinking, and knowing |
how hopeless it was turned to that
pizen. I had q note for
you in my pocket, and you'd have got
t after my death. Mrs. Whalen took |
he pizen away from me Just as I
vas asking heaven to always bless
you. In the note I also said I hoped
1ou'd be happy with any man you