Willmar tribune., 1909-06-23
ABashful Wooine


of bees started to swarm ut 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 go. 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 a widow that had turned
down a 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 Ellenton, but no more.
Then another week passed and the
stranger called to say that he was
looking around to purchase good
farm, and he wished to inquire If the
Widows was for sale. On this occa-
sion he entered the house, but evident
ly with reluctance. He was certainly
a bashful man. In that he was nov
city. When Deacon Graham, widow.
er, came to buy the farm year be-
fore he had stood in the kitchen door
aud boldly announced:
"Widder Winchell, I'm a-looking to
buy farm. If you 60 with this. I'll
pay $40 an acre."
That meant $50 an acre for the farm
and $40 an acre for her, and, though a
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. And
then, too, when she had replied that
the farm was not for sale he ut once
rose up to depart without speaking of
how wheat and corn were looking up
or casting a second glance at the bar
ref of soft soap she had made the day
before and left at the kitchen door to
cool. 1t hurt and it aggravated. Mr..
Bingham might be bashful man. but
there are times when even bashful
man should force himself to talk.
Two weeks passed away, and then
as the widow sat on the piazza one
afternoon looking so nice that Farmer
Johnson's mouth watered as he drove
past Mr.. Bingham called again. This
time it was to see If the widow had
a cow to sell. He was invited to sit
down, and COWS were discussed. He
was looking away into the garden in
stead of ut the woman, as he sought
to do his share of the discussing. The
widow had no cows to sell, but she
didn't say so. She left the impression
on the callers mind that If he came
again he might possibly buy one. She
jumped from cows to calves and from
calves to sheep and lambs in hopes to
detain him. but he got away as soon
as possible. Others had sat around
until fairly driven out of the house
with the broomstick. Others had bold
ly fattered, but he had said nothing
in praise. The widow tossed her head
and said she didn't care, but we know
she did, just the same.
At the end of another ten days the
bashful Mr.: Bingham was back to
ask if the widow would sell him a
hog or two with the COW. She was
sitting on the veranda again, and, as
before, he was invited to take seat
When he had done so she moved so
as to hem him in and said:
"Now, sir, look me square in the
face. Are you a widower? Do you
want to buy farm? Do you want to
buy a cow and some hogs? Do you
want to buy hens or ducks? Are you
after lambs or ganders?"
Mr. Bingham blushed and cast down
his eyes and fidgeted around, and the
widow continued:
If you are a widower and after a
wife, why don't you say so and give
us both a show? Lord. man, haven't
you any spunk?"
"Will you marry me?" he bluntly
demanded.
"Good! That's the way to talk!
Marry you? Well. I've liked you ever
since the day I saw you handle those
bees, and I'll take the proposal under
consideration. Cows for sale? No.