Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-05-20

WINNING
A WIDOW
By. NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

Copyright. 1870 by Associated Lit
erary Press II
Beecher settlement, which was set
Element Of farmers, there were three |
widowcrs and seven young men who
were looking for wives. At the same
time there was a scarcity Of marriage
able girls, and the only widow for five
miles around was the Widow Harkins,
who had lately bought farm aud
moved into the community.
The Widow Harkins was thirty-five.
She was good looking and smart. She
had captivating way, and she had
only got settled down when the wild
overs and the young men began to
prick up their ears. 1t was common
sense to figure that the widow would
marry again IL the right man came
along.
One of the first Becchers to call was
Lyman. He was one Of the widowers.
For two years he had had his eye out
for widow with well stocked farm.
He was received In very friendly
spirit. The widow looked neat and
trim, and she smiled and laughed and
chatted In a way that made his heart
go tunking She referred to her lone
~ situation and then referred to the
fact that her hired man was behind
with his work. There was blowing to
be done, but she was afraid he would
not get to it until too late for corn
planting.
II Lyman Beecher had never done any
thing for anybody without pay, but on
this occasion, much to his surprise, he
found himself volunteering to do some
blowing as neighborly act. He
brought over his teams and prepared
ten acres for corn. He worked so
hard and the widow was so thankful
that he was encouraged to state his
case. He had farm, four children,
eleven hogs, five cows, forty sheep and
several other things, and he would Of
fer his heart and hand to the woman
before him. He wasn't thrown over
the fence, but was tol1 that he must
wait year for his answer. He didn't
like it at all, but the blowing had been
done, and he had to grin and bear it.
Next came Goodheart Beecher. wild
over and cousin of Lyman. He
creased his boots and made an even
ing call. A gallon Of hard cider and
pan of fried cakes We're placed before
him. and the widow got his heart flut-
tering. There were times when she
was, oh. so sad and lonely, and this
was one of the times. That cornfield
was ready for planting, but she was
afraid the hired man could not get
around to it. Goodheart Beecher had
work enough OH his own farm, but
there was sad mouthed little widow
he almost begged that she would per-
NIT him to plant that field. She final
~ consented. She also consented that
he should buy the seed out Of his own
pocket. When the work was finished
he went up to the house and asked the
woman to be his'n, and she put him
off as she had the other. His back
ached as he walked home. but what
could he do about It?
The third man was Moses Beecher.
In the same way she induced him to
plant five acres Of potatoes for her.
Then he proposed and was put off for
year.
The young men had been consider
ately waiting for the widowers to try
their luck, and now it was their turn.
Young Christian Beecher came for
ward. He was twenty-three years old.
weeded her corn for her, proposed and
waited year.
The fifth was young John Beecher.
He was called John the Baptist Beech
er. He calmly suggested that she
hire a man who could hustle. He
called again and again, but he did no
work. He advocated kicking the hired
man, but did not offer to exert himself.
Things were thus, and the widow
was looking around for No. G. when
one day she started for the cross
roads store, mile away. She cut
across lots to shorten the distance, and
an old bull took after her and drove
her up ladder leaning against q hay
stack. He hooked the ladder down,
but she had gained the crest Of the
stack. She was roosting there. and
the bull was galloping about and max
ing the dirt fly, when John the Bap-
tist Beecher came along in his bug
] nv. The stack was within talking dis
lance Of the road, and the young man
halted to ask what was the matter,
although the question was superfuous.
OF course the widow wanted the bull
driven away and to come down.
"Look here, widow" replied the
young man as he got out of his buggy
and found comfortable scat on the
fence, II am head over heels in love
with you"
Eyes, but shoe the bull away"
"And I'll make you good husband"
Eyes, but want to get down."
"And I'll run that farm bang up.
wouldn't hoe the taters, but l believe
you love me bit"
"Oh, John. John"'
I'll UAp1 NOW, vo,, oro nithnr nniner tn