Evening journal., 1910-03-25

the same age as Miss Brown, who own
ed a farm.
One day the deacon got stuck on a
counterfeit quarter. The next time
tin peddler came along he offered 1t to
the man in change.
Don't look right, deacon"
"oh, guess it's all right" was the
reply.
'Lots of counterfeit around"
"You needn't be afraid of that"
1t wasn't a square thing to do.
The deacon knew it. and the peddler
knew it. The peddler pocketed the
coin and went away. but he made up
his mind TO get even. At the next
house he stopped at he was told that
the deacon was hanging or between
the widow and the spinster. and he
thought he saw his way clear. Three
days later he returned and halted on
the road opposite to where the farmer
was hoeing corn. The deacon came
walking out to the fence to say:
"Being you accepted that quarter
you'll have TO keep it,"
"Oh, it isn't about the quarter.
Just wanted to tell you a bit Of news.
You know the old maid Brown in the
village, don't your
Seems to me I've heard Of her." re-
piled the deacon in his cautious way.
We'll, an uncle of hers in California
has died and left her $4,000 cash.
She's keeping it mighty quiet. She
wants some one to marry her for love
instead of money"
Half an hour later the deacon was
hitching up to drive 10 the village.
Two hours later he was saying to the
blushing old maid:
Sarah. I'm alone and lonely. I've
concluded to take another wife. Will
you have me?"
Sarah could have said "Tes" in a
second. but Sarah was no spring chick
en-. She also weighed and balanced
things. She'd said ..Yes" to two differ
ent men before. but with no witnesses
present and they had left her all for
lorn. Therefore she replied
Deacon, l respect and admire you
and believe you TO be sincere man.
Think OF this matter on your way home
and then write me a letter"
The deacon logged home aud took
his pen in hand aud wrote. he didn't
wait for the mail, but sent his message
TO the village by bis hired man. It
was straight talk. and the written an
swer was YES"
-Four days had passed when the ped
dler appeared again. Deacon Wrenn
was out in the woodshed dyeing his
whiskers. AS for hair, be was so near
~ baldheaded that it wouldn't pay TO
fool with. He suspended operations to
hear the peddler say:
Another bit Of news for you. old
man. and you mustn't give it away.
You've heard OF the Widder Norman,
mebbe?"
Yes, kinder heard"
"Got FIVE children and never hoped
10 find a stepfather for 'em. but this
is a world of change. 1t seems she
had a brother in New England who
hadn't been heard OF in twenty years.
Well he turned up his toes the other
day and left her $4,000 in cold cash.
She's keeping still about it. There
windmill man making eyes at her,
but she won't let on until she knows
he loves her for herself and her five
sore eyed young uns. Don't breathe q
hint to put him on to the dough"
The deacon promised and finished
his dyeing. AS he dyed he thought
He thought Of the difference between
$4,000 and $4,000. An early hour in
the evening found him at the Widow
I Norman's. They talked crops and
3 weather for awhile, and then. with
her Eve fatherless children standing
/ around with their mouths open. hC
stated that he had long and secretly
admired the mother and desired t.
Z make her his wife. She wouldn't be
4 lieve it at FIRST. but his assurances
finally prevailed. and she said yes
4 For an hour afterward the children
Y took turns sitting on their to be step
3 father's lap and pulling his dyed whisk
ers. and they called him poppy" al
he departed.
( It has been said that Deacon WrenI
a weighed and balanced things. and i
e may surprise the reader that he should
tangle himself up with two engage
mentS. He had figured it out that hi
G could square things with the old maiC
( for $1,000 or for double that at thu
{ most. This would leave him S2S,00'
T clear. and that was a good enough
bargain for any man. In a week b.
married the widow. and on the SAM
e day he called and offered Miss Brow
q a thousand big dollars. She drove bin
L from the house in Indignation. The
Y he learned that his wife had no broth
e er to die and leave her even IS cent
and that no windmill man had eve
q wanted her. He had Just charged be
with conspiracy to defraud an limo
b cent hearted man when he was serv
/. ed with a summons in a breach o
Y promise suit. and when the case wa
n finally called and tried 1t cost him hi
farm to make good the verdict Ant
then one day the peddler met him 4
It the road and halted to say:
Is "S'more news. but don't give
d away. If you can get a divorce fror
your wife / can locate a widder VIII
of Invested In Texas oil stock when.
k was only 3 cents on the dollar and ha
u held on 20 1t until it's now selling att
d your widder and you. toog' n
Al = ~