The Cairo bulletin., 1910-08-18
THE PRIZE
CUCUMBER
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
srary Press.

| On the 18TH day OF June Of certain
kear, at 3 O'Clock III the afternoon, when
he was hoeing tn his garden. Deacon
Amos Gray Strengthened up 10 rest his
Back and then aud there decided that
Ihe would marry the Widow Spconer.
He aad been q widower ana she Il
widow for three years. She lived near
hin In the village, and they had known
leach other. before marriage.
1 Tier garden needed hoeing He set
a5out IT. 1t gave him Il sort of sense
,of proprietorship. 1t was her garden
Inow. Bat after awhile 1t would be his
He had bean ut work for quarter Of
an hour when the widow came to the
iopen kitchen door and discovered him
and called out:
/ Why. deacon. this Is truly good OF
lyon. was Just wondering who
eouli get to hoe my garden"
] When he had been at work an hour
she deacon uttered few grunts and
isiShs and came TO anchor on the step.
The widow was looking fine for wo-
imam Of forty. She was robust and In
good health. The services of doctor
(wonl1n't be needed for many long
liay unless she fell down the cellar
stairs And she looked like woman
,The would esteem 1t privilege to
trlid the kitchen fire every morning
sof four weeks after the grounding
Had come out and seen his shadow
|Yes, she was all right. and the deacon
opened his mouth and said.
"Widder Spoouer. me an you have
known each other long time"
Yes. deacon :
Long before either one of US was
married
Yes"
Aud guess we nllus sorter liked
zach o,her."
! YES
And now Abe is dead and Martha Is
lead aud we are lonesome. wilder.
why shouldn't we"--
she waited. but he stopped right
here. There was Sister Nancy. Hadn't
Pc better sound her and see how she
,Tas going to take it,: Yes, that would
bic the wisest way. He therefore be-
Kan to talk about the drought ana
ptbcr things, and after working for an
h,hcr bour he went home. He didn't
kDeak 10 Nancy not on that subject.
She was trying to get supper with green
f5ood. and she was hopping mad. lie
ip'it W a dry board for her and blew
~ the Ere. but he had lived long
enough 70 know that when woman
! cts real mad she must have at least
Il day to get over it. Next morning
Sancy was 50 clipper that he decided
. take his chances without speaking
J. hor on the subject.
IN The afternoon the deacon did
| na'e more hOeing. and there was an
iLeF talk on The steps Yes. the Wild
Pc Spooner well remembered his TAX
~ her TO spelling school In the old
| ays She remembered their sliding
,i:lls together: she could recall the red
{ ppies he used to give her.
Happy days them was, wilder
| alay days be sighed.
Yes. they were"
Tut aow you are a wilder and | am
y widower."
| Yes"
ant both Of us goldurned lone
ions"
Il I'm sometimes very. very lone
, enc"
But we needn't be, widder-we
lleedE't be- S'posin' ~
"WeIl?'
He couldn't go ahead The thought
nd just struck him that she might
ave a wooden leg or stiff knee and
could make that an excuse for not
ding the washing and ironing. He
puld dlmly remember hearing that
lie had fallen from an apple tree ard
roken bone somewhere. He would
All and make inquiries 1t thus came
bout that he went home again with
thing decided. Now. the deacon was
great county fair man. He always
I'd an exhibit of chickens, eggs or
getaDles. He believed that IL any,
ing could save this world from the
to or Sodom 1t was the Methodist re-
lou and county fair held every De-
ber. At that very moment he was
ising q prize cucumber to exhibit. Ii
IS only a foot long now, but 1t would
II rod In length before time for pull
-.
Deacon Gray let week go past with
az seeing the Widow Spooner. He got
| lp one morning and stepped outdoors
10 lnhale the fragrance of the air be.
lfore sitting down to breakfast, About
he first thing his eyes lighted on was
u woman standing over his prize Gu.
lumber. II was the Widow Spooner.
She had nn az on her shoulder. and her
Uaw was set.
why, wilder, what does this mean"
isked the deacon as he sauntered out
her.
"You have the same MS asked me to
marry you" she replied as she spat on
Ter hands and fiourished the AK.
"But not right out"
But near enough. Deacon. when il
to be?"
Il can't say. What are you doing
with the axT
| In two weeks, deacon, or ! chot
tyour prize cucumber in two!"
'I.ordy, woman