Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-09-02

~ al. ..''M;sS'' Mse!h te!!'ltEe :W4o j.
cenin Eer ~ i,s,e nay ..l.l..s.-'
! When he had been at work an hour
the deacon uttered q few grunts and
signs and came to anchor on the STEP
The widow was looking fine for wo-
man Of forty. She was robust and In
wouldn't be needed for many long
day unless she fell down the cellar
stairs. And she looked like woman
who would esteem it a privilege to
brild the kitchen fire every morning
for 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 Spooner, me an you have
known each other long time"
Yes, Deacon
Long before either one of us was
married."
YES"
And I guess we allus sorter liked
each other''
| YES"
And now Abe is dead and Martha is
dead and we are lonesome. widder
Why shouldn't we"-
She waited. but he stopped right
there. There was Sister Nancy. Hadn't
he better sound her and see how she
was going to take it? Yes, that would
be the wisest way. He therefore be-
gan to talk about the drought and
other things. and after working for an.
other hour he went home. He didn't
speak to Nancy-not on that subject.
She was trying to get supper with green
wood. and she was hopping mad. He
split up dry board for her and blew
up the fire, but he had lived long
enough to know that when a woman
gets real mad she must have at least
a day to get over it. Next morning
Nancy was so clipper that he decided
to take his chances without speaking
to her on the subject
In the afternoon the deacon did
some more hoeing, and there was an
other talk on the steps. Yes, the Wild
ow Spooner we'll remembered his TAX
ing her to spelling school in the old
days. She remembered their sliding
hills together: she could recall the red
apples he used to give her
"Happy days them was, widder-
happy days." he sighed.
Eyes, they were"
| But now you are widder and am
a widower."
Eyes,"
And both of US go1durned lone
some."
II am sometimes very, very lone
some"
But we needn't be. widder-we
needn't be. S'posin' -
! "Well?
| He couldn't go ahead. The thought
| had just struck him that she might
have wooden leg or stiff knee and
! would make that an excuse for not
| doing the washing and ironing He
could dimly remember hearing that
she had fallen from an apple tree and
broken bone somewhere. He would
| wait and make. inquiries. 1t thus came
about that be went home again with
nothing decided. Now, the deacon was
great county fair man. He always
had an exhibit of chickens, eggs or
vegetables. He believed that if any
thing could save this world from the
fate Of Sodom it was the Methodist re-
ligion and county fair held every o.
raising prize cucumber to exhibit. It
was only foot long now, but it would
be rod in length before time for pull
ing.
Deacon Gray let week go past with
out seeing the Widow Spooner. he got
up one morning and stepped outdoors
to inhale the fragrance Of the air be-
fore sitting down to breakfast. About
the first thing his eyes lighted on was
woman standing over his prize Gu
cumber. It was the Widow Spooner
She had an AK on her shoulder. and her
jaw was set
why, wilder. what does this mean?"
asked the deacon as he sauntered out
to her
you have the same as asked me to
marry you" she replied as she spat on
her hands and uourished the AK
But not right OUT
But near enough. Deacon, when is
it to be?''
Il can't say. What are you doing
with the ax?'
In two weeks. deacon. or I chop
your prize cucumber in two"
"Lordy. womanr'
do chop"
you wouldn't 60 to chop that GU
1.-TWO weeks. deacon. or three or
four? Speak Quick:'
''Waal. say about three!'
And three it was. and. though Nancy
raised fuss and had to be carried out |
and dumped over the fence. the couple !
have lived happily together for years.