The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1910-05-27
Bv m. QUAD

"NoT
"And I've got three hens a-settin
and expect as many as twenty chicks
"Yes?"
"And-and they say I'm courtin'
you"
do they? Well. didn't know it,"
Neither did |, but s'pose it's so.
Well, I've got TO be movin along.
Glad I've seen you. wilder
widow, Mr. GoodenouGh."
"Yes2 | allus cit 'em mixed"
When this sort of courtshlp had
been going on for several months Sllas
determined OF II desperate deed. he
rehearsed II for q week and then tied
his team 10 he widows hitching post
and walked around by the kitchen path
to find her feeding the chickens. He
just gave her time to nod and then
started In with:
"Widder Spicer. I've been lovin' you
for years and years. and ! want you
for a wife I'll be good 10 you. You
needn't make soft soap nor rag car
pets. and II they hold camp meetin'
anywhere within three miles OF MS
We'll drive over and stay three days"
81 couldn't think of It. Mr.. Good
enough" was the reply.
"Don't care for me. eh?"
mot enough to marry you"
81 thought mebbe you did. but II you
don't I might as we'll move on. Them
geese o. yours are lookin remarkably
well for this time O. year"
eyes"
"Well. so long. Oh, say. widdpr,
they say that next year is goin' To be
buster of year for grasshoppers.
Hope they won't eat us up here
Silas Goodenougb didn't drive home
to commit suicide he didn't even
think of IT, He simply thought the
Widow Splcer IL bit odd TINT she didn't
jump at his offer. and after three days
he was all over 1t. Then came a
neighbor who said:
"Silas. hear that you popped the
question TO the Widow Spicpr and got
thrown down."
why, yes. asked her If she'd have
me-"
"And she said no."
That's about H. Mchhe she didn't
mean it. but | took II that way"
II guess you took II right enough
She turned you down because Jim
Wheeler is counting her She's in love
with him. but I don't think he cares
much about her. II she had more
property he'd marry her hut as II is
think he's only foolIng
$50 you think the wilder cares for
him." asked Silas after moments
thought.
"All the women folks say So"
And she'd be disappointed II be
didn't marry her?"
Naturally"
Then Jim Orter do II. Yes. be
orter. The widder's mighty nice wo-
man. and II would he too had to make
fool OF her. must see II | can't do
somethin' for her"
The neighbor laughed and left him.
and Silas began 10 think. II he wasn't
| good mt courting he was very fair at
thinking. II lin Wheeler was holding
of because the Widow Spicer wasn't
catch financially. why. something
must be done. II took him just a
! fortnight to figure out what that some
thing was 10 be. and be brought It
home in his wagon after drive of
thirty miles At the back END OF the
widows farm was rocky dell and a
enough had made three midnight trips
to that dell. carrying a jug OF crude
oil each time. the people for q mile
around began shifting the air. When
he had made three more they began
hunting for coal oil They found L..
1t was floating from that spring and
ooZing up through the rocks around
1t. There was excitement at once.
The widow had scarcely received the
first offer or her farm when Jim
Wheeler proposed marriage and was
accepted. hen he had something to
say about ,e succeeding offers. And
after marriage he had all to say.
Men came and looked and Investigate
ed and either shook their heads or
made cash offers. and Sllas saw to IT
that the supply of oil was kept up. The
day after the Spicer farm had been
sold for $l0.OM the same neighbor
who had interviewed Silas before
came sauntering over 10 say:
"well. Silas. Jlm's got The widow
and S1O.OO0 IN cash"
"Glad To hear H." replied the re-
jected.
But she threw you down
"Oh. yes but she's mighty nice
woman mighty nice. Mustn't hold
such triflIn' things ms that again 'em.
you know Jlms got her. and she's
got Jim. aud both OF 'em have got
$4,000. and, say. it's mighty nice.
amt itY'