The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-08-18
ROMANCE
AND RATS
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

John Henderson, widower Of forty
and farmer, went over to the next farm
on the east right after breakfast n
morning and said to the Widow Glenn,
aged thirty-fivc:
Mrs. Glenn, l broke my hoe last
night, and If your hired man isn't go
ing to use yours today I'd like to Dor
row It,"
you can have it and welcome" was
the reply.
"How's the sick cowT
much better"
"Find that lost hog YETI"
"No."
"See here, widow, I've been thinking
that you and me had better get mar
Red"
The widow was on the back steps
and was about to shake the tablecloth
She looked ut the man for half n min.
ute and then shook and folded tho
cloth, and with 1t on her arm she re-
piled:
ooh, you have, eh? Well, I hadn't
thought n word about It,"
but I'm asking you to think nov"
"John Henderson, you don't know
beans! Did you ever hear of a woman
being asked to marry ut this hour in
the morning.
"You was looking so mighty purity
that the words slipped out" explained
John. "Just let it go till next time"
One day two or three weeks later
the widow started in to make soft soap.
There was a fire outdoors with q big
kettle wei it, and she had on IN old
dress and her hair had fallen down
and her face was smoked and smudged.
She was stirring up the contents of the
kettle with a broom handle when John
Henderson arrived. He had a packet
in his hand, and as he laid it down he
said:
That's horseradish, sunlower seeds
and dried calves liver grated up and
mixed together. They say it's a sure
thing to keep rheumatism away. Max
ing soft soap, eh"
Eyes"
II was noticing yesterday that the
later bugs was a-getting quite plenty"
II guess they are"
"Widow Glenn, mebbe you remember
what 1 was speaking to you about the
other day?"
"There you go again." she exclaimed
as she rose from the old chair In
which she was seated. maybe re-
member! Good lands. but do YOU think
.~r,o R,,~o<, D~rv>nSn1 nf mar.
riagc in two weeks?"
"Rut this is a busy time o. year. you
know"
"And you come here and find me in
my old duds and making soft soap. and
you talk about horseradish and ia
ter bugs and't,en bring in matrimony!
Don't you know that a woman wants
a little romance at Il time like that"
But how's she going to get it,"
mot by talking about later bugs.
you may be sure"
Farmer Henderson had something to
occup his mind for the next few days.
He was puZzling over romance.
The soft soap had been made and
stored down cellar. when the Widow
Glenn put on her white dress n day
and strolled in the meadow to gather
daisies. She did look real sweet, and
she knew it, and she knew that Farm
err Henderson would say SO If he was
there. Like the wind. she blew where
she listed. That's the reason she blew
on to a bumblebees' nest, and the first
thing she knew she was being stung in
three or four places. She made for
the house, but got a dozen stings be-
fore she reached it and fell down
twice climbing over the fence. Half
an hour after the hired girl had got
her tobcd and was applying poultices
Farmer Henderson showed up. He
had heard of the catastrophe and had
com to express his sympathy. also
to ask the widow il she had thought
things over aud come to n decision.
The message was taken to her and her
reply returned. That reply was:
"Tell John Henderson not to come
here again until he gets over being q
fool"
The Widow Glenn had an old barn
on her place. 1t had not been in use
for several years, and at length u de-
cided to have it torn down. She was q
woman who bossed things. and n
day she went out to inspect the old
structure and see what use the boards
and beams could he turned to-. She
was looking about on the inside when
she heard squeals and found a score of
rats surrounding her. She could have
gained the door. but in her sudden
fright she made for the ladder leading
up where the hay used to be stored.
In a minute she was safe from tho
rodents, but she was also a prisoner.
Fifty big and hungry rats frisked and