The Yale expositor., 1911-10-19
A WIDOW
WITH MONEY
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press.
By NJ. QUAD

All at once, when Moses had passed
his sixty-second birthday, and was tell
ing himself that he felt as good as the
day he was thirty, and had every pros
pect Of living to be hundred years
old, a doctor told him that his left lung
was going, and that he must make
tracks for higher altitude at once.
Moses was mad as we'll as scared. He
called the doctor all kinds of fools, VOW
ed he wouldn't move a rod, and then
set out for Beacon Hill. hundred
miles away.
The higher you can get above the
sea the better for your left lung and
the more expensive the board. Beacon
Hill was only village, and had only
one tavern. and that tavern charged
Moses $5 a week for board. OF course
he kicked. He called the landlord all
sorts of names and said he would start
for home next day, but he didn't start.
1t was on one of his walks that he
met the widow Archer. She had a
hammer and nails and was mailing a
board on the fence in front of her poor
little home. He took the hammer away
from her and made the board secure.
and then walked off with only grunt.
He had noticed, however, that she was
a woman of thirty-five and fairly good
looking, and he was pleased with her.
A call was made next day. He said
he had come on business. He was no
sooner seated than he asked:
"Look-a here, widow, why haven't
you married again?"
"Sir, you are taking great liberty"
she replied.
"Come, now, am here as friend"
But don't know you!"
"But you soon will. l am Moses
Bliss, up here to heal my left lung,
and l wouldn't marry you or any
other woman on earth. I've just got
a little scheme in my head, and l
want you to help me work it out. It's
a scheme for your benefit"
The widow saw that he was IN &C.
centric. She rather timidly consented
10 hear him, and he said:
"I want to ask the same question
0fCL again. w hy. maven E'h 'h''
ried second timeI"
"Suppose-suppose | haven't been
asked?" she blushingly replied.
That's it. eht Haven't been here
two weeks yet, and I've heard Of Il
dozen widowers and bachelors about
here. Don't jump now. You are
young. You are as good looking Il wo-
man as I've seen in town. I've no
doubt you can cook and manage
house as we'll as the best Of them.
can see only two reasons why YOU are
a widow after four years. Did you
vow never to marry again.
II can't say l did, though l had
one Of the best of husbands / don't
think we ought to talk about it,
"Then If you didn't VOW it's because
you are widow Of small means, and
these avaricious villains around here
want to marry money"
"Yes; l am poor"
"Widow, want to lend you 500 in
cash." said Moses as he counted it out.
But / can never pay it back, and
you are a stranger. IL think you
had better CO."
widow, here's the hundred. When
1 want it, ten or fifteen years from
now, I'll call for it. Meanwhile buy
you some new clothes. You'll soon be
money. Keep a close tongue. Admit
nothing; deny nothing. Just be Sc
rene."
"But can't go on deceiving folks"
she protested
you go right on saying nothing and
leave things in the hands of Provi-
dence."
The widow found 1t hard to under
stand what Moses was driving at, but
she retained the $100. Within three
days the plot began to develop. Her
neighbors began to come in and con-
gratulate her on having money. The
county paper came out with hint
that a certain worthy widow had been
left legacy, and the editor was glad
OF 1t. 1t was known all over the viii
lage that I'm buying a new hat for So
she had offered a ten dollar bill to DO
changed. The widow wanted to deny
the reports, but she remembered ths
caution she had received.
It wasn't two weeks before wild
over called. He didn't say word
about the rumors. Indeed, he fought
shy Of the money question. He just
said that he had been lonesome
widower for FIVE long years and war
getting tired Of 1t.
One day Moses Bliss dropped in tn
say:
"Just keep serene and saw wood
Things is working"
But these men are coming because
they want to marry me-" replied the
widow.
"For sure. Let 'em come and take
your pick"
And month later. when he returned
and made his call, he noticed that the
widow was confused and frustrated.
"Well, which is itr he asked.
"Its "a widower He says he's
loved me for two years. But I must
tell him that I've not got lot OF