Imperial Valley press., 1911-11-27
THE WIDOW
THAT WON
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

AS the wife of the village carpenter
Mrs George Fame had few troubles
and many happy days. They were not
rich. but they had enough to eat and
fairly good clothes to wear, and the
taxes on their home were not too high.
Mr.. Fame died one day. That could
be counted as trouble, but not too
burdensome TO be borne. Time light
ems all griefs. and time lightened this
one for the Widow Fame. When the
year of mourning was up she found
Solomon Williams. the village black
smith. waiting to say to her:
widow Fame. | knew George for
many years He was good man and
a good husband. | know you have
mourned him. but a woman can't go
on mourning forever. want Wife
"Well. Sol. III think it over and let
you know" was the reply.
He called a week later. and she SAID
she would marry him. No counting
and no great display of sentiment.
The wedding was put for month
ahead. but only TWO weeks had elaps-
ed when the blacksmith got tangled
up in a thraShing machine he was re-
pairing. and his leg was so badly man
gled THAT it had to come off. The
widow gave him Il month to recover
from the shock and then visited him
to say:
Solomon. I'm plain spoken wom-
an"
Drive ahead. Mary" he replied.
II couldn't marry a man with a
wooden leg, and you'll have to have
one when you get MP.
Two months later Farmer Griggs,
wid0wer, called. He had five children,
and he wanted Il wife He spoke about
the weather and the crops and then
said:
'Widder. | wish you would consider
me. I've often said 10 myself that you
was a mighty nice woman
Give me three days, to think 1t
over"
At the end of three days Farmer
Griggs called again. TO be told that he
was accepted.
Four days later horse kicked Mr.
Griggs smack in the face and smash
ed his nose so fiat that the doctors had
to make a long hunt to find it, When
they found it they told him that ne
would be noseless man from thence
on. There wasn't enough of it to call
a nose any more.
OF course the news was carried to
| the widow. She made three or four
| calls of coincidence and waited six
| weeks and then came to the business
in hand by saying:
Mr.. Griggs, I'm terribly sorry for
you, but never could marry man
without nose"
! .Surely you couldn't"
Ne1k came Mr.. Hardy. bachelor. own
er of the sawmill in the next town
who drove over to call. He said he
felt embarrassed. but managed to blurt
out that if she would marry him he
would be the happiest man in the
state.
well, l kinder want to make folks
happy" was the reply. land if yor
are over this way next week drop In. >
Mr. Hardy was surely lover thai
way" and called for his answer. and
exclaimed aloud over his happiness
The wedding was set four weeks aheaG
this time When it was known t.
the village there were people who pre-
dicted another calamity, but the wild
ow smiled at the idea. III luck never
followed anybody that far. Just
quiet wedding and trip to Boston.
But it was not to be SO. In boss
ing around his sawmill, Mr.. Hardy
got in the way of the saw and los
both legs at a clip. His life was say
ed, but he would be almost a helpless
cripple the rest of his days. The wild
ow Fame sent him several messages
expressive of pity. but said she
couldn't marry him.
Three engagements, three accidents
three failures to marry!
Dear me. but that's enough" said
the widow to herself, but fate had de
creed otherwise. 1t wasn't q month
later when a man named Slater came
to the village thinking to open a
store. He had sold farm and wanted
to make a change. About the time
that the Widow Fame was told that ht
was a childless widower he called al
her house. He had heard the full
story. and he was in business besides.
widow Fame" he said. take week
to hunt up my past and then say
whether you will marry me or not"
II had thought she began when
he interrupted her with:
II shall cali next Saturday"
From all that could be ascertained
Mr.. Slater was q very fine man. and
when the next Saturday arrived and
he called for his answer the Widow
Fame said:
Il will accept your offer. l'want
Parson Hopes to marry u.s."
He shall when the time coDes."
"Qut tho time In thfa yeRY ninuta