The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-06-29


Your wife didn't tell you there was no
hurry, and my husband did. In fact.
the last one said I'd better buy hogs
with the money"
A week passed and neither the
widow nor the widower had taken an
order. Then the widow came driving
over to Grafton and to the deacon's
place of business. When she had got
seated she said:
"Mr. Carter. I've been thinking
over your case, and think it's an
awful shame the way you have
neglected your wife's grave. You
couldn't have loved her"
"And did you love them two hus"
bands Of yours!" he retorted.
my case is different. If you'd only
give me an order to show around J
could get a start and make some
money"
But why don't you give me an
order?"
Deacon, your wife is lying UP
there, probably grieving at yom
neglect, and you are here buying but
ter and eggs! What do you think thu
people around you are saying?"
How is it over in Medina, in yous
case?"
The widow said she didn't want to
say right out that the deacon choked
! his wife to death to get rid of her.
but she was woman who had sus-
picions, and when those suspicious
were aroused it took a great deal to
hull them. That was her fling as she
left for home, and the deacon wasn't
quick enough to answer that he had
heard of wives using slow poison.
In the course of another week he
drove over to Medina again. He In
terviewed two or three persons on
the tombstone business, and then
brought up at the Widow Lees.
Il was sort of expecting you" she
said in greeting. 1--WE talked with
several people about you, and they
say you are a man to give widow
a fair chance. Have you come ovel
10 give me an order?"
Not exactly. l just wanted te
drive past the graveyard"
II see. Wanted to be sure that
both of mine were there yet! Well,
hope you feel better"
Widow, it don't seem to me that
you appreciated them two husbands"
Don't it? Then let me tell you
that in both cases there was cir
Gus in town within month afte:
4l,
about an order for your dead wife,"
Driving slowly home that day the
deacon unused to himself:
Pretty bright widow! House am
lot! House as neat as a pin! SeenA
like good worker! l hadn't though
of marrying again, but"
And when he had departed fro1'
her house the widow unused 70 her
self:
We'll, maybe he thought heap O.
his wife, after all. Seems to ',e {
good man. He's had one and I've
had two, but man needs wife ant
woman needs husband. Is w
were both out of the tombstone bslsi
ness"
Ten days passed. and again tn
deacon drove up to the widows gate
He had letter from Chicago saytn;
that he was no hustler, and that hi
book samples should be turned owe
to another canvasser.
1--WE got a letter reading just thu
same" said the widow when h.
handed her his. Deacon, If gou'
only given me an ORDER"
"Or if you'd given me one"
well, I'm ashamed that l seSd
had suspicious of you"
That's all right If ever Finite,
that your husbands died on pr1pos
to get long rest l beg pardon
"And as I'm going to have a hoile'
dinner today I'll invite you to stay"
with pleasure. widow"
The deacon drove home by s1oon
light that night, and on the WY b
kept saying to himself and smiling:
She'll be number two and IN b
number three. but what Provisenc
brings about nobody should kick ave
I'm! l wouldn't have believed tha
any human being could cook such
boiled dinner as that"