The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-08
TIE EVENING STORY
His Fastidious F4ancee.
(By Louis carl Stein.)


means a homely woman, and yet at the
age of 40 she was still a widow Such
things do happen in villages now and
then. The piano man may praise a
widows eyes, the sewing machine man
praise her hair. and the tin peddler
look at her with admiring eyes and
sigh, but that may also lead to moth
ing. It had led to nothing in the wild
ow Dunham's case. widow or any
other woman must have an offer of
marriage before she can refuse it.
The time came. Mrs. Durham was
still hanging on to her 46th year when
along came Moses Frazer. living in a
village six miles away. Moses would
have come years sooner, but for cir
cumstances over which he had no con-
troll. He had a wife, and having one,
the most he could do was to sigh and
wait. When the wife WAS gathered in
by the Reaper and a year of mourning
had passed Moses was free to call on
the widow. When she looked out of
the window at the click of the gate
latch and saw him she knew his er-
rand
Moses entered the house and talked
about this and that and it was a long
time, and he had crossed and I'M
crossed his legs many times before he
got up the courage to say:
Widow, I'm alone in the world, and
so are YOU
"Oh. but I don't mind it, was the
reply.
how isn't natural for a woman to be
living alone. AS the Bible says, there
ought to be a man around the house"
Il never read that il the Bible.
LeastWise l shouldn't want man
around under foot. 1t must be a relief
to you not to have wife mussing
around.
But it amt widow-it amt re-
piled Moses. I'm so dinged lonesome
1 don't know what to do Sarah knew
how I'd feel about it, and en- her dying
bed she said I'd better get married
again
Did she name any ore?"
well, no; but she might if she had
MT got short O. breath. 1 guess the
naming was to be left to me-"
And have you picked tire person
out yet?'
brought me here today Yes, her name
is Durham, and I'm going II ask her
right out if she'll have me-
why, Moses Frazer exclaimed the
woman as she threw up her hands in
pretended establishment: You can't
What you say!''
Every last word of it, I'm here
after your heart and hanJi'
MY stars! But this is no way to
court a woman"
I'll allow it's a little sudden. but
then we amt young foikl who have
got to spoon around. I thought I'd
tell you how 1 felt. and then give you
a week to make up your mind
Widow Durham neither encouraged
nor discouraged. Moses let it go at
that. He was back in week. The
widow kept him talking about hogs
and pumpkins and bucknheat as long
as she could, and then said:
Moses, perhaps it, my duty to mar
ry you"
Il know it is"
But if I do I'm going to have my
way about certain things"
You shall, widow"
| 1--WE must be married in a balloon.
4 I'm not at all romantic. but I want
something different from just calling
! in the minister"
But how am I going to fix for a
| balloon % he asked
Il don't know, but that's what you'll
have to do. No balloon 70 marriage"
Moses went riding through all the
villages for twenty miles around ask
ing questions about balloons and it
was two weeks before he returned to
the widow to say:
I'm willing to oblige you, but we
can't get no balloon here short of a
thousand dollars. and mebbe not for
that Even if we could. no preacher
would go up to marry u.s."
| well, Moses, I don't y ant to seem
over particular replied the woman
after a little thought. IF we can't be
married up in balloon how about
down in a coal mine?"
THAT might do, if I can find one"
Moses went inquiring again, and by
and by ascertained that the nearest
very wet place at that. Besides, a
minister told him that he wouldn't de-
scend into a coal mine and marry a
couple for less than hundred dollars
When the widow Durham had been in
formed of how matters stood she re-
piled:
Il had rather set my heart on it.
but 1 have always been woman to
sacrifice Why can't we be married in
a circus ring before all the people?"
why. I never heard of such a
lthingi We'd be almost took for a
couple of camels or somethingl No.
no.
Moses. we must be married in a
lcircus ring or not at ALL"
Moses made his rounds again II
was now September, ard no circus
could be expected within. ten miles OF
the village until the next SUNNI r
When he spoke to his minister about
A performing the ceremony the good
man exclaimed:
'tNo-never! I should be put on
trial for doing such a thing"
you don't seem to be a man of
much energy" remarked the widow
when she had heard his third excuse.
81 guess we had better drop the mat
ter
j Moses begged for another chance,
and after taking three days to consider
it the woman said:
well. perhaps I'm little too par
ticular to want balloons nc coal mines
and so I'll be content wit. flying ma
lchine. You can surely get one of those.
I read in the papers every day of their
carrying passengers at the rate of a
mile a. minute. Why can't we be mar