The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-18
THE EVENING STORY
Won at Last.
(By Carl Jenkins.)

fifty. He had the reputation of being
I@ persistent man. As he had had a
lawsuit that lasted twenty-five years,
MS persistency had been proved II
twas also known that he had co,rted
ms wife for six years and then car
RED her off by main force.
MRS. Faber was widow. She was
pretty Well fixed financially. and she
1lont care TO marry again. She had
Deen put to the test and had refused.
Sne was buxom and good-natured,
ana WidoWer Skeen had no moral or
iegai right to come bothering. But
ne did He made up his mind one
day to ask her to be his wife. He
expected to be refused, but that didn't
IVORY him.
The widower was hoeing corn in a
lot next to the Widows house. He
was barefooted and had on a torn
straw hat. Five minutes after MAX
ing up his mind he dropped his hoe.
Climbed the fence and appeared at
the Widows back door. She was
securing milk pan. She had polish
ed her nose as we'll as the pam
| "Look-a-here, widow" said Mr..
skeen, whats the matter of me and
you getting married?'
Lord save us!" gasped the widow
as she polished her hand instead of
the pan.
Jars you. Ell? Well it shouldn't!
A widow ought to be ready for a pro-
Iposal any minute"
And a widower ought to have his
ears cuffed for making one! Marry
you, Jim Skeen? Why. wouldn't
think of it for a minute!"
/ ON, yes, you will You'll think of
ut great many minutes. Widow
Faber, you are going to be my second
wife as sure as corn grows and string
beans climbI'
II never will. and you can get out of
here and back to your corn!"
MT. Skeen went back to his work
whistling. The widow was as good
as his He let week elapse, and
then he met her on the street as she
was going to the postofice and stop
ped her to say:
Been thinking that thing over of
lcourse? When will you be ready?''
Ireplied. =.
''oh, yes. you will Widow, I'm
a determined man. We are going to
be married. I was just wondering
why L didn't marry you two years
You poster me and I'll have the
flaw on you'll she almost Shouted.
You can't make it Fostering to ask
a woman to marry you. jog along,
lw1dow-In come for you when work
Islacks off a little"
Two weeks later the widow saw Mr.
Skeen approaching the house and
she shut and locked all the doors.
He was in nowfse put out He stopped
at an open window, and with his head
inside and his body out he cheerfully
Inquired:
"Shall we go before the squar',
widow, or to preacher, I'm willing
you should have your way about it,
Neither Squar' nor preacher, and
you get out of that windowi'' was
called to him.
ooh. it's got to be one or the other,
Iyou know. Think it over"
IT won't do it!''
But you'll have to, Widow, I'm
sot, and when I'm sot that's the end
of it. You are going to be Mrs. Skeen
No. 2. You can tell all your friends"
"I'll have you arrested before sun
down! IN go right off now and see
the constab1e!''
She was as good as her word. She
entered the presence Of that official
with tears in her eyes to say:
"Zeke Parsons, you are a con-
stable"
Yes. widow. have reached that
high pinnacle"
| "Ain't there a law against poster
ing body?"
There surely isl
''Then I want Jim Skeen arrested
and railed.
'whewi Why, Jim skeen wouldn't
But tell you he is Fostering me-"
| $50? How?"
asking me to marry him when
don't want to. He's asked me three
/ times!"
But that amt pestering," said the
constable as a smile crossed his face.
THAT is, it amt within the meaning
of the law. That's counting. No law
to stop 3. man counting as I know Of"
But amt it threats when he says
he's bound to have me2'
mo. That's just saying that he
loves you better than any other wom-
an, and is willing to swim the mill
pond to get you. Why don't you marry
him ?''
Because don't want to marry any
one. I don't and won't, and I call
upon the law to protect mel"
Lots o. laws on the statute books. |
Widow Faber, but I don't KNOW
don't know about this. If Jim Skeen
breaking your windows the law would
grab him in minute, but as long as
he's only asking you to marry him,
what are we going to do? If my old
woman was dead I reckon I'd ask you
myself
The widow didn't go home with
tears in her eyes. She was too mad
for that. She hunted around for a
stout club and stood it in a convent
ent spot, and that club was meant for
the Whoever Skeen in case he poster
ed again.
| It so happened, however, that he
was called away for the next two
weeks on business, and the club was
not brought into use. One day. just
as the two weeks were up, the widow
Faber started out to pay a visit to a
woman across the creek that ran
through the town. On the path she
took this creek was crossed by foot
bridge. It was a shaky affair at best.
and few people used it. She had just
reached the middle of the structure
when she saw Mr.. Skeen advancing