The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-04-13
WHEN THE
TIME CAME
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1910. BY Associated Lit-
erary Press.

Mrs. Sarah Drew was a New Hamp-
shire widow. She owned a farm. and
Jake White was her hired man. He
was a good man and q good worker
and had been with the family for
three years when Farmer White died
II win never be known 70 outsiders
whether Mr.. White. when told that he
was TO be gathered 70 his fathers.
called Jake 10 his bedside and said:
Il must 90. but I ara consoled by
the thought that leave Sarah IN good
hands. Give her a year or 80 70 mourn
my loss and then propose mafrimony."
Three years went By and Jake had
not spoken. There were times when
he thought be was encouraged 70
speak out and other times when be
was prepared 70 come In from the neld
after a hard days work and learn that
the widow was engaged 70 the sew
ing machine agent who had that route.
The widow. too. had thoughts. Il was
more than once whispered about that
Jake was In love with this or that
farmer girl. and she had come 70 feel
that bis loss would be a double one
Mrs. Drew had been a widow for
four years and Jake White had done
bushels and bushels OF thinking when
winter came on When the foot OF
more Of snow which heralded the
change OF season had got packed
down on the highway Providence put
Il into Jake's head 20 get out the big
hand sled and propose a ride down
the long and winding hill Providence
didn't 90 80 far a. 70 put the widow
next as 10 what would happen. bat Il
meant well By both. II had been a
long time. and Providence meant 70
hurry things up q bit Half a dozen
OF the neiehbors were 10 take part in
that moonlight sleigh ride. but for
one reason or another all backed out
leaving the two alone. Probably this
was another trick on the part OF Prov
idence.
About the time the sled was drawn
out FOR the glide Elder Henderson.
who lived just beyond the foot OF the
hill. was saying to his wife:
martha. bought ten bushels Of
tatrrs Of the Wilder White yesterday
wen need 'em al before spring.
was the reply
Il was goin' for 'em tomorrer. but
it's such a nice night that I dunno
but IN yoke Up the oxen and jog along
now"
Might as wen. guess, but look
out that the tnters don't get frostblt
You know how nighSighted you are
IN the moonlight II you hear sleigh
bells you'd better give 'em the road
''Nlghsighted!" be Indignantly snid-
ed Don't you 80 10 maxim out that
I'm a hundred ycars old Why. could
pick up a pin on the darkest night you
ever saw. I've got Just the same
rights as anybody. and I'm dinged II
I give more'n half the road"
The oxen were yoked IN due rinie
and started out There were bags to
hold the potatoes and blankets TO
cover the bags. and any old sport
would have given odds OF two to one
that the elder. the oxen and IT'S cargo
would arrive az the top OF the hin
right end up after a climb OF twenty
minutes. The wager would have been
made without taking Providence into
consideration. and the old sport would
have lost.
The Widow white was bundled up
and seated on the sled. In fact she
was stripped on. Jake sat close be-
hind her. dragging the foot that was
to steer the sled a straight course. As
they were ready TO start Il came over
him 10 speak Of bis love. A feeling
came to the widow that he was going
10. but the time was not ripe. Prov
ldence figures those things down to
and seconds As Jake shut ,
his mouth on his words and started
the sled Elder Henderson. near the
foot OF the bin. started singing a
hymn. He not only loved the sound OF
bis singing. but he thought the oxen
ought to be encouraged. His voice
snme floating up the hill. and as Jake
taught Il he said:
Mrs white. that's Elder Hender- i
son."
~Ycs."
Hes probably coming after those r
potatoes with his oxen and sled" b
"wenr'
Hell be IN the middle OF the road,
md as our sled Is already getting q
way from control there's going to :
u a smashup. want 70 say to you n
hat l have loved You FOR the last !
hree years and to ask you Il you viii d
marry inef"
"Oh. Jakerv
"Irs the elder and the oxen for sure
les or nor'
ITS 80 suddenF M
fright in the middle OF the road, i
nd wen be Into them IN ten seconds" Il
"Must ~ y
give seconds morer :,
"Then--yesi" n
Elder Henderson was marching
head OF the oxen. a hero leading the Il
ray. He was struck and sent flying
nd his tune cut short Then the sled
truck the oxen and flung them into
he ditch and made long jump over 50
he other and a minute later was at Is
he foot Of the hin and Jake was Is
aging; al