Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-01-31
WHEN THE
TIME CAME
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

three wears when Farmer White died
It will never be known 10 outsiders
whether Nj. White, when told that he
was to be gathered to his fathers,
called Jake to his bedside and said:
Il must 60 but l am consolcd by
the thought that I leave Sarah in good
hands. Give her a year or so to mourn
my loss and then propose matrimony.
Three years went by and Jake had
not spoken. There were times when
he thought he WAS encouraged to
speak out and other times when he
was prepared to come in from the field
after hard days work and learn phat
the widow was engaged to the sew
ing machine agent who had that route.
The widow. too, had thoughts. 1t was
more than once whispered about that
Jake was in love with this or that
farmer girl. and she had come to fee!
that his loss would be a double one.
Mrs. Drew had been n widow for
four years and Jake White had done
bushels and bushels of thinking when
winter came on. When the loot or
more of SNOW which heralded the
change Of season had got pa1Ned
down on the highway Providence put
it into Jake'S head to get out the big
hand sled and propose a ride down
the long and winding hill. Providence
didn't go SO far as to put the widow
next as to what would happen, bat it
meant well by both. 1t had been
long time and Providence meant to
/ hurry things up a bit. Half dozen
Of the neighbors were to 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, l bought ten bushels of
taters of the Wilder White yesterday
"Well need 'em all before spring"
was the reply.
81 was goin' for 'em tomOrrer, but
it's such a nice night that l dunno
but I'll yoke up the oxen and jog along
now
Might as well. l guess, but look
out that the taters don't get frostbit.
You know how nighsighted you are
in the moonlight. If you hear sleigh
bells you'd better give EN- the road
"Nighsighted" he Indignantly sniff
ed. Don't you so to maxim out that
I'm n hundred years 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 il
! give more'n half the road"
The oxen were yoked in due time
. 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 IFS cargo
would arrive at the top of the ILL
right end up after q 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 strapped on. Jake sat close be
, hind her, dragging the foot that was
5 to steer the sled a straight course. As
they We're ready to start it came over
him to speak of his love. \ feeling
came to the widow that he was going
to, but the time was not ripe Prov
idence figures those things down tC
. minutes and seconds. As Jake shut
: his mouth on his words and started
the sled Elder Henderson. near the
foot of the HILL started singing d
:, hymn. He not only loved the sound OF
his singing, but he thought the oxen
ought to be encouraged. His voice
came floating up the hill, and as Jake
caught it he said:
/. Mrs. White, that's Elder Hender.
SON"
Yes"
Hes probably coming after those
potatoes with his oxen and sled"
"Weu?"
Hell be in the middle of the road
, and as our sled is already getting
away from control there's going to
be a smashup l want to say to you
that have loved you for the last
three years and to ask you if you will
marry me-"
ooh, jake
ITS the elder and the oxen for sure.
); Yes or no?"
, It's so sudden"
Right in the middle of the road.
and Wen be into them in ten seconds
'Must II
4 give seconds more
"Then-yes,'
Elder Henderson was marching
ahead Of the oxen, a hero leading the
way lie was struck and sent flying
and lis tune cut short. Then the sled
struck the oxen and flung them into
the ditch and made Il long jump over
the other and a minute later was at
the foot of the hill and Jake was
saying:
I'VE might say the first Of next
week for the wedding"
II didn't come off quite rs quick as
that, as they waited for the elders
cuts and bruises to heal SO that he
could be a guest but things came ali
right in a little time, and a favocite
saying Of the elders is:
GAL the hand of Providence. sir If
. hadn't cnt O1Jf +g u1.1 ths-n tstnrS