Holbrook argus., 1912-04-23
Three Straight & Games
Dy MIehssl J. Porter

GCsryriBht rs1I. by Associated Literary Prsss)
 II the man selling a patent churn or washing mgchine had appeared in tAO village of Aillsdale he might pos sibly have made . sale. but 1t would only have bSsl after . week and after he had littened to the gossip of the village. and taken . seeming inter- est. ~ t.-,, ;l-
 The stranger would have learned that Nancy Eriars, the old maid, had almost taken a dose of paris green because she had to go home alone from prayer meeting; that MT. George Scott and wife were thinking of sep arating becauSe she liked codtish and Ao didn't: that Tom Henderson, the cArDepter. had been disappointed in Love. and that 1t had made a wreck of him; that old Mrs. Travers was using wrinkle remover and many, many ether things. The biggest and best thing would have been saved till the last. and he you'd have been expect cd tO exclaim that it was fierce.
 Philetus Narmore was a feature in Hillsdale- He vas forty-five years old and a widower... be owned the wooden ware factory sepd sung bass in church on Sunday; l. h4. was in charge of the fireworks on 1e Fourth of July, and h6 had been kno@n to give five dol lars to the 'heathen of Africa all at once; he had brought about the arrest of horse thief. and he had speculated in Wall street aud made $2S. The stranger would have been told this astounding news as an appetizer, and then the real corn beef and cab bage would baye been set before ;E4m. &
 dale when MY Narmore became a Wtdorer... It vas four weeks after the. dsath of z his wife before he smiled h pubiics Two hours later the .goseipa were Betting two to one that he would mary one of the widows EithiR six meAfhs. He didn't. how eysss He diddt within . year. He dIdn'k nt all 1 izItz Mas. said lthat any one Of the thrse widows you'd Gtye her old ShOoa to cat<lk the widewer. This vas tFObabIy Exaggerated. Had he prOpoeed to MeS Dakin. Mrs. Stevens or MgS. Everett. the proposal would have been received with downcast eyes hnd taken under advisement. There would have been no rushing into Dis arms. In . month or so he would have got his answer. It would have Been . timid yes or no. The chances were even that he would have been turned down.
 Ax-sNaxmore called on each of the widoWB. Why not? The gossips said he was courting. but they were mis- taken, He called to talk about the weather. potato bugs, church affairs, HZ screens and things of that sort. He always sat with his hat in his hands, and hs always rose up exactly with the clock striking nine.
 Each of the three widows received private and confidential advice as to bow to catch" the widower Mar mora They should invite him to dinner; they should simper; they 'should look at him coyly and archly; they ahouid sigh and talk of their lonSlinsss: they should boast of their ocoRopy and how much work they could get through with in a day. Even old maids who had never had a beau and never would have one sat down and locked as wise as Solomon and 0aid:
 ~Ah. if you only understood how to handle . man as well as do you'd bring MT. Narmore to his knees with In week."
 Perhaps the three widows didn't want to marry again. Perhaps, but for the arrival of . fourth widow in the village they would not have re- sorted to rats and puffs and powder and told white lies about their ages. The fourth widow was Mrs. Harper. She Was no younger or more attrac- tive than the other three. She was seemingly handicapped by trailing in at'the end of the string.
 Within H week Mrs. Harper had heard all the gossip Within a fort. - night she had been introduced to MT. NarmorA Within a month she had sent for her father to pay her a visit. He was tixty-five years old and had to come all the way from Illinois. but he came
 The wIdower Narmore had a fad. It was known to every one in Hills. dale and yet those three widows. --e each one of whom might possibly have ansWered yes to proposal, hadn't the acumen to take advantage =pos 1t Mr. Narmore was a checker nend.s He didn't care for horse z races. dog fights. pugilism or base. ball. but seat him in front of a checker !: board and he was there for all night saH necessary to beat the other player. He was the. champion of HiIIsdale @- county in fact. he claimed the cham. piQnshtp of the state
 ',e@. Father said the widow Harper - .yzyh hAP Naronf arrfund