The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-01-10
THE WIDOW
THAT WON
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1911, by Associated LII
erary Press.
By M. QUAD

fairly good clothes TO wear, and the
taxes on their home were not too high.
Mr.. Fame died one day. That could
be counted as trouble, but not too
burdensome to be borne. Time light
ems all grlefs, and time liEhtened this
one for the Widow Fame. When the
year Of mourning was up she found
Solomon Williams, the village black
smith, waiting to say to. her:
widow Fame, I knew George for
many years. He was a good man and
a good husband. know you have
mourned him. but q woman can't so
on mourning forever. l want q wife"
"Well. Sol, I'll think it over and let
you know" was the reply.
He called a week later, and she said
she would marry him. No court!ng
and no great display Of sentiment.
The wedding was put for a month
ahead, but only two weeks had elaps-
ed when the blacksmith got tangled
up in 4 thrashing machine he was re-
pairing. and his leg was so badly man
gled that Il had to come of. The
widow gave him a month to recover
from the shock and then visited him
TO say:
Solomon. I'm a plain spoken wom
an"
Drive ahead. Mary" he replied.
II couldn't marry n man with a
wooden leg and you'll have to have
one when you get up"
Two months later Farmer Griggs,
Widover, called. He had ive children.
and he wanted a wife. he spoke about
the weather and the crops and then
said
"widder, l wish you would consider
me. I've often said to myself that you
was a mighty nice woman"
Give me three days to think it
over"
At the end of three days Farmer
Grigse called again, to be told that he
was accepted.
Four days later a horse kicked Mr..
Griggs smack in the face and smash
ed his nose so fiat that the doctors had
to make long hunt to find It. When
they found 1t they told him that he
would be a noseless man from thence
on. There wasn't enough Of it to call
a nose any more.
OF course the news was carried to
the widow. She made three or four
calls Of coincidence and waited six
weeks and then came to the business
in hand by saying:
'Mr. Griggs, I'm terribly sorry for
you. but l never could marry s man
without a nose"
Surely you couldn't"
Mem came Mr. Hardy, bachelor, own
er Of the sawmill in the next town,
who drove over to call. He said he
felt embarrassed, but managed to blurt
out that II she would marry him lie
would be the happiest man in the
state.
We'll, kinder want to make folks
happy was the reply, land If you
are over this way next week drop in."
Mr.. Hardy was surely "over that
way" and called for his answer, and
exclaimed aloud over his happiness.
The wedding was set four weeks ahead
this time. When it was known TO
the village there were people who pre-
dieted another calamity, but the w1d-
ow smiled at the idea. III luck never
followed anybody that far. Just
quiet wedding and trip to Boston.
But 1t was not TO be so. In boss
ing around his sawmill. Mr.. Hardy
got in the way Of the saw and lost
both legs at q clip. His life was saw
ed, but he would be almost q helpless
cripple the rest Of his days. The wid-
ow Fame sent him several messages
expressive Of pity, but said she
couldn't marry him.
Three engagements, three accidents.
three failures to marry!
Dear me, but that's enough said
the widow to herself, but fate had de-
creed otherwise. 1t wasn't month
later when q man named Slater came
10 the village thinking TO open 3
store. He had sold farm and wanted
to make a change. About the time
that the Widow Fame was told that be
was a childless widower he called at
! her house. He had heard the full
story, and he was in business besides.
widow Fame" he said, take a week
to hunt up my past and then say
whether you will marry me or not"
II had thought she began when
he interrupted her with:
81 shall call next Saturday"
From all that could be ascertained.
Mr. Slater WAS a very fine man. aE3
when the next Saturday arrived and
he called for his answer the Widow
! Fame said:
II will accept your offer. l want
! Parson Hopes TO marry US"
"He shall when the time comes"
But the time is this very minute,
Can't you see I've got my Sunday
clothes onT
every we'll"
HE lives half a mile from here. I'll
send a boy after him. You sit right
there and don't stir. Don't hardly
breathe. I'll holler for Mrs. Wise from
the winder to come in and be wit
ness This is the fourth time. and
~ onvtbtno, boppapg Stfl1 ha thu Ia at