The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-06-07

Il thought from what Jim said whom
he found he'd got TO 80 that he OK
peoted us to get married"
"Mebbe he did, but We amt goln' 10
not yet, anyway. Lish. I'm wom-
an OF my word. When heard OF what
Sarah Jones said said 20 myself that
/ wouldn't marry agin under Ave years
at least, and I'll keep my word"
There was a groan from poor Elisha
that touched her heart and her voice
was sympathetic as she said;
Il amt sayIn' that don't like you,
but I'm sayin' yoa'll have to walt four
years more"
Another long-drawn groan.
"But you come over and court,
Courtin' is next to marryin'."
Elisha groaned some more, but the
widow Baker was implacable. Four
years more II 1t killed her stone deadl
1t was a lonely man that went home
to a lonely house.
The very next day, while he was at
the plow again, he heard the widow
calling for help and started on the
run to the rescue. A couple OF tramps
had invaded the farmhouse and were
making threats. Elisha went for them
like locomotive running away. He
banged them and slammed them, and
slammed them, and booted them, and
when they had crawled away to the
road the grateful widow said to him:
Elisha, hate to break my word
but Wen take year of them -FOUR
and make the time three"
The old bachelor sighed over 1t, but
went his way. Three years was not
as long as four, no matter what al
manac one had in the house.
Luck is erratic. She will slam-bang
a man one day, and let him find fat
wallet in the road on the next. In this
case, she didn't slam-bang at all. she
Just cuddled up to Elisha and told him
to go ahead and she would back him.
Two days after the tramp episode
the widow Baker raised a ladder be-
side the house to tie up a growing
vine, and by a bit Of carelessness she
lost her hold and hung head down
wards. 1t was Elisha that came to
her rescue again, and it was the wom-
an who, after drinking a pint Of hard
cider to steady her nerves, looked up
at him with grateful eyes and said;
'Lisha Ridgeway, I'm a woman OF
my word, but I'll be summed If ]
don't take a year off them three, leav'
ing only two for you to wait! But for
you I'd be a dead woman now"
Elisha thought of the two long years
and sighed and went his way with
feeling that Luck might keep things
going. She did. Only three days later,
when he went to carry back a bor'
rowed hoe, he found the widow Baker
in the well, where she had been for
three long hours, and was chilled
through and through. In drawing
bucket of water she had leaned too far
over the curb
81 was praying for you to come"
she said with chattering teeth as he
looked down at her.
"You tie the end of the rope around
you when let it down. Stop! Does
this take off another year?"
" 'Lisha, you know I'm woman OF
my word" was the reply.
you are, Nancy"
81 said four years and then three
years, and now though l know how
Sarah Jones will giggle, I'm goin' to
knock off still another year"
"Good for you! Come up!"
One year now-only one! Elisha
wondered If Luck was going to turn
on him or continue being good. II he
could only smash that other year!
He had his opportunity. There came
a thunderstorm one midnight, and the
bolt that struck the widow Bakers
house and set 1t afre raised him out
Of bed and sent him running. The
rain, aided by a few pals Of water,
doused the flames, and some more
hard cider brought the widow clear OF
the shock. She had given herself up
for dead. After she could talk Elisha
seemed to expect her to say some
thing. She realized that he did, and
therefore led off:
Elisha, I'm woman OF my Word!
I said five years, and then four-three
two"
"And now. Nancy?"