Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1912-12-12
HER TWO SUITORs
Both Propose Same Day, and Are
Accepted on Certain Con-
diti0nS.
BY HAMILTON POPE GAIT.

| going TO get married THIS Iah' bhiu
the tall slim young man In a wistful
voice.
well, It is Of no use for anybody 70
ask me to marry him until he has q
nice house to put me in," replied the
Queenly blonde. IF q man wants tc
marry me let him build nice house
and then come and ask me-"
The short, fat man on the opposite
side Of the piazza steps cleared his
throat.
"supposing was to build a swell
new house and then came and asked
you, would you marry me?" he asked
The tall. slim young gentleman
stared.
Proposing to girl right in the pres
ence Of a rival was enough to startle
any man!
But the slim gentleman held his
peace. He Just watched the golden
curls that the evening breeze waved at
him. The wind had a chance to Do
these coquettish little tricks out on
the porch. It not only toyed with her
hair, but It waved the shiny wheat In
the field across the road, and 1t scat
tered the odors of flowers which had
been duly watered. and It conspired
with the new moon to make man
yearny-like and romantic.
The short, fat man cleared his
throat and repeated his question. This
time the girl answered him.
"Yes. / think perhaps would, Jim.
At this the slim young man cleared
his throat and put the same question.
well, / don't know but what l
would, Sam"
The three sat still on the porch
saying little after this, until Molly In
timated that It was time for her two
suitors to depart.
The two men walked along the road
back to the town together. The walk
was a short one and they separated on
the outskirts.
Goodnight. SAM" said the stout
young man.
Goodnight. JIM" said the slender
one.
Sam\ boarded at the Palace hotel.
Jim boarded at the st. Charles. Both
were bachelors. Sam had beautiful
farm situated on a sunny slope, but
he had never built house on 1t. His
brother had inherited the house with
his portion.
Jim also owned a beautiful farm
which had no good house on 1t. AS
long as the farms were near the VII
lage and the owners were unmarried
the arrangement was satisfactory.
As far as anyone could tell Molly
liked the two men equally. 1t really
seemed as though 1t would make little
difference to her which sutton she
married.
The day after she declared herself
the two men met at the depot. They
were bent upon sending telegram.
They telegraphed for lumber in suf-
ficient quantities to build house.
The agent told 1t around town.
"She will marry the one who gets
his house done flrst!" everyone said.
Some thought 1t would be Sam be-
cause he was a better worker; but
others said It would be Jim because he
was the smartest.
Boskins the tailor was as excited as
anybody. Part Of the time he fancied
himself cutting out long tail wedding
suit, and part Of the time he was cut
ting out short fat one.
wilkins Of the dry goods emporium
did not know whether to order an
extra dozen short fat shirts or an extra
dozen long tail shirts.
And in the midst Of the excitement
a carload Of lumber arrived. Only one
carload. It was Jim's lumber!
Sam burned the wires to find out
what had become Of his car and
learned that his order had been coun-
fernandez.
That night when the two suitors met
on the lady's porch Sam accused Jim
of countermanding his order, and there
was quite a scene. Jim bitterly denied
having done such a trick, and threat
ened that Sam would have to prove 1t
II he made any more assertions like
that. Then Sam apologized and said
he was only too glad to believe that
Jim had not done such measly trick
and the two shook hands.
This part of the proceedings was
talked Of around town for days. It was
suggested that the countermanding
was done by somebody who expected
to profit more from Jim as a groom
than from Sam. Suspicion pointed to
the jeweler, who had once fixed a
watch for Sam in such way that Sam
would never patronize him again.
Jim offered to wait for Sans car to
arrive 30 they could start even. But
Sam said no, all was fair In love, and
he stood around and watched Jim IN
loading the car. He even jumped In
and helped him.
Then Sans lumber came, and Jim
had to turn In and help Sam because
a rain came up, and there was some
danger OF the lumber warping II ex-
posed to the weather.
BY the time the storm was over the
two men were able to set to work on