The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-02-09
A THREAT
TO ABDUCT
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

called Abe by all who called him any
thing, had reached the age Of twenty
FIVE before he fell in love. He had
been a farmers hired man for years
and years, and it had come to that
point where he was spoken Of as an
old bachelor and a man whom Cupid
could never lead astray.
There is a psychological moment In
the life Of every human being. and
Abe SCOTS moment came one day
when he.was moving hay by the road
side. An agent for a patent. corn
shelter got down from his wagon to
take a seat on the fence and have a
talk with the sweating mower.
"See here, man." he said. you are
making a slave of yourself. and it isn't
right. Why, you ought to have farm
of your own and be working for your
SELF
How am l going to get farm?"
asked Abe as he thought of the hun
dred dollars saved up in his trunk.
Marry one, and mighty fine look
ing widow with it,
"Shoo. Who'd have me"'
who'd have you? Let's see about
that. About twenty-four or twenty
five years old. Strong and rugged.
Not handsome, but manly. Good dispo-
sition. Would treasure good wife.
Would make farm blossom in every
fence corner. Would be elected county
supervisor within two years. Why,
man. there are dozens Of widows with
farms who are waiting for you.'
Il never heard of it." said Abe as
thrill came to his heart.
well. you hear of it now. I've got
a widow in mind at this very moment.
She's just bought the Smith farm. two
miles down the road.
That was long afternoon for Abe.
He had thoughts-many thoughts. He
had 50 many thoughts and he took so
much time to wrestle with them that
the farmer for whom he worked said
to him when supper time came:
ABE. you must have eaten too much
pork and beans today, and it tired you
OUT TO lug them around.
That evening the hired man did
something that astonished the farmer
family beyond measure. He dressed
up in his best and set of down the
road and did not return until mid
night. At the breakfast table next
morning they tried to pick it out of
him. but he was blushingly silent. He
wouldn't have told for three months
wages, and yet he had only gone on
scout. He had walked past the wild
ow's farm and felt guilty as be did 50.
On the next evening he did the same
thing. but felt holder. On the third
evening he got up the courage to call
and ask for drink Of water The
widow fetched the dipper with her
own hands and passed few remarks.
and Abe went home feeling what love
was. He realized that be was struck
on the widow, and yet he felt that she
was so far above him that he would
never dare approach the subject Of
matrimony. He said this to the corn
shelter agent when he came along. and
the man replied:
Il didn't figure that you would do
any counting in the ordinary way, but
that romance would help you out"
Il guess III give it up." said Abe in
despair.
"And-I guess you won't! I've set
out to do good thing for you. and
I'm going to put it through. Now.
then. get down here in this fence cor
ner in the shade and let me talk to
you like a. Dutch uncle.''
That talk lasted an hour Fortunate
~ for Abe, the farmer was away from
home that day: otherwise he would
have been down to see if his hired man
was asleep. Abe's behavior the rest
of the day set the good wife to won
dering if he was losing his mind. He
was very silent. but she saw on his
face look she had never noticed there
before-a look Of grim determination.
She wondered if he was going to do
or die. He didn't leave the house that
evening, but the next morning he an
nounced that he was going to the vii
lage. two miles beyond the widows
farm. No explanations whatever. He
just put on his Sunday best and start
ed off. He was going to call on the
widow. not only in broad daylight. but
in the forenoon. His knees were weak
and his heart humping. but he forced
himself forward. At the gate he gave
gasp, but his legs took him to the
side porch. where the woman sat peel
ing potatoes for the IL o'clock meal.
She recognized him as the man she
had served with water. but had not
spoken yet when Abe stood before her
with uncovered head and said:
widow Rodney. I'm Abe Scott. hired
man for Farmer Taylor. I'm worth
500 and hustler to work. I'm in
love with you and want you for a wife.
I can play on the fiddle. play checkers.
and l don't snore. If you don't say
yes I'll abduct you and imprison you
IN a cave until l break your naughty
spirit. Answer me yes or no and at
once. for l am man not to be trif1ed
WITH
The widow heard him through and
then laughed m hea rfilv that sovna ~