The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-09-05
The First Letter Of
Her Name
3, ALBERT KENYON

horses and MIXED the COWS and done
all the other chores we farmers. have
to do I went into the house and got
my supper. By the time I'd washed
the dishes I was dead tired and, set
tin down in front Of the fire, got to
thinkin' what a lot o. work I had to
do that was usually done by women.
I could stand it all till it came to
washin' dishes. and that l always
hated. @
There came a rap at the door and
Cynthia Jones came in to ask me If I
wouldn't lend her mother a quart of
milk. The Joneses have the next
farm to mine. There's n boy and
Eve girls. I've often wondered what
Farmer Jones'll do with all his girls.
There's only n livin' at the farm,
and that'll go to the boy. went to
the springhouse and got Cynthia the
milk, and as I handed 1t to her she
said: -r
You're very comfortable here, Mr..
Crabb, amt you?"
"Well, yes" l answered. "1'm COM
Portable enough"
Don't you ever git lonesome Twin
all alone?"
mo. I don't git lonesome at all.
You see. by the time l git the dishes
washed it's perry nigh bedtime"
do you like dishwashin'7 Most
men don't"
II hate it" ,
why don't you git a woman to do
It for you?"
II don't know anybody that would
like to hire out for that purpose"
"You might marry some one. She
could do all the woman's work-the
sweepin'. the cookin'. the milkin' and
ALL"
II don't know any one that would
marry me-"
"You don't mean It! Why. there's
lots o. nice girls would be glad Of the
position. I know a girl that would
marry you and make you a good wife"
who's that?"
why Mr.. Crabb, you wouldn't have
me tell you. She wouldn't thank me
for dom so. If she did it you'd be
immodest Of her."
els it Susan Park" '.|
"No."
st amt Melis Billings. is it,"
"No; I don't refer to Melis. But I
won't give you any more guesses."
Seems to mi that's kind O. mean"
It'll tell you what I'll do. Come in
to our house Sunday night and I'll
give you the first letter Of her first
name"
I made the call on Sunday evening
and found all the family except Gym
thia gone to church. There was a fire
burnin' on the hearth. and the brass
andirons shone beautiful. Cynthia had
some apples and cider on the table
waitin'. and altogether everything
looked mighty fine. Somehow I could
never make my Twin room look like
that, and l told her so. She said men
couldn't do such things: only women
could. ~.
Cynthia made me feel so good that
l forgot all about askin' her the letter
she was goin' to tell ne, and I vent
away without it. ! met her on the
road the next Gay. and. said:
What was the letter you was gotn'
to tell me? l clean forgot it." M
"Youll have to come for it next Sun
day." she said as she hurried on. M
l went the next Sunday night, and
the first thing l did was to ask for
that letter before I forgot 1t. Cynthia
said she'd tell me just before l went
home. only I was to remind her of it.
The family was mostly at home this
time, and Cynthia took me into q little
6 by 9 room of the dinin' ROOM. There
was only n easy chair in 1t. Gym
thia set herself down In that and left
me a chair with a wooden seat. To-
ward 10 o'clock I got so tired ! couldn't
stand it any longer. l got up and walk.
ed about to rest myself. and Cynthia
moved aside, and, SEEM she didn't In
tend to be mean about It. ! set down
beside her.
Would .you believe It? | went away
without thinkin' to remind her Of the
first letter Of the girls name who
would like to marry me! met her in
a few days in the store and asked her
for 1t. but she said I'd have to try Il
again and II I didn't remember this
time she wouldn't tell me at all.
went round the third time to get
that letter and found not only the fam
lily at home. but a lot o. friends there.
So Cynthia had to take me to a closet
where they kept old books and maya
zines. and we set on the pile with our
legs stickin' out into the hall. The
closet was narrower than the easy
chair we'd set In the second night =
was there. and there want no room
for my arm. % I had to put It around
her. We get there that away from Z
till 10 O'Clock.
by cracky." l said Jest % I was
a-goin' away, III I didn't pretty nigh
forgit ag'in to ask for that letter"
Cynthia larfeds and said that the frst
letter I had missed BY not aslin' TOR II
at my drst call and the second I'd
missed onsmy second call. So I was
Ionly entitled to the third letter, which