Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1913-01-23
|. HEARD | ] The CALI
crusty Old Bachelor Who Sale
He Mould Never Marry Sur n
4. renders at Last.
BY JOANNA SINGLE.

~ JOANNA SINGLE.
copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
And now suppose you'll be get
TIN married, Fordie."
Ford looked up from his paper. pipe
IN mouth. and scowled at the old gis
sip. Mrs. Peters came in from tho
neighborhood an hour or two daily tc
do the work In the little house now
that his mother was dead. Then he
was ashamed of the scowl and an
swered patiently: @
I'm not a fool. I'll leave her,
when the lease is out, and board and
make something OF myself. I've hat
all the care-and glad to have it-oi
mother for ten years-since wat
fifteen. I've nothing but my trade
and have just kept even with bills
Nothing" . 1854. @- - t.
You're a right good worker
Fordie, and always with plenty t.
do" said the old woman. land getting
married don't take much money"
"Nor any sense, either. from what !
notice. Nothing divided by TWO,
more-doesn't 60 far. The people
about here don't think. They live
from hand to mouth They don't
look ahead. They marry when the
fancy strikes them, and then it's pow
erty and worry. I'm going to ge
out of the treadmill. wouldn't have
the face to ask a girl to share moth
Ing with me. to work hard for her
board and clothes-and those none
too good. I'd rather let her earn hel
living alone, hard as it is. It's more
fair" -
The woman, now at the door, gave
parting shot. "She's the sort some
body'll get-she might as we'll marry
the one she wants." Her tone was
significant, but he did not question
her II mean Evie Jordan-she amt
lived two year beside you without
SEEM you"
Ford was glad she had the sense tc
60 after that. The old gossip! But
In his heart he heard the call he had
been trying to ignore-heart calling
to heart, man to maid. All spring
with life renewing itself about him, II
had been coming, and now it was
hard to still. For though Ford Hud.
sons boyhood had a mans responsi.
bilities, he was yet only twenty-five
and Evie was very sweet.
His mind could not keep from EVE,
and he missed her running in and out
rs she had done during his mothers
long. illness. She was gallant
bright-eyed girl, all courage and re-
serve. She grew upright like young
tree. And never had she shown him
a look beyond mere neighborly friend.
nness. She sold gloves at Benton's
She came home and washed the
dishes at night, and helped Popsy.
her little sister, with her lessons. and
made solid friends. Ford thought of
Frank Barker, who came occasionally
to see her-he was older than Ford,
without membranes, and owned a
little place in the edge of town. He
could care for the girl Marrying
Frank. good enough. fellow, she
would not need to think about rent,
worry over doctors bill, or any ex.
tras.
Ford was almost morbid about the
daily struggle for bread he had been
brought up in. His sister, much old.
er, had married very young, and was
a faded. anxious, petty woman. Her
husband was discouraged. Their chill.
dren had no particular chance. Would
marriage turn Evie into woman like
that? If so, he, at least, would not
be responsible He disliked most
married women. They were thin and
anxious and selfish; or a little too fat,
and bit slovenly They lacked tone
the outstanding quality-of, saw,
EVE, with her poise and stamina.
No, Ford decided, he would stand
alone. He had always believed man
could overcome any feeling, even love,
II he was not ready for it. He would
work up to something like comfort
and dignity in the community. He
wanted to study little-he felt his
lack Of mroe than common schooling,
He himself had no especial parentage,
no training but that of experience,
no backing" He would not found a
family until he could give it better
foothold for an upward climb than he
had had. II he waited, say, until he
was thirty-four or five-ten years-tt
might be decent to ask woman to
marry him. Meantime he would sim.
ply suffer it out and keep away from
EVE Jordan.
Ford had only himself to watch.
Fvte went her own way, she did he1
work, and sometimes from his ward.
or at a window, he would watch her.
She was never nervous, but strong,
calm. There was a quiet, restful look
in her dark eyes, even her plain way
OF wearing her hair rested him. He
himself was fair and of quick temper
She semed always serene, ALWAYS sen
timental, even when Frank Barker
began coming oftener and sat about
in the yard with Popsy. her little sis.