The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-06

II
lase couple ofsdays, before and pur-
60 on to his gray whiskers to knock
rive years off his age. There was an
odor OF bad eggs and sulphur. but the
Kramer stood 1t for the sake of re-
he surveyed himself in the glass he
smiled and nodded
Moses will notice It. OF course, but
I'll tell him that I upset a bottle of
ink on my whiskers. II he says he
don't believe II I'll turn to and lick
him. old as he is!"
The widow had arrived by the time.
the other farm was reached. She
thanked everybody. but hadn't much
time to talk. Farmer Waycroft was
aware that she glanced at his whis-
kerr with smile. but whether of ap-
proval or not he couldn't exactly make
out. He found her to be a brisk little
woman OF less than forty. and he did
some pleasant thinking as he walked
home. Moses was hoeing corn most
furiously. and the father suspicioned
something. but waited till evening to
ask:
Moses. did you go over to the wild
ow's?"
Why. I Jest ran over to see If she
got here SAFE"
there"
A>OOA uSTcs O8O, J. IN not n AAu.
I'm twenty years old. I'm working
Tor you as a hired man. but you
mustn't try to boss me about outside
tnlngs II I can marry q nice wilder
with nice farm; I'm goin' to do it"
But this one is ten or fifteen years
older than you are
have read that true love takes
no account of years"
I'm atellin' you agin, young man.
10 Keep away from the widder's!" al
most shouted the father. I'm not
goin' to see a son of mine make a
fool OF himself If can help it,
Thanks. dad. but what about them
wh1skers of yourn!"
Moses, can't a father spill ink on
mis- Whiskers without bein' insulted
about 1t! If he can't then you had
petter draw your wages and dig out
O. here!''
That was the beginning of a thing
that lasted three months and caused
much rancor. Moses refused to be
convinced that young man of his age
shouldn't have matrimonial designs
against a widow even ninety years
old. and the father kept his whiskers
colored jet black and put his best
loot foremost. There was hardly an
evening but that one or the other
called and by tacit consent they d.
vided the evenings One sat sulking
at home while the other was absent,
ana when the absent one walked
INTO the house he was greeted with:
so you hung on until the widow
mad to kick you out!'
On the contrary, she wanted to
know what my great hurry was to
get home.''
"rn bet she hoped you'd never
come again."
Why: she asked why I didn't
come Oftener!"
Their habit had been to work to-
gether In the field-to sit and smoke
and talk together-to take turns about
cooking and to eat together but all
this was changed Both went to
Farmer Oxford at different times to
ask favor. When it was the father
he said:
Il want you to talk to Moses. That
boy is making a perfect dunn fool of
hisself. He is in love with the Wilder
Darrow,, and he thinks she is idiot
a nuff TO- II, take s " Up with a boy Of his
derstand what h{hny he Isl s...,
And when it was Moses he would
say: sr.>, md p
You have noticed dads whiskers.
of cOurse?"
Wall. yes. I've kinder noticed sem."
And smelt 'em?"
Jest Whit or two now and then. I"
fur?" -
IL AldAc Inc WlQOcf harrow tnlnk
he Is ten years younger'n what he is!
Talk to him and tell him what a fool
he is: By George, but when an old
man gets giddy, what circus he
makes of himself. Talk to dad. Tell
him to wash off that dye and go to
reading his Bible and prepare for the
gravel"
This state Of affairs continued for
weeks. and after bit the Widow
DarrOw had knowledge of it. She had
a vein Of deviltry, and she helped it
along in way. She kept both faith
er and son from talking love. but was
charmingly friendly and time went on
until the father said to himself one
day:
IT am goin' right over there tonight
and pop the question"
And, curious coincidence, Moses
thought and said the same thing.
They lodged each other at the
house and met at the widows gate.
! They glared at each other. They
! breathed hard. They breathed
harder. Theyswere about to clinch in
| tripping down to say:
when left Kansas I was engaged
| to a nice man. He will be here to-
morrow, and we are to be married
the day after. You are both invited
to the wedding. ''-( copyright, 1914.
by the Mcclure Newspaper Syndi-
cate.)
| -