The Washington herald., 1914-04-14
DAILY SHORT STORY.
HUNTING THE EGGS.
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.


fCoryrisht, IslI)
Gertrude Hammand was an old maid.
1t isn't written down in any book of
etiquette that after a girl has passed
her twenty-seventh birthday she becomes
an old maid but it is the law of every
community.
This law is held to more strictly in
the country than in the city. In social
circles in the city a woman is expected
to lie at least three years about her age
In the villages or farming communities
there is a diary in almost every house,
and ii is recorded in that diary when a
-hiId is born to any family. Had Ger
trude Hammond claimed to be twenty
four wears old, and not minute older,
a dozen diaries would have been dug OUT
of old chests in the garrett, and dozen
women would have smacked their hps
with satisfaction over the entries that
proved the young woman a preVaricator.
Yes, il was twenty-seven years out
why was Miss Gertrude an old maid yet
Various women assigned various reasons
but the real reason was that the righI
man hadn't come along yet. The young
woman was no beauty, but neither was
she homely.
..Thev saw she is waiting for some
thing better than our men around here!
snapped old Mrs. Rober to neighoor
as the subject was under discussion.
well. let her wait and see how she VIII
come out II the men around mere are
good enough for others they are gooo
enough for Gertrude Hammond, and she
has been told so, too
Yes, she has, and l was the one Ina'
told her.
And what did she say
Not a word
..coodI have cousin who could
have married twice but she stuck up
her nose at the offers received. and the
FIRST thing she knew she was iorty -nNe
wears old and no man wanted her!
yes, and that will be the way with
Eertrude I understand that Robert MI
Ton who works in the sawmill for SSU
/, month and board, got kinda STUCK on
her and called there three times
rs it possibler'
YES and each time she held the cat
On her lap!
'She did?"
yes, and all she said was to ask
him II It wasn't funny that while he
-ouIdn't see in the dark a cat could!
AND he didn't have a chance to tell
her that he loved her."
mot a living chance.
''wen, she'll pay for being so mighty
particular" - :. uo;,.
,ovS, asked old Mrs. Rober after a
silence.
Mum"
.sTo mass three or four days with
Mrs TayIor-she that was Helen Blakely
before she was married.
s'C;one TO separate husband and wife,?
''Old maids are always at il.
And II will be a burning shame If she
makes any trouble there. Say. Auntie.
"welI7r
You know that awful homely tin ped
Ier called Pretty SAM
yes, He always stops here when he
somes along.
'sThey say he's wanted a wife for the
last five years, but is so. internally
lonely that no one will have him.
81 guess that's So"
''I know he's in the village, and he II
ikeIy call here. Let's send him out to
raylor's and tell him that Gertrude is
ooking for a husband"
We'll do IT! It'll make her boil over.
nut what do we care? She ought to
" her ways"
The homely peddler called. Yes, he
wanted a wife. Yes, he would marry an
Did maid. Yes, he would drive out to
Taylor's and pop the question before
ne had been in the house five minutes
No. he was not man that could be
oiuffed.
Man proposes, but his plans sometimes
Wabble. The peddler arrived at Taylor's
10 be told that Miss Gertrude was out
AZ the barn looking for eggs. hen
ayeth where she listeth. II she listeth
% fly up on the hay-nov and drop the
sFg there II means that the hunter must
climb the ladder after it
The old maid heard q cackling from
Iheys - shs reached the barn. That