The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-10-23
SOLVING A
MYSTERY


can boast of six widows five old
bachelors. six widowers and five old
maids YOU may take it that that com
munity is going some"
Such was the case with the village OF
Grand View, and when stranger
would refer to the rival village Of
Spring Valley as ha' .ng two butcher
shops he was met w the reply
"Yes, sir admit lat She has, but
where are her widows and Widowers
and old maids and Oh bachelors? She
hasn't enough to coul ON two fingers.
If YOU are looking for Il home. sir. 80
no further than this, where business
is always steady and real estate on
the BOOM
There was a flaw i'll the armor
fact While these four classes Of peo
pie We're residents, there were no mar
riagcs between them.
The catch among the combined wid
overs and bachelors was Abraham
Gunner He was bach. He was
the wealthiest. He was popular.
All of a sudden Abraham received
drop letter ut the postotiice. 1t was
written by a woman who said she ad-
mired and loved him and hoped he
would not Judge her too harshly for
her plain statement of fact He might
never come TO know the writer, but
he could treasure it in his heart that
one woman at least held him above all
other men in the world
Abraham scratched his ear and grin
ned.
"Who the devil can it be-" Abraham
kept repeating to himself as he work
ed about the mill but wondering and
guessing didn't bring the solution.
That evening he didn't appear at the
drug store to play checkers. He re-
mained at home to read that letter over
and over and try for clew. OF course
no married woman had written him
thus. and as he was forty years old
and made no secret of it the marriage
able girls in town would pass him by.
It's some one giving me josh" was
Abraham's conclusion as he quit specu-
lating and went off to bed and to sleep.
On the third day thereafter he re-
ceived another letter from the same
person. 1t was also full OF admiring
terms. 1t was not likely they would
ever meet. the unknown wrote. but she
was strangely and strongly interested
in his welfare.
AS a bachelor, he must live a more
or less lonely life.
AS Il husband. he would have com
rade and cOmpanionship.
AS boarder, as he had been for
years and was yet he knew nothing
whatever of the comforts Of home.
1t was hoped he would give the sub
ject all due consideration and, in case
he decided to enter the bonds Of matrl-
mouy. might he take to the altar such
a bride as a good man deserved.
by thunder, but that's a darn good
woman. whoever she ISL exclaimed
Abraham as he read the letter.
After ten minutes he read it again
and mused:
who can it be? Who can it be|
Say. old man, you must have heard
some bad news" was the greeting he
got from a dozen rieDds in the next
three days.
What makes you ihinlk so:'
why your face is as long as a
camel's. and YOU were going right past
without speakingn'
1t was almost a week before another
letter came. Same ndwritinS-same
WOmanly interest in his welfare.
And has it ever occurred to you,
was one of the paragraI hs in the let
ter. that Il man situated as you are l.
selfish not to marry? 1t would relieve
at least one woman from her cares
and struggles 1t would add one more
household to the many
"Ry John. but I'd propose to that wo
man in Il holy minute i ! knew WIG
she was" exclaimed abraham, anC
when he reflected that lac didn't know
and bad no way Of finding out h'
wanted to kick over chairs and call lri'
dog names
Five hundred people Il day called a
I the postoliice How co nlti they all b'
! Watchedf
! Abraham had no intimate man fren'
! to 20 to with the lette rs.
! He hld strong admiration and Xix
| ing for the woman. no matter whethe
/ she was IN old maid or Il widow. bu
j how was she to know if? How was n