Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-05-07
HUNTING THE EGGS.
BY Lawrence Alfred Clay.
Copyright. 1914. by the Mcclure NewA
paper Syndicate)

quette that after a girl has passed her 9th
pirIhday she becomes an old maid. but ~
IS the law OF every community.
This law is held to more strictly in the
country than in the city. In social cir
E,es IN the city a woman is expected to
the villages or farming communities there
as a diary IN almost every house, and 1t
IS recorded In that diary when a child Is
porn tc any family. Had Gertrude Ham
nond claimed to be "a years old, and not
a minute older, a dozen diaries would have
oeen dug out o fold chests in the garnet,
ana a dozen women would have smacked
their lips with satisfaction over the entries
Gator.
Yes. It was q years, but why was Miss
Gertrude an old maid vet? Various wom-
en- assigned various reasons, but the real
reason was that the right man hadn't
come along yet. The young woman was
no o. psautiy. but neither was she honey.
better than our men around here"
snapped old Mrs. Rober to a %neighbor as
the subject was under discussion. We'll.
OUT. III the men around here are good
enough for others they are good enough
for Gertrude Hammond, and she has been
told 80, too"
yes. she has, and I was the one that
told her"
And what did she say?"
Not a word
Good! I have a cousin who could have
married twice, but she stuck up her nose
at the offers received, and the first thing
she Knew she was 40 years old and no man
wanted her"
Yes. and that will be the way with
Gertrude. I understand that Robert Hill
ton, who works In the sawmill for $50 a
month and board, got kinda stuck on her
n called there three times"
us 1t p~ossible!'
Yes. and each time she held the cat
She did?"
Yes. and all she said was to ask him
II 1t wasn't funny that while he couldn't
see IN the dark a cat ould!
And he didn't nave a chance to tell her
that he loved herr"
Not a living chance"
Well, she'll pay for being so mighty
D you know where she is going now?"
asked old Mrs. Rober after a silence.
Mum"
Taylor-she that wal Helen Blakeiy be-
fore she was married"
Gone to separate husband and wife,"
Old maids are always at it"
And it will be a burning shame If she
makes any trouble there. Say. Auntie."
You know that awful homely tin pedd-
Ter called Pretty Sam'Y
Yes. He always stops here when he
comes along"
They say he's wanted a wife for the
that no one will have him."
II guess that's 3d."
II know he's in the village, and he'll
Taylor's and tell him that Gertrude is
looking for a husband"
We'll do 1t! Itn make her boil over.
but what do we care? She ought to be
her ways
The ,homely peddler called: Yes. he
wanted a wife. Yes. he would marry an
lor's and pop the question before he had
been in the house five minutes. No, he
was not a man that could be bluffed..
wobble. The peddler arrived at Taylor's
to be told that Miss Gertrude was out at
the barn looking for eggs. A hen layeth
in the haymow and drop the egg there it
means that the hunter must climb the lad
der after 1t.
The old maid heard a cackling from
above as she reached the barn. That was
the sign that there was a least ono egg
up there. Fourteen feet up to that cackle,
and the ladder was perpendicular. Some
climbing for an old maid. She took a
look from all the doors and then went up
while the cackling hen went down.
Yes. there was the egg. The hen had
have laid one with a double yolk, while
she was about 1t. Hens may come to see
this in time.
Looking up a ladder and looking down
one are two different points of view.
When Miss Gertrude was ready to descend
she found herself trembling and appre-
hensive. 1t made her head swim to look
down. She put out a foot and drew back
with a shudder. 1t was Just then that the
peddlcr entered the barn In search of her.
"oh. I'm SO glad!" exclaimed the prison
er at sight OF him.
Som I, b'gosh!' he replied.
Won't you go in and tell Mrs. Taylor
that can't get down."
After a bit. dear. So you was expect
ing me?"
IT'S just the same. have called to see
II you didn't want to get married"
There, there, don't be scarf. 1 want a
wife and you want a husband"
How dare your
And being that's 80 why can't we set
the day and have 1t over With"
You go away at once or l will scream
for help!"
Mr.. John Pearsall, the bachelor mer-
chant at Yorkville, was driving across the
country with horse and buggy. In front
Of Taylor's a wheel came off Of the We
hicle, and he entered the house In search
Of tools to make repairs.
why. certainly answered Mrs. Tay-
lor. John keeps the tool box in an empty
stall at the barn"
being told of Miss Gertrude or the peddler
and arrived just in time to hear the latter
say; u,
shall climb the ladder and demand a kiss
70 r pay"
Mr.. Pearsall knew both the woman tina,
l WAS up ana TIE man Ildt was down.. He
didn't understand the situation, but was
enlightened when she that was up called
out, Wont you please throw that ped.
der man out of the barn."
Certainly. I will"
"Here-whatcher doing?" protested the
victim.
take yourself off"
But I want to marry her"
MOT If he was the last man on earth
Then you skip"
You can come down now said the
/ ~~&~oho~t Nc ha rra~$ h,,rty~- - 49, ~,
box.
But I'm afraid
In due time. which was slow time. Miss
Gertrude foun herself standing on the
solid floor, without the lone egg having
even been cracked. When she had poured
out her thanks what could the poor cir
do but offer her aid to repair the broken
buggy? This showed thoughtfulness and
consideration. and her services were &C
copied.
When a merchant Is a hustler in bust
ness he can't help but hustle more or less
in social affairs. Mr.. Pearsall didn't hls-
tie In this affair quite as fast as the ped
dler had. but Is wasn't many days before
neighbor's to gasp out:
Lucy, do you know what's happened?''
Land, not"
Gertrude Hammond is going to marry
Mr.: Pearsall"'
"N-o-a! How did you find 1t out?"
TITS all over town."
but the tin peddler?"
IF We hadn't been fools enough to send
him, the other two might have lived and
died and never had a word together!'