Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-06
THE
WIDOW
WINTER

1 for her plain talk. I'm afraid you
don't know what frightfully poor milk
you're selling. The bottle 1 got yes
terday soured before night. Here 1t
is" She drew it from behind her
apron and held it up:before him. You
see, there's no cream on it, besides its
being sour. Now tell me frankly, Mr..
Lambert, would you pay eight cents a
quart for milk like that?'
Her blue eyes were very disconcert-
ing. Mr.. Lambert turned red and
stammered before them. "Well-no,"
he admitted. Then he braced himself.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Winter, but there's
been q mistake. 1t shant happen
again. 1 promise you"
That's very kind Of you, Mr.. Lam
bert, but you see when you have such
milk in your cart somebody's bound to
get it. And it might just as we'll be 1
as somebody who can't afford 1t so
well. I've been thinking this matter
over very carefully, Mr.. Lambert: l
understand that<it's serious business
for a licensed milk dealer to sell milk
that isn't what he claims 1t is. I'd hate
to see you get in trouble. Mr.. Lambert.
But feel I ought to do something In
my own behalf, since I've got to have
milk each day"
She paused very gently. He was pale
now and all the suavity had fed. His
black eyes met hers deflantly.
WELL" he said tersely, speak out
What are you going to do about it?"
She stood up, and, though she was
not so tall as he, yet she seemed taller
at that moment. Why" she said
smiling. I'm going to send this bot
tie of milk to be tested and then I'm
going to see what the laws got to say
about rich man like you with a dairy
of blooded cows selling stuff like this
for honest, unadulterated milk to peo-
pie that can't afford to pay for it."
She turned away. He came up the
steps after her at bound.
See here. Mrs. Winter" he said,
"I know when I'm caught. You're
smart and I've no doubt you'll do what
you say. But l want to tell you that
you're the first woman 1 ever found
who knew good milk from poor. When
a mans got lot Of fools to deal with
It's a temptation not to cheat them.
I've been playing a risky game and
I've got caught. I'll own up. That's
the best 1 can do, amt it?"
Ada measured him coolly.
NO." she said, you can throw out
that pig slop and go home and fill your
cart with decent milk. You've got 1t
to sell. You won't lose anything by
selling good milk, but 1 want to tell
you right now it's going hard with you
If you sell any more stuff like that
you've been handing out to me and the
folks around here"
With this she went into the house
and shut the door. He stood mo-
ment staring at the door, then he kick
&c an apple on the walk and picked up
the empty. milk bottle. But he didn't
leave her any milk that morning. The
next morning the milk was excellent,
and similar milk, it seemed, was left
all along the street.
Two weeks passed and Ada, though
she Investigated carefully, heard no
complaint. Then one morning knock
sounded upon her door and when she
went to answer it she found Laban
Lambert.
Good morning, Mrs. Winter" he
said. "How's the milk?"
Fine, Mr.. Lambert. just what you
claim it is. And 1 know good milk
when I see it. It's all right" And
then she let him see that there was
nothing more to be said.
1t was not long before Ada realized
that Laban Lambert was attracted by
her. He always was getting in her
way at church. At first she felt anus
ed, then interested, for, after all, any
woman's heart softens towards the
man who woos her.
One day he said to her earnestly: Il
know you think me pretty poor sort
of a man, but let me tell you If I'd
known you sooner, or anyone like you
maybe I'd be different. You see. I was
trained to snatch money. 1 was taught
that any game was fair so long as 1
won it. I've always played hard to
win. I'm playing hard now to win
you, but I can see the odds are all
against me-"
Yes, they are" admitted Ada.
Your standard of living is very differ
ent from mine. / was taught to re-
member that there always was the
other fellow, and he wanted show
same as L. don't know. Mr.. Lambert,
if l thought you wasn't too old or too
set in your way to start it over again
l might"
They say you're going to marry La
ban Lambert" said Mrs. Bellamy to
Ada, who was training her honeysuck-