Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-09
Evening Story
THAT LETTER TO JOE.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate)
BY Bryant c. Rogers.

and Florence Taylor become acquaint
ted. A girl of twenty and q young man
a year older will find each other in
some way if the distance is not over
ten miles and the walking good.
She lived IN town and he was the
son Of farmer living three miles
away Joe's father was able to hire
help and Joe had been to college and
owned piece of land on which he
was making experiments.
It Is sad in a way to have to record
the fact that after meeting Miss Flor
ence he wasn't half so interested in
his experiments as he was in her. Ev-
| cry day or two he had an errand that
took him to the village, and If he did
not catch sight of the girl herself he
at least had the consolation of seeing
the hired girl sweeping off the veran.
da Such affairs grow and progress.
There came a time when the mother
of the girl asked:
Florence, isn't young Ralston call
ing here very often?"
| "Oh, I don't know" was the reply
Il think the neighbors are beginning
! to talk a little" q"
What can they say?"
How mean of them! Mr.. Ralston
knows that l am interested in his
farming experiments"
Gust what's he experimenting on
|now?"
"Why-why you know what milk
weed is, Of course?"
Eyes"
when ripe it exudes a sticky fluid
about half tea cup full to stalk.
Mr.. Ralston has got an idea that II
he can save this liquid and boil it up
with mutton tallow he can bring out
a new pepsin gum that will make him
a millionaire"
The mother turned her face away
with a smile.
Florence, you may give the young
man my order in advance for one
thousand pounds Of his milkweed
gum! | like to encourage expert
ments!"
But, mother"
"And there will be no objections to
wedding when it gets as far along
as that I shall be proud of pepsin
son-in-law!"
And about the same time Joe Rails
tons father said to him as the young
man was greasing the buggy for
drive to town:
Going after shingle nails, Joe.
why father, might get you
some," was the reply.
"Oh, it's you that needs EN-. Get
about hundred kegs and nail your
land down SO that it will be here when
you get over fooling around"
Joe looked at his father minute.
Were you the same when you were
young MANI"
Guess | was"
"And had to get married to cure it,"
yep"
~ haven't asked her YETI
"Well, don't waste any more time.
A young man in love hasn't the judg-
ment of calf, and he can't settle. down
long enough to eat boiled dinner.
Get married and bring your wife here
to roost and we'll make the old farm
hum"
And then came an old maid to upset
the apple carts Of two people. Her
name was Hannah Clay. She lived in
town, but had been visiting at farm
house two miles out. She had seen
the sunflowers come and go many,
many times She had seen other girls
marry She had waited and hoped un-
til she had grown sour on the world
around her. She had never been intro
duced to young Ralston, but as he
came driving along she called to him
to give her seat in his buggy to town.
Providence helps old maids-some-
times. Hannah Clay had heard that
the young man was paying attention
to Florence Taylor. Florence Taylor
had once snubbed her.
This is Mr.. Ralston, I'm sure?"
she simpered.
Correct ma'am."
II am glad to meet you, for I've
heard so many people speak of you.
Please drive slow, for l want quite a
long chat with you
The horse was pulled down to a
walk.
"You are young man that any girl
should be proud to call her lover"
ply
Thanks" was the ambiguous re-
ply.
You are certain to become very
prominent man."
"Ahem!"