The Washington herald., 1914-06-09
DAILY SHORT STORY.
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.
BY CLARA INEz DEACON.
Copyright. ieiiI

wife by death he was fifty-five years old
and was left all alone. He was a hand,
man in the kitchen. and decided on do
ing his own housework. A good-natureC
man. Ezra was and he had the respec
of all who knew him.
| 1t In but natural though very baf
form. when a woman Is left a widow
to speculate on whether she or he viii
take another partner. 1t is generally
agreed that she or he will. Why this
agreement no one can tell. as most mar.
ried couples wish they hadn't done It.
| In Ezra's case, however. an exception
was made. He had no children, his cook.
ing had not given him indigestion, he
had conquered the knack of ironing his
Sunday shirt. and he spent his evenings
with a book. He was living a sort OF
ideal life. and 1t would be broken up
should he marry again. Ezra himself as
he sat with a pitcher OF cider at his
! right hand and a pan of apples at his
/ left, had stopped his reading for a mo-
ment.
Now this is what call solid old COM
fort" he mused. land there is no need
of wife around here"
Man can plan. but fate can beat him
every time. In, the village, a mile away.
lived the Widow Schermerhorn. She was
fate. She had met the farmer At church
several times. before and after he be-
came a widower. and about the time he
was musing over his cider and apples she
,.,r sha arl ,.Ea ,ka
making.
Yes. Ezra Hamilton is a good man.
and I'm going to marry him. He doesn't
know II. but / surely am
Ezra had been alone in the world for
six months when one afternoon he came
up from the field to cook his supper and
met with a great surprise. The Widow
Schermerhorn stood at the kitchen door.
Dear me. but thought l could get
away before you came up she said.
Did you wish to see me?' he asked
in surprise.
Your supper Is on the table" she re-
piled. with a laugh. as she ran away.
Ezra halted inside the door and looked
around him and then exclaimed: We'll.
by thunder
The widow had been working in the
house for three hours. II had been
swept and busted: every dish had been
washed and wiped: the kitchen floor had
been scrubbed; the supper had been
Cooked.
by George. but she walked clear up
here to do this for me-" continued the
man as he sat down to the table and
poured his tea.
1t was the best tea he had mad for
months-such tea as his wife used to
make.
But why did she do it? Why. hardly
know her"'
And as he finished his first cup he
set II down and struck the table with
his first and said: I'm. I'm. see,
I see. She's a widder woman
Ezra had never studied the hearts of
womankind much less posted himself on
the antics Of widows. He had never
heard Of one of the latter havinging de-
signs on a man. They married again. of
course, but 1t was the man who harm
essed up his horses. threw a bag of
potatoes into a wagon ana drove five or
six miles to say:
''Widder. I want you to try these ere
'taters. They are the genuine early rose,
and will melt in your mouth. And bein'
I'm here. and bein' I'm a widower and
you a widder. what dye say to mar
riage?"
mo, the Wilder Schermerhorn amt
from the table. Some one told her that
I was all alone. and in the kindness of
her heart she came UP here to do all this
for me. Fine woman, Next time I 20
to town I'll carry her some garden sass"
Three or four days later. and before |
he had been to town yet, he was work |
ing in a field near the highway when !
he heard a woman's voice calling. He
leaped over the fence to behold the |
Widow Schermerhorn seated on the grass
In a played-out condition.
What is it-what's the matter?"
"A snake ran across the road ahead |
Of me?" was gasped. |
They are mighty thick this year. but |
they are harmless"
IF I could rest in the shade a few |
could go on up to Smiths"
ITO be sure. What an absentminded |
critter I am! Cone along to the house. |
Take my arm and don't try to walk too |
last"
They reached the shady porch, and
he brought out chairs for them and also |
some old cherry brandy for her. 1t was
amazing how speedily she recovered.
they talked and talked and talked. |
Every five minutes she said she must |
surely be going. but the next FIVE found |
her right there. 1t was an hour be-
lore she took her departure. and then
,he headed for home instead OF Smiths.
Ezra, the good man, escorted her as far
- the spot where the snake had been
,een. and then went back to his work.
Fine woman-fine woman" he said to
himself. Rather afraid of snakes, but
guess they all are. Said she was lonely, |
,ut II It was hint. I didn't take it."
The vegetables were delivered two or
hree days later. and when Ezra was
'eady to start for home. the widow said: /
fSomethiug kept telling me all day yes !!