The Washington herald., 1914-04-28
DAILY SHORT STORY.
WHEN ENOS FLICKERED.
Nv JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.
Copyright. IelLl


They don't make much Of an ado about
courtship and marriage out among
the farmers.
When a farmers son takes shine
to another farmers daughter II gets to
he known for two miles around without
any hints in the society papers. Then
some woman who has come to spend
the afternoon says TO the mother of the
daughter in a careless way:
we hear down our way that Sam
Wheeler is counting Sarah
Yes. he's coming here
How often?'
sunday and Wednesday nights.
That surely means something"
Yes I think so. A Teller may come
once a week jest to pass the time. but
serious about it
That's what l say. sam is hard
worker"
Yes. They say he can hoe more corn
in a day than any other man in the
county"
"A Teller like Sam Wheeler will SOM
have a farm NJ his own. specially If he
marries a girl like Sarah"
II don't want to praise my own. SAYS
that she'd be willing to live on pudding
husband get a start
And she can pickle peaches. make
softsoap and take the stains of cranberry
sass out of a tablecloth?"
Yes. she's just as good a housekeeper
as be
And next time they meet. the mother
is asked:
Anything happened YETI
sam proposed last Sunday night at
eleven minutes c''~- 10.
And SARAH
she accepted him at HE
Glad to hear it,"
And next time it is: Has them folks
got married YETI"
Yes, last Tuesday. They didn't see
any use in waiting any longer. and rode
Ger TO Squar' HendersOn's and had the
knot tied"
ANY bride tower?
Not a rod When they got home Sam
MIXED the cows for father and Sarah
turned in and helped me get supper.
IF them stuCk-up folks in the cities
would do that way how much better on
they'd be. Give 'em my love-
In this case Il wasn't Sam and Sarah.
but Enos and Ruth.
Enos Rogers was farmers son. He
was homely and awkward and had only
a district school education. He was
past twenty-one when he met Ruth Da-
Wis, farmers daughter. She could
not brag over him in the matter OF
good looks and education They were
simply good and honest people. who
worked hard, lived in a world about five
miles in circumference and had very
little to worry about.
One day Enos walked three miles to
the Davis farm to see about buying a
COW. Ruth was the only one of the
family home.
IT'S that spotted cow" she said as
she pointed TO the barnyard.
How much?"
Thirty dollars"
Does she kick
Like everything"
Does she hook
She's always a-hookinG."
Jump fences?"
Sails right over seven rails"
Guess I don't want ner. Do you hate
city gals?''
Il hate 'em terribly bad. Do you?"
You bet, They come past our farm
in autos and smoker and gigSle and
think they own the earth
Jest like they do here, and 1 make
up faces at 'em. Would you marry a
city Gal?''
Not on your life
Who would you marry
IA gal like you!'
For long minute both looked at the
spotted COW Then Enos turned away
with:
Guess 1 don't want the COW, but
mebbe I'll be here Sunday evening to
drink cider and eat popcorn"
The courtship began the next Sunday
evening Ruths parents sized up the
young man thus:
Won't never go to Congress, but he
looks steady and not afraid of hard
work.
And the parents of Enos said of the
gal:
Guess she's a good butter-maker and
don't flirt with the pcddle-s that come
along"
One evening. after a dozen visits
had been made. Enos drained his third
glass OF cider. Il guess we'd better
get married" he said.
Il guess so. too, was the reply.
No kneeling. no vowing. no senu-
mental speeches. no engagement ring
no announcement.
Time saved, money saved, no Reno
! a year or two later
A mile down the bay from the RoS-