Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-25
The Daily Story Calling It Off

ming Of old maiu-uom. Where II ends |
nobody knows. Moses Shaw was an old
,oune bachelor. He was 30 years old. |
hut didn't look II.
Miss Hattie lived at Lansing Moses |
,ved at Charlotte. It was 100 miles be- |
tween them rs the crow or any other
sensible bird flies.
Miss Hattie had no thoughts Of matri- |
nanny. though she had had beau or
two.
Moses could darn his socks with twine,
sew on a patch or mend a rip in his
.oot and as he had always heard that
roarriage was failure he wasn't taking
any chances
II yos the business OF Fate to bring
those two persons together. Miss Hattie
had n sister VINO lived at Medina. That
sister broke a leg, and must have a nurse
that was why Miss Hattie arrived.
sawmill man at Medina heard that
Moses could run. a sawmill as slick as a
trust can run grocer out of business,
and he sent for him.
Behold how easy It is for Fate TO bring
things about II she wants tot No fuss
nor feathersl Miss Hattie and Moses
reached Medina on the same day. They
entered the same stNre on the same day.
she inquired for ribbon, and he for n pa
ner OF pins. They bumped together as
they came out. They laughed and apollo
gized.
ne walked away.
aNjce man" said the girl to herself as
she walked away.
And four weeks later Moses was call
ing on her and admiring. and in three
months they were engaged. 1t fairly
gives one chills to see how things do
come around.
Moses had saved up $500. and the girl
half of that. They talked II over and de-
cided TO wait until they had saved an
other 500 before marrying. Meanwhile,
being sure of each other, and Moses COM
ing a-sparking three nights out of seven,
II wouldn't be so bad to wait.
Miss Hattie wasn't the only girl to
leave her home and arrive at Medina In
due time Miss Nancy Smith landed there
to visit an aunt. Miss Smith was an old
maid without the prefeX young" She
was at least 30, and IL she hadn't hidden
away the family Bible an entry there
might have made her out three years
older. Fate might have ordained that she
and Moses were to meet Fate is mighty
liberal sometimes.
Every village has its prominent mud
hole. Medina's was just opposite the
courthouse 1t would have been filled up
and made a joy of, but 1t had been a
mudhole for years and years. 1t was
still mudhole, and in the best of spirits,
Wlen MISS CIlllln walked INTO IL. II was
Moses who dashed to the rescue and
saved her life.
Thanks, brave mani" gasped Miss
Smith.
"Oh, it was nothing"
but you surely saved my life and 1
can't find words in which to thank you"
Moses stood twisting about and didn't
know what to say.
you will give me your manner" said
Miss Smith.
He gave it in exchange for hers and
she smiled and simpered and said: you
must call on me this very evening"
Gosh all hemlock!' exclaimed Moses
as he went to his boarding house. Say,
now, she's the handsomest woman that
I've ever saw here yet. Smiled at me-
Called me a hero. Invited me to call
Shouldn't wonder If it was case of love
at first sight on her part. Guess 1 was
In a mighty great hurry to take up with
Hattie"
Moses called. He was charmed. He was
praised to the skies for his heroism. He
was fiattered for his loks and figure. He
was compared to Bayard and several
other old has-beens whom he never heard
Of When he gave his occupation as saw
man of sawmill he did it rather re-
luctantIy but joy shone in his eyes as
Miss Smith exclaimed: "How grand How
noble! What would have the world done
without its sawmills?"
'"They are very handy things" he MUIR
INJURED.
Handy, Mr.. Shaw? Why, we'd be liv-
ing in brush huts but for the sawmills
The world would have advanced without
Shakespeare, Milton, Byron and other
poets, but where would it have been
but for its sawmills?"
Jest 80. Miss. Smith,"
Miss Smith could sing. She could play
the piano. She insisted that Moses also
had XOiCa and vUhnn Ia triad n
her request the cat left the room.
Moses was captivated He was mashed
nat. He was in love from head to heel
and there he was bound to Miss Hattie
He must get out Of II in some way.
Plenty of men have been in the same fix.
He tried to pick row, but the girl
was placid. Then he hinted that If they
were not engaged he would go to the
African diamond fields and accumulate a
bushel or two of the precious stones
Then he said he rather dreaded mar
riage on account of his violent temper
II he were to get mad at his wife he
would certainly murder her in her sleep
Miss Hattie listened to all this and
much more, and then said: "Moses, per-
haps you entered into this engagement
without having given 1t serious considera-
tion?"
I'll think did," he replied.
In that case 1 shouldn't want to hold
you to the engagement"
lou WOulunL!'
Certainly not. We had best call 1t of
and give you time to think the matter
over"
And you won't be made"
"On the contrary, hope you will drcp
IN to see me quite often"
by gum. amt a lucky dog" crowed
Moses when he was clear of the house
Never got mad. Never cried. Never
made a threat"
Moses called on his new love Saturday
evening and proposed trip on the river
on Sunday. He was called more heroes
Tor It, He was also called a darling
There are certain people who can hide
their defects from the world as long as
everything is running smoothly. Miss
Smith was one of the sort, but few out
side her relatives knew It, Sunday
morning she was upset about severa
things that happened and though she
mad a smile she was ready with an acid
tongue for any one who provoked hel
further. In getting into the boat aftel
her Moses displayed such clumsiness thai
she calls out: "Be careful, you lout, ol
you will tip us overl"
II l. II