Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-11


jed wos now so broken up that every.
vooy begon 90 notice and comment on
w put, when questioned, he simply shook
nis head and intimated that he was no,
iohB Tor this sinful world He got up
energy enough, however, TO contract 70
get out thousand ties for suburban
electric line, and, hoping this might work
IN his favor he paid another visit to the
widow and told her OF H.
Now that you see l am going to work.
can't you say yes7"- he asked, In con-
cluslon.
led, what do you come botherIng forY'
she asked.
Because love you"
Don't be silly. I'm making mlnce pies
today and haven't time TO argue"
Jed went away, determined to throw
himself into the millpond. but when he
reached the bank he met n stranger who
mad been poking around the village for
q couple OF days without telling anv one
his business, lie introduced himself and
said that he thought some of establishing
an orphan asylum II he could hnd a site
TO suit. In this way he brought the talk
around to Jed's meadow. The value OF
the land as II lay was 500 an acre, though
Jed had never had cash offer for IT,
The stranger didn't exhibit too great
interest In the matter He said he'd
think the matter over. and perhaps make
an offer. He had no mountains In Idaho
and no lakes in Europe to trade. but
would be prepared to pay cash a day
later, while stlll sauntering around he
met Jed and said that he could have $1,000
for the land as soon as the deed was
made out. The love-lorn bachelor had
started for the office of the village lawyer
when he met the Widow Thomas She
noticed his excitement and asked the
cause, and when he had told her she said.
Look here. Jed, don't take too much
stock In the orphan business
How do you mean7"
You're an orphan yourself. and YOU
don't want TO let any other orphan get
the better of you. Can you get horse
and buggy anywhere for an hour7"
'Of course"
Then let's take a drive out to your
land and see what kind Of place It
would make for the poor orphans"
On the way out Jed recurred to the
old subject, saying that he was on his
way to drown himself when he met the
stranger -,
Come. now" interrupted the widow,
this is straight business, and you keep
quiet"
When the meadow. which lay along the
highway. was reached the widow in
sisted on walking across It from north to
south. The ground looked as level as a
floor, but near the center was sort OF
sink hole. In rainy weather considerable
water stood there, but the earth was
now dry.
"Um" said the widow, as she halted
and shifted
'Do you mean that smell?"
Yes. Ever notice 1t before?"
"Once or twice. Smells as II somebody
had been breaking rotten eggs around
here"
get pole and thrust it into the
ground as far as you can"
Here's one right here. and somebody 8
been poking, What do you make of 1t.
Martha?"
Jed, you've asked me to marry you,'
she said in reply.
II have; but you don't seem to care
whether you drive me to suicides
grave or not"
II don't know but I'd be willing to
take chances"
''As how?"
promise to marry you within n month.
shan't answer any question. It's yes
or no right Off,
"Then it's yes. by thunderl" exclaimed
Jed as he reached the roadside fence.
The deed was made out before sundown
and sent away to the county seat to be
recorded. Next day the man who was
looking for an asylum site called upon
the Widow Thomas. He had scarcely men
toned the poor orphans when she laughed
and said:
Don't let your philanthropy cause you
to lose a good thing. The ground up
there is full of natural gas. and you know
IT, It's only 20 miles to pipe II to Chi
cago. It's under the meadow, then it's
under hundreds of acres around here.
Go ahead and make any test you WILL
and then come back with your offer"
A week later he was willing to hand
over $4,000 in cash, and when jed Whee-
Ter had seen the money counted out and
the deed passed he exclaimed:
"By thunder, Martha, but that was the
only piece of land I had, and when a
piano feller comes along and wants TO
trade me a goose farm for the raising OF
speckled geese, what am going to say
TO him?"
"Refer him to your WIFE" she answered,
as she kissed him for the first time
1915. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)