The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-04
ABOUT WIDOW DOW
BY cLARIcE GAINES.

Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
/ Jay Dickson frowned over the let
, ter from the manager Of his houses In
Dorilton. The houses had been an
inheritance from his Uncle Peterby
and the income from the half dozen
little cottages had been an addition
to his income. OF course, the prop.
erty was sadly out of repair and a
great deal of money had been spent
upon it. still the agent had made
many complaints about dissatisfied
tenants.
Jay reread the letter.
About this Widow Dow" said the
agent, "she lives in the last cottage
at the very edge Of the woods, and
she says that some of the trees should
be cut down because the shade makes
her place damp. l tell you she ought
not to make complaints when she is
behind with her rent"
"Pshaw!" muttered Jay, thrusting
the letter into his pocket. I'll run
down there myself and have 1t out
with Mrs. Dow"
The next day, quite unknown to
Agent Green, Jay Dickson alighted
from the train at the Dorilton sta
ton and took short cut through the
woods to reach his property.
He was not prepared for the huge
black woman who waddled across the
garden with heavy foot. Her woolly
hair was tied up in a snowy turban
and her white gown was Immaculate.
Are you Mrs. Dow?" asked Jay.
The woman looked at him shrewdly
Il am Armada Dow" she admitted
"Mr Green wrote to me about you,
Mrs. Dow; he said you wanted some
trees cut down. will see him about
the matter"
Jay, puzzled at finding his agent
had rented one of the cottages to
other than white people, pursued his
way through the street toward the
agents Office. Near his destination
he was just in time to snatch young
woman from under the wheels Of a
racing automobile.
AS it was, they we're both flung
against the curbstone, and the young
woman lay pale and white against
Jays arm.
'Tll show you," volunteered
woman, and she led the way toward
Jays row of cottages.
She passed them all until she came
to the last enc, the abode of the
Widow Dow.
II will 60 inside with you. The
doctor is on his way now" she said,
as she opened the gate.
Armada Dow met them in the porch,
and she took the slender, unconscious
form in her arms and bore her up
stairs. where the village doctor ar
rived in few moments.
Jay Dickson. wandering restlessly
in the little garden. could not rid
his mind of that lovely face which had
lain against his shoulder. It was a
pale, spirituelle face, framed in rich.
red hair that grew low on her FORE
head. The lashes that lay on her
creamy cheek were thick and dark
and curling. What color were her
eyes?
What allied him. anyway? he asked
fiercely. Never before had he
cared about the color of women's
eyes!
The doctor came down and spoke to
him.
Her arm is broken" he said.
It's her working arm" shifted
Armada, as she went out.
Mrs. Dow is an artist" explained
the doctor in low tone. She's been
having hard shedding, I understand.
and l guess losing the use of her
right hand for many weeks won't help
any,"
Il am Jay Dickson. the owner or
these cottages. l came down to sec
Mrs. Dow explained Jay. feeling un-
reasonably elated because his divinity
was the Widow Dow-and free!
Strangely contented at the outcome
Of affairs. this most impractical of
landlords proceeded to visit his other
tenants in the row, and with them
planned to make such improvements
In the cottages and grounds as would
Justify . change in the name of the
place.
In the course of time II was trans
formed into Rose TER: "e, and 1t was
due to the good taste Of the Widow
Dow. who acted as Jays adviser in
The matter of improvements. During
her convalescence the Widow Dow
went to drive in Jays big automobile,
while Armada sat. a mountain of
swelling pride, in the tonneau.
Green, the agent, was pleasantly
shocked to receive a generous check
when his employer was married. He
never really knew what it was for,
but Jay explained to his lovely bride:
IF it hadn't been for Green's COM
letter I'd never have gone
down to see the Widow Dow-and
some other chap might have won her
first"
But the widow only laughed in her
delightful way.
There couldn't possibly have been
any other chap" she said, for there
IS only one you, you know"