The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-29
Three Straight
Games
BY Michael J. Porter
copyright. 1911. by Associated Literary Press)

If the man selling a patent churn
or washing machine had appeared In
the village of Hillsdale he might pos
sibly have made a sale, but it would
only have been after week and
after he had listened to the gossip OF
the village and taken a seeming inter-
est
The stranger would have learned
that Nancy Friars, the old maid, had
almost taken a dose of paris green
because she had to go home alone
from prayer meeting; that Mr.. George
Scott and wife were thinking of sep
arating because she liked Goldfish and
he didn't; that Tom Henderson, the
carpenter, had been disappointed IN
love. and that 1t had made wreck or
him; that old Mrs Travers was using
wrinkle remover and many, many
other things. The biggest and best
thing would have been saved till the
last, and he would have been expect
ed to eXclaim that it was fierce.
Philetus NarmOre was a feature in
Hillsdale. He was forty Five years old
anu u "luoWSi hC Wv btu lht NophCh7
ware factory and sung bass in church
on Sunday; he was in charge of the
fireworks on the Fourth of July, and
he had been known to give five dol
lars to the heather OF Africa all at
once; he had brought about the arrest
of horse thief, and he had speculated
in Wall street and made SIS The
stranger would have been told this
astounding news as an appetizer,
and then the real corn beef and cab
bage would have been set before
him
There We're three widows in Hills
dale when Mr.. Narmore became a
widower. 1t was four weeks after
the death of his wife before he
smiled in public. Two hours later the
gossips We're betting two to one that
he would marry one OF the widows
ever. He didn't within a year lie
didn't at all
1t was said that any enc OF the
three widows would give her old
shoes to catch the widower This
was probably exaggerated. Had he
proposed to Mrs Dakin, Mrs. Stevens
or Mrs. Everett the proposal would
have been received with downcast
eyes and taken under advisement.
There would have been no rushing
into his arms. In month or so he
would have got his answer. 1t would
have hnpn fimil Tho
chances were even that he would have
been turned down.
Mr.. Narmore called on each of the
widows. Why not? The gossips said
he was counting, but they were mis-
taken. He called to talk about the
weather, potato bugs, church affairs
fly screens and things of that sort He
always sat with his hat in his hands
and he always rose up exactly witt
the clock striking nine.
Each OF the three widows received
private and confidential advice as t
how to catch" the widower Mar
more. They should invite him t,
dinner; they should shipper; the,
should look at him coyly and archly
they should sigh and talk of thei
loneliness; they should boast of thei
economy and how much work the.
could get through with in a day. Eve
old maids who had never had bea
and never would have one sat dow
and looked as wise as Solomon an
said:
"Ah, if you only understood no,
to handle man as well as do YOU
bring Mr.. Narmore to his knees will
in week"
Perhaps the three widows didn
want to marry again. Perhaps, bu
for the arrival of fourth widow |
the village they would not have r,
sorted to rats and puffs and powde
and told white lies about their age
The fourth widow was a Mrs. Harpe
She. was no younger or more attra
tive than the other three she wa
seemingly handicapped by trailing i
at the end OF the string
Within a week Mrs Harper ha
heard all the gossip. Within for
night she had been introduced to Nj
Narmore. Within a month she ha
sent for her father to pay her visi
He was sixty-five years old and had I
come all the way from Illinois, but b
came
The widower Narmore had a ia,
1t was known to every one in Hill
dale. and yet those three widow
each one of whom might possibl
have answered yes to a propose
hadn't the acumen to take advantag
of it, Mr.. Narmore was check,
fiend He didn't care for hors
races, dog fights. pugilism or bas
ball, but seat him in front of checkt
board and he was there for all nigl
ii necessary to beat the other playe
He was the champion of Hillsda
county. In fact, he claimed the char
piopship OF the state.
Father" said the widow Harpe
when her parent arrived, aren't "
accounted one of the best check
players in Pekin?'
"ln Pekin? Why. Mary, W;
champion of all Illinoy years ago;
Pekinl Lord love you, but I've beat,
everything in Illinois. Iowa, Michiga
Wisconsin. Kansas, Colorado al
Texas, Five years ago issued d,
10 the whole United States and 4
body dared play me. Why do y,
ask"
There's a man right in this V
,age who thinks he's some pumpki
at the game,"
an beat him with my eyes shut.
nx-nr...hnhNr