The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-04-14
Some Easy Marks
& rs 80
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Copyright, 1876. BY the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Y Ill 8 WI ~ AOkYp w. tAI0 = Nj - Il
Newspaper! Syndicate.
To let you into. part Of the plot q,
the beginning. 80 that it may not be 81
great a puzzle to your brain, 1t may b
stated that there was a widow named
Ridgewayi living at Colville. a town Q,
1900 inhabitants.
There was living, also, at Beach Hill
q lawyer named Hammond. Beach
Hill and Colvllle were forty miles
apart. but the lawyer and the widow
had somehow become acquainted, and
perhaps they would have fallen in love
had either been able to support the
other. Five miles from Beach Hill
was a place called Widowville. There
was a good reason for 1t. Five wild.
overs. oil farmers, had built their
houses there. Each widower had q
lot Of children. numbering from five
to eight.
Between Beach Hill and Widow
Vile was a farm Of eighty acres called
the Lester farm. In seven years IL
had had five tenants. The soil was so
poor that they all starved out. This
farm the Widow Ridgeway leased.
OF course the five widowers of Wild
owville heard of the widows arrival
and what she proposed to do. and they
pricked up their ears and said that
something would be doing. Enos
Cook, who had the biggest. number of
children. vas the first one to drive.
over and introduce himself.
Jason Turner was the next caller.
and he went over the same ground and
came away feeling just al good. So
it was with Luke Harper, Moses Swift
and Philetus johnson. All looked upon
the Widow Ridgeway as a prize to be
won, and each one determined in his
own mind to win her. though he didn't
say anything to the others about it.
Two weeks had passed when they
all called again, and this time their
talk with the widow was more free.
1t was at the third cali that the plot
developed. If the farmers could spare
a little time from their own work they
might plow a little and plant a little
for her and thus help her along. OF
course they would. They would be
only too glad to do 1t. What crop did
the widow think would pay her best:
She promptly answered that potatoes
| would probably be the best selling
crop. How many acres? Why. she
had figured out that about sixty acres
would be the right thing.
Sixty acres Of potatoes! Why. the
average farmer thinks he has a big
planting If he puts in ten. The wild
overs elevated their eyebrows in some.
thing like horror. but after a confer.
eence lasting an hour It was agreed to
come to the widows figures. When it
came time for blowing the five brought
their teams and plows and worked
happily together. When they couldn't
come themselves they sent their hired
men. Sixty acres is a big field. but 1t
was eventually plowed and dragged.
1t vas then that the widow made an
announcement. She gathered together
the five tired men ut the back door and
said:
my friends. do not think l lack
modesty when I tell you that l know
you are all in love with me and intend
to propose marriage. l like you all.
You are good and true men. I cannot
as yet say that I prefer M to another.
but I am. going to carry out a plan.
The n that does the most for me in
this matter Of the potato crop l shall
look upon as being the most worthy to
become my husband"
Satisfaction cleaned in the eyes of
every widower.
To plant sixty acres of ground takes
a heap.sof seed potatoes. The widow
didn't have aapeck.5tgsThe dve.farmers
chippedk In and for cher.
They planted them for her. When IT.
was time they plowed them out and
hoed them for her. Again. when. 1t
was time they dug them for her.
When the tubers were ripe for digging
the potato trust sent a man to offer SO
cents a bushel, which was the usual
price. Two weeks later, after It had
been as%certained that not another po-
tato would be offered for sale in that
part Of the state, it raised its offer to
Is cents, and the widow took 1t.
When the last potato had been load
ed up and drawn away the widow
Ridgeway gave a banquet to the five
farmers, and 1t was known that her
choice was to be announced. The
farmers noticed that eight plates were
placed on the table. That meant two
more persons were to sit down. Tls.y
arrived. It was Lawyer Hammond and
the Baptist preacher from the village.
What business had brought them? In