The Washburn leader., 1916-05-19
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

famed away the insects. After about
five minutes and with lonesome
smile on his face the man woke up
and whispered:
"Oh, mother, that is SO nice!'
"But am not your mother" I re-
piled.
"Then who are you?"
II am only the widow Brixs, sir"
"And what do you want here?'
II want to see your wife,
"But you can't unless you can dy.
Her soul passed into the beyond about
three years ago, and since then I have
had to go it alone"
After look around and seeing the
dirt and dust and cobwebs and con-
fusion that prevailed said:
You seem to have made hard work
Of It going it alone"
Eyes. it's little tough to be with
out a wife when you have had one for
twenty years. do my own cooking,
washing, mending and bedmaking."
"This is a tavern. and what about
the travelers?" I queried.
"Oh, there are no travellers but me.
and I don't travel very much except in
my dreams. All the travellers 60 to
Mrs. Carson's boarding house, and I
am rather glad of it, as my style Of
cooking might bring about a tragedy"
"Mebbe you want to bust up Mrs.
Carson's boarding house?" I answered.
"But how will l do it?" he asked,
with little animation in his voice.
Eyes, believe would like to bust up
her house, because I have asked her
three times to marry me, and three
times she has throwed me down."
IF you will hire me I'll bust her
boarding house within month";"
said.
"Lordy me! But how would you do
ft?' he exclaimed.
81 should begin by busting, mop
ping, washing windows and making
this old pigpen look like first class
hotel at Newport. presume there is
weeks work in the kitchen setting
! things to rights. but am worker.
When I got things cleaned up should
want you to buy some provisions and
see that the word went around that
the Paradise was ready to entertain
all patrons on a scale of unexampled
magniflcence."
"Great Caesarv' he whispered as he
held up his hand. "Say. gal, you are a
wonder! What about wages?"
"You are too poor to pay any wages
for the first month at least"
"Doggone me If amt. but I'll tell
you what I'll do, and I never broke
my word yet to man, woman or tele-
graph pole. If you will work for a
month and get things shipshape will
marry you-yes, by gosh, I'll marry
you! That will be better than wages" !"
"But shall have something to say
about that replied as rose up.
It was three days before the news
got around in Jackson's Hollow that
a new move was on foot at the Para
disc hotel. The idlers dropped in to
the number Of twenty or more. and
when they saw me flying from room
to room with broom and mop they had
many compliments for me. In fact.
more than a dozen Of them offered me
their hands and hearts In marriage.
In each case replied that I was high
" flattered. but had no time to fool
! away.
It will surprise you to learn that in
a months time the old shebang was
doing a good tavern business. and Mrs.
Carson's boarding house was almost
deserted.
When the month was little more
than, up the landlord came to me as I
was frying pancakes for the break
fast of dry goods drummer and said:
Matilda. what about our gettin'
married?''
told him to go away until had
fried six or eight more pancakes and
thought the matter over, and the re-
suit was that we were married that
evening, and forty y-nine lovers and
travellers kissed the blushing bride.
All went as happy as the pig in the po-
tato patch for q week or more. and
then my husband came into the kttch-
en- one day and found me using kero-
sene to hurry up the fire. With an Inn
pulse, which was very creditable in
him. he reached out and cuffed me on
the ear. That ear tingles yet al
though many years have passed since
I got the cuff. He lodged the stove lid
which I threw at him, and half an
hour later he was %. dead as HanGf-
bal the Great. He had died while SIT
| ting in his chair. He had used too
much energy in cumng me and had.
burst blood vessel. called in doc
tor. ,sss
'would II surprise you to learn that
your husband isy deadY' he asked Of
me after he had paved around for
awhile. s u
4Not a Bit replied. .'He was too
good for this world anyhow"
MY fee Is s. madam, and you VIII
please pay y In small bills."