The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-04-14
Some Easy Marks
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
BY M. QUAD

Ridgeway living at Colvjlle, town of
1000 inhabitants.
There was living, also, at Beach Hill
lawyer named Hammond. Beach
Hill and Colville 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 place called Widowville There
was good reason for it. Five wild
overs, all farmers, had built their
houses there. Each widower had a
lot of children, numbering from five
TO eight.
Between Beach Hill and Widow
vile was farm of eighty acres called
the Lester farm. In seven years it
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, was 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 as good. So
1t 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 call that the plot
developed. If the farmers could spare
little time from their own work they
might plow a little and plant a little
Tor her and thus help her along. OF
course they would. They would be
only too glad TO do it. What crop did
the widow think would pay her best?
She promptly answered that potatoes
would probably be the best selling
| CAVPs AlOM many siNlNo w N.Y. 0hC
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 confer
ence lasting an hour it was agreed to
| 70 Will
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 big field, but it
was eventually plowed and dragged.
1t was then that the widow made an
announcement She gathered together
the five tired men at the back door and
said:
"My friends, do not think / lack
modesty when ! tell you that l know
you are all in love with me and intend
to propose marriage. / like you all.
You are good and true men. | cannot
as yet say that | prefer one to another,
but ] am going to carry out plan.
| hE OHt tIul uptS lhOoL AOi luG III
this matter of the potato crop 1 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
heap of seed potatoes. The widow
didn't have peck. The five farmers
| oI, Ia, hnY fAt hnr
They planted them for her. When II
was time they plowed them out and
hoed them for her. Again, when II
was time they dug them for her
When the mbers were ripe for digging
the potato trust sent man to offer 5(
cents bushel, which was the usua
price. Two weeks later, after 1t had
been ascertained that not another po
tato would be offered for sale in thai
part of the state, 1t raised its offer tC
70 cents, and the widow took it.
When the last potato had been load
ed up and drawn away the widow
Ridgeway gave banquet to the tv,
farmers, and it was known that hel
choice was to be announced. ThC
iululelS HollCeu ludl eight p'uieS WeI'
placed on the table. That meant TIVE
more persons were TO sit down. The!
arrived. 1t was Lawyer Hammond anC
the Baptist preacher from the village
What business had brought them? in
quired each farmer of himself, but II,
one had solved the question when thu
banquet was finished, and the lawyel
rose up and said:
Gentlemen, this has been grea
race between who should have th'
, widows heart and hand. You have al
; done nobly. Each one of you ha'
shown himself to be a good and tru,
, man. In fact. you all have been 81
worthy of this good woman's love tina
/ she cannot decide which one OF you t.
} accept. She cannot marry the whole
five of YOU, as you must know, and
: rather than give herself to one anC
make the four others miserable fol
D life she has decided to marry the sixth
man, which is me-" The marriage tool
place, but there were five men VIII,
did not smile nos offer congratula
ton. Their faees were very solemn M