Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-03-08
Some Easy Marks
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

the beginning. so shat 1t may not be so
great a puzzle to your brain, 1t may be
ste ted that there was a widow named
Ridgeway living at Colviile, town OF
1900 habitants.
There was living, also, at Beach Hill
lawyer named Hammond. Beach
Hill and Colville We're 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 a good reason for It, Five wild
overs, all farmers, had built thei
houses there. Each widower had
lot of children. numbering from five
to eight.
Between Beach I'LL and Widow
vile was farm OF eighty acres called
the Lester farm. iii seven gears ii
had had FIVE tenants. The soil was SO
poor that they all starved out. This
farm the Widow Ridgeway leased.
or course the five wfdowers 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
It was with Auksp1IarpeN Moses Swift
and Philetus JOHNSON. ALI looked upon
the Widow Ridgeway as 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 1t.
Two weeks had passed when they
all called again, and this time theft
talk with the widow was more free.
It was at the third call that the plot
developed. II the farmers could spare
q little time from their own work they
might pillow a little and plant q 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 II he puts in ten. The wild
overs elevated their eyebrows in some
thing like horror. but after a confer
ence lasting an hour 1t was agreed to
come to the widows figures. When 1t
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 II
was eventually plowed and dragged.
1t was then that the widow made an
announcement She gathered together
the 1--WE tired men ut the back door and
said: "p ~
my friends, do not think lack
modesty when tell you that 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 l am going to carry out plan.
The one that does the most for me In
this matter Of the potato crop I shall
look upon as being the most worthy tn
become my husband"
Satisfaction cleaned In the eyes Of
every widower.
To plant sixty acres Of ground takeA
heap Of seed potatoes The widow
didn't have a peck. The 1--WE farmers
Clipped in and bought them for her
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 tubers were ripe for diggina
the potato trust sent man to offer %
cents q bushel, which was the usuaI
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
rs 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 heI
choice was to be announced. The
farmers noticed that eight plates wert
placed on the table. That meant two
more persons were to sit down. They
arrived. 1t was Lawyer Hammond and
the Baptist preacher from the village
What business had brought them? in
Quired each farmer Of himself. but nc
one had solved the question when the
banquet was finished. and the lawyer
rose up and said:
Gentlemen. this has been q great
race between who should have the
widows heart and hand. You have al
done nobly. Each one Of you has
shown himself to be good and true
man In fact you all have been nc
vovthv NJ thfa Unod yvOma ma love thai