Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-05
The Daily
Short Story
WHO DID THE COURTTNGi
By Ethel Holmes,

lers most Of EN- better loolin' than me-.
sole Of 'em with either good farm or
money In the bank or both. But Mar &
than and ! were neighbors and GOOD
enough friends, and says to myself,
why not swoop around and find out
how the land lays7 So one day says
to her, says I, Martha, how ID II that
a good-lookin' girl like you don't gif
married? 1t certainly can't be for
want Of fellers to choose from"
What made you think anybody
wanted me? she says.
How about Tom StigersT" says.
HE got five hundred acres Of the best
corn land in the country, and buildin's
and farm tools complete"
He wouldn't look at me-" said Mar
tina.
"Or Jim Ferguson, with his dairy
farm, or Ed Williams, who sells more
goods out Of his store In . month than
anybody about here does In year."
II couldn't git any one o. them" said
Martha, If had an oxteam tied to
EN-"
suppose ort to have said to her
after this, well, II you can't git any
Of them fellers, what's the matter
with me?" but somehow I thort that
there was big down-hill Jump from
the worst Of 'em to me, who WAS q
homely as . grounding, but couldn't
do it. reckoned I'd better beat about
the bush while longer"
What would you give me-" said,
IT I'd get you q husbandr'
THE first kiss O. the BRIDE" she
says, lookin' at mo out o. the corner
Of her eyes kind o. sassy.
The thought O. that first kiss made
me feel like dom heap O. tryin' to
git Martha q husband, but remem-
bered the Teller got for her would get
all the other kisses, and it want 20
much Of bargain after all
WALL" says /, "I'll see what kin
do for you" didn't mean to do any
thing, but every time I met Martha
after that she says to me, when you
goin' to git me that husbandr It
seemed to me was maxim myself
ridiculous in not dom somepin' In the
matter, SO says one day to Jake Trot-
ter. Jake" says l, how would you
y like to git married." "Fust rate"
says Jake, If l could git q likely gal"
), 81 know a GAL" l says, who wants q
husband" Bring US together" says
. Jake.
Well I done It. I took him to sse
Martha. Jake was drivin' q wagon
, through the country, sellin' tinware
and such like. The next time I met
: Martha she was a-settin' up beside him
. on the high seat enjoyin' herself to
: beat the band. she waved her hand
> to me and larfed when she went By.
: 1 stood lookin' back at the wagon and
= l said to myself, Luke, the fool-killer
is lookin' fur you" met Sam Lynch
a few minutes after seen Martha
perched up thar beside Jake and I says
to him, Sam, wish you would give
me a good kickin.." Sam did Is
asked him; then I called upon him to
l repeat the dose; and he done it.
8 Next day / see Martha ridin' her
u bay mar. She called out to me- Luke,
Il come round and see me; I want to
II thank you for what you done for me-"
{ "Oh," I says, lit isn't time for the
e reward yet"
y Come any way" she says.
n So I went round that very evening
. Martha had fine lot o. logs burnin
o on the hearth and she drew the sofy
e up in front Of 'em and she sot down
5 on the sofy beside me and says:
q Luke, you've done me q mighty
y great favor, introducin' Jake Trotter
u to me. He hasn't lost NO time in
u proposin' to me: not q bit o. bea&in'
y about the bush; but Just some out fat
u and asked me to be his wife,"
IS must "a looked powerful down IN
= the mouth, for Martha said kind o
l. sympathizin'. Are you sorry for the
q favor you done me. Luke!"
l didn't say nothin'. I couldn't; I
thort my heart would burst
81 The sofy was big enough for four
l. people. but Martha sidled up to the end
y where I was setting and she says:
- You see, Luke, fathers gettin' old
N and may be taken away soon; then
l., I'd be left alone. I was foolin' when
Is said none O. them fellers you spoke
e OF didn't want me, for all Of 'em had
he axed me. There was one Teller did
le want, but he'd never axed me. So
Il. when you offered TO git me husband.
'r calculatin' you might strike the man
70 wanted, list took up with your
4 offer"
is "And struck him." I sroaned:
what Internal luck! Who'd q
thought it?"
Il you remember the reward offered
IN you, Luke" she said coaxingly.
Is mo, what was IT."
n She drew away from me kind o.
r, sulky. Then she told me what it was.
kand seen it didn't make me feel no
better, she said, Il reckon can give
v. 1t to you in advance"
he turned toward her: she was lookin'
r at me half smilin' and half provoked.
o. / drew her toward me and kissed her.
T. She wouldn't let me 60 and all Of ,
lg student thort that she'd changed her
= mind about Jake and wanted me after
E. ALL
sh always reckoned I'd courted my
I'd wife about right till one day I axed her
n what she thort about it, I WAS sur
ed prised when she said:
Ill Luke, you're a mighty good Teller,
ht and about some things you're real
in smart, but as to love maxim you amt
OF got no gift that way You didn't do no
OF courtin'. did it all myself"
ne -=-==-==-
10.
rested on Nov. % last. and charged
mt with cashing worthless checks on .
O. number OF west end grOcervmon The