| Show ti tiThe The Evening Telegrams Telegram's I Daily Short Story CALLING IT OFF By DONALD ALLEN Copyright 1914 1014 b by the McClure Newspaper News News- paper Syndicate Mi MI Miss MIs s' s Hattie Hattle Pierce was a young old maid mold She was wall 2 24 which is 18 the thc beginning of oC old maid mald Where it ends nobody nobody no no- body knows Moses MOMS Shaw was an old- old young oung bachelor lie was vas 30 years carl old but didn't look It Miss Hattie lived at Lansing Moses lived at ht Charlotte It was miles be between between between be- be tween them as the cro crow or or any other sensible bird nl flies files s Miss Hattie Hattle had no thoughts of matrimony matri matri- mony many though she had a beau or two two- Moses could darn hi his socks with twine sew on a patch or mend a rip In his coat and an as ho ha had always h heard ard that marriage marriage mar mar- liege was Wail a n failure he wasn't taking any chances chance 4 It wa the business of oC Fate to bring brine those thos two persons together Miss Hattie Battle had 1 a sister who lived at Medina That I sister broke broko a Ie leg lep and must have hae a nurse I That was wh why Miss Mies Hattie arrived A sawmill man at Medina heard that Moses Moses' could coula run a sawmill as nfl slick as a trust tr can run a grocer out of oC business and he sent Bent for him Behold how easy it Il is for Fate Fato to bring things thinS's about if she wants wanta to No o fuss Cuss nor feathers Miss and Moses reached Medina Mechina on the same name da day They entered tho the same store storo on the same day She inquired for tor ribbon and he for a a paper of oC pins They bumped together as th they y came out Thc They laughed and apolo apolo- Nice gal said fluid Moses to himself as he ha walked talked away ay Nice man said ald the girl to herself as she walked v. awa away AntI And for weeks later Moses loses was calling on her and admiring and in three months the they were engaged It fairly gives one chills how things do come around Moses had saved ved up and the girl half of that The They talked it over and decided decided de de- de- de to wait walt until they had saved red another hundred dollars before beCore marrying Meanwhile Mean Mean- while being sure of oC each other and Moses coming a sparking three nights out of ot seven It w wouldn't be so bad to walt wait Miss Hattie wasn't 1 the only girl to leave her home and arrive at nt Medina l In Indue Indue Indue due time Miss Nancy Nanc Smith landed there thereto to visit an aunt Miss Smith was an old maid without tho the prefix young oung She was at least 30 and n J if she he hadn't hidden hidden hid hid- den away the family Bible an entry j there thero ml might hf have hn ordained that she and Moses 1 I were to meet Fate is mighty might liberal sometimes ms I Every village mage has its prominent mud- mud hole holt Medinas Medina's was just opposite the courthouse It could have been filled up and made a jO joy of or but It had bad been a and in tho the best of spirits hen when Miss Smith walked into It It was Moses who dashed to tho the r rescue cue and saved aved her life Thanks Thank brave man man gasped Miss It Smith Oh it was nothing But you surel surely saved my life Ufe and I Irant rant cant find Ond words In which to thank you Moses stood twisting about and didn't know what to sa say You will give gho me your name said Miss lIss Smith Ho gave ave it in exchange for or hers hier and she sho smiled 1 and simpered and said Id You Vou must call on mc me this t r very evening Gosh all hemlock exclaimed Moses as he went to his boarding house hou S a Say I now she's the tho handsomest woman that Ive I've sawn here yet eL Smiled at me Called mo me a hero Invited In me to call Shouldn't wonder If it was a case case of love at first sight on her part Guess I was in a mighty might great grent hurry hurn to take tako tip with Hat lint tic It Moses Mabes called Ho lIe wa wai charm charmed He lIe was praised to the tho skies Ikles for tor his heroism Ho lic was flattered for his looks and figure He Ho was as compared to Bayard and several other othor old has beens been's whom he never ne heard of When he pave gave c a hi his occupation an RH tor foreman m n of C a sawmill h he d did cI it rather I I I reluctantly but Joy jO- shone In his e eyes es a aliu as asMUs Miss MUs Smith exclaimed How flow Ho grand and How noble What would have tho the world dono done without its sawmills Thc They are arc very handy things he le murmUr murmured mur mur- mUr J. J Handy Mr r. r haw Why WIn wed we'd be his liv living ing In brush huts but for tor tho the sawmills The world orld would woul have hive advanced without Shakespeare Milton B Bvron Bron on and the other othor poets but whore where would It have hive been to to- da day dav but for Its sawmills mills Jest so fO Miss 1169 Smith Miss Smith could sing She Sh could play the piano She insisted that Moses also had a voice olce and when he tried It out at ather ather ather her request the cat left tho the room Moses was captivated Ho He was as mashed flat Oat He was w-as as In lovo from Crom head to heel heet and there he ho was bound boun to Miss Ha Hattie Hattle Ho He must J get t out of oC It In some Wl way P Plenty nt of or men moo ha have been een in the same fix x Ho lie tried to pick a row but the girl was waa placid Then he ho hinted d that I If they not engaged he would po go o to the African diamond fields and accumulate llato a bushel or Ot two of ot the tho precious ston stones Then he tie said he rather dreaded marriage mar mar- c on account of or his lila violent temp temper r. r If he lie were to get mad at his hili wife he would certainly murder her In her hr sleep Miss Hattie listened to all this thle and much more and then said Moses perhaps perhaps per por- haps you OU entered Into this engagement ment without having S1 given en it serious consideration tion I I 1 I think I did he ho replied In that ca case o I shouldn't want to hold r tI to the tho engagement ment You Vou ou wouldn't 1 Certainly CerL not We re had best call It ort oft and II e you time to think the matter r over ocr And you ou wont won't b be mad niad madl madlOn On Oti the contrary T I hope you will drop In lii to see me mo quite often orten By Bv gum um aint I a lucky do dog crowed IO CR when he ho was wt clear clea r of or the house Never rot pot mad Never cried crid Never made a threat t. Miss 1 Tattle HaUl could have haw mentioned Miss Smith a as 14 sh she had heard of the rescue and knew that Moses was w a caller on the tho but hut she he hc had never dropped a hint Intuition ml might ht have O told her how things would turn out or she was willing to take a R chance Moses logn called on liI now new love Saturday e and proposed a on the river on Sunday He lie was railed more mor h heroes for It It He Is was a also RIlO called a darling Ho He was waa also asked If Ie h ho lie were heart henrt free and he truthfully replied he ht was wat H lie didn't propose that p. evening but he meant to next day Th There re are arc certain In who ho can hide their defects ct from tonI the world as lone as everything f Is la running smoothly Miss U s Smith was wa one of oC th the tha Fort sort but fe few outside out side aide her relatives knew It Sunday mornIn mornIng mornIng morn- morn In Ing she fhe was upset about several cyeral things that hail halt h happened and anti though she Khe had hada a smile she he was Tenth reath with an acid tongue for nn any one who provoked her furt further pr In Into the t boat oat after h her hr r. r J Mosen Irl fh that Dancing tonight at Majestic pavilion It Its It's fine and cool Big Concert Band Be there S Ib I I she called out Be careful you lout or you OU will tip us oven o Moses laughed He lIe rather liked I It HA lie was no boatman and before they thy had gone fort forty rods he ho splashed her lien with vater water wa wa- ter from one of ot the oars oara Do you think Im I'm a a. a haystack on fire I dont don't believe bellevo you OU Were ever CYer In a boat before beCore in your life liCe she shouted We Yo o haven't got fairly started yet et ho prote protested ted Then heaven only knows what la is to haD happen n further on What are arc you grinning grIn grIn- ning like a It monkey for Because It was so good of ot you to come Urn t. t Do you ou know Id I'd rather be hero here than anywhere else elso in this world be bo at nt the tho bottom of oC the river an and I along with you OU If IC you oU dont don't look out half screamed Miss Smith as the boat grazed a II lo JOKI log JOK I shall save you J If the boat tips over or Didn't I save faVe you from tram that I a hero There Thera You have l lost st an oar you fool you I can recover It It darling Dont Don't be bo afraid to trust yourself with Ith me even I if we wo lose loso both oars I J want wanted d you OU to como come with we rae today that I might tell you you you- Tell roll nothing Get that oar and row straight A hero I Why you jou OU arc are nothing hut but a plug Dlug of a sawmill man Moses l looked at her with open mouth and bulging bUlgin- eyes oes the tho sawmill advanced civilization No It has increased the number o of idiots I 1 IThe The Tho Sudden and unexpected Jolt had bewildered Moses and In trying to recover the tho lost oar the tho other went astray Mercy on me roe roe- But the thc half sunken old lop log ah ahead ad had I no mercy merc- The boat bont struck It and went I over and Moses waded ashore on one side of oC the river and Miss lIss Smith on the I other That t evening e the hero still a little i damp around the tho edges called on his old I love and said Hattie Hattle lets let's get et married mar mar- i ried ned before I have hac time to make a fool I of or mys myself a again aln And Un Hattie tUo stalled smiled The Tho marriage took I place I |
