Show I I The Evening Telegrams Telegram's Daily Short Story SURRENDER UNCONDITIONAL By CLARA INEZ DE DEACAN ACAN Copyright 1914 b by tho McClure New Newspaper News News- paper Syndicate When Ezra Hamilton farmer lost his bis wife by bj death ho was 55 years ol oland old and was left alt all alone Ho lio was was waa a handyman handy handyman man in the kit kitchen hon and decided on doin doing his bis own housework A A. good natured natured na na- man man Ezra was as and ho bo had the tho respect of all nil who knew him It is h but natural th though uCA very bad form when a a. woman oman is ie left a widow or a man DIan a widower for certain per per- sons sops to speculate on whether hether she or ho will take another partner It is generally generally generaU gener gener- aU ally ally- agreed that she or he will Wb Why this agreement no one can tell as most married d couples wish the they hadn't I done it In Eua Ezras Ezra's 8 ca case however bOt an tion wa was made wade He lie had bad no children hi his cooking had bad not given i cn him indigestion indi ho he had bad conquered the knack of iroD ironing hi his Sunday Sundar shirt and he spent pent his big evenin evenings s with a hook lie He was was- living li a sort of ideal life and it would be bo broken up should ho marr marry again Ezra himself as he sat at with a pitcher of elder cider at h Jib his right hand and andR anda n R pan of apples at his We left had stopped his rt reading a ing for lor a moment Now Xou this is what hat I call solid com fort fort forthe he ho mused and there is no need of a a. wife around h here re Man ca can plan hut but the tho fate can beat him every e time In the village a mile away I lived cr the widow She was wall fate Sho had met the farmer fanner at church several time before and after ho became a 3 widower an and about 1 the time tim he was musing over oyer his cider and apples she was musing over O tho the custard pie she fhe bA was as making I Yes I Yes Ezra Hamilton is a 3 good man and nd Im I'm going t to marry him He Ho doesn't know it but I surely surely am ami Ezra had been alone in the world for six months month when one afternoon he ho came up from the field to cook ook his supper and anti met with a great J surprise p. p The Toe widow Schermerhorn stood at the tho kitchen ben en door H Dear Dear m hut but I thou thought ht T I could get getaway et eta a away a before yon yea came up she nhe hc said Did bid id you ou wish to see fice me mel he asked in surprise sl Y Your supper is on the table she be replied with a laugh as she ran a away Ezra halted in inside ido the door and looked around him bim and anel then exclaimed ex ex- claimed Well Wen b by thunder I The Thc widow had b been en orkin working in the time house homo for three hours It Jt had hul been hen I swept wept and dU dusted every cerv dish bad had been beeD washed cashed and wiped the tho kitchen n floor had haa been scrubbed tho supper had bad been cooked By By George Georg hut but the walked clear up I here hero to do this for me mc continued the tho man as he ftC sat Sit do down to tho table and poured hi his tea i It lit was tho the best ten tea he had had for months months- such mouths such tea as his bis wife Ife used to In mako milko But w wy hv till did she he do lo it 1 Why I J bandit know her A And Anil 1 ns D' o finished his hh first te CUD cue he set it down and struck the table with his fist list and said Urn Umi I see I see She's a wid-der wid woman Ezra had bail never studied the time hearts of womankind much ranch less Jess posted him himself olf on tho the antics of widows Ho lIe had bad never ne' heard of one ant of the J ratter latter ha han having n- n de do sips signs on a ma man nian n. n They married again or course but it was the man who han nar- up his hip horses throw a bag hag of potatoes into the wagon and drove five or six miles tf to say I want ant you to try these ero era Thoy They are Me tho genuine Earls Earls- Roso Roo and will ill molt melt in our mouth And bein Im I'm here and bein your Jour Im I'm a widower and you yoa a what dye cIvo say 63 to marriage No the Schermerhorn aint after ft r me sue said Ezra as hn he 1 J back from front the table tahle Someone told her hor that I was as all alone and ani in in tho the kindness of her heart she came up here to do all aU t this hi for me Fun Fine Fino woman Next time I go to town ton I 1 Ill I'll n 11 carry carr her some somo garden arden sass Three or four da days s 's later and before belore ho bo had been beer to town yet yet ho wa was work work- ing ung in a near the tho highway when he be heard a 3 woman womans woman's a voice calling e. e He lie leaped over oer the fence to behold tho the I widow Schermerhorn seated on the gra grass s in a 3 played out condition What is it it what's what's tho the matter A A A-a A a snake ran across arrow tho the road ahead of me mae I J was gasped Crl They are m mighty thick this year car but the they are harmless Jf If 1 could rest in the shade a i if f fw w minutes T I could go o on iii up to Smith Smiths Smith's 8 tJ To uTo bo bl sure What Wha Ur an absentminded absent absent- minded critter critte I T am Cnn alon along to the house bouse Take n arm and dont don't try to walk t too fast The reached rl the shads shads' porch and he be brought t out nut chairs bairs for fOT Hi m mi i 1 1 some sarno old ch cherry rn bra brandy brands c f for h her it It ft was amazing bo how bent pep il fib she reeo- reeo et d. They talked and anuj talked and tad talked Every en five b minutes minute she bc said she must surely he be going but th the next fi five found her hor right there It wa was an aim hour before ho she h took her departure an and then she sho headed for homo home instead of Smith Smiths s Ezra the I good man es e- her as far fur as the spot where time snake had been heen feen een c n an and then went Trent back to his work Fine Fino woman woman fine fine woman he said to him cI I Rather afraid of snakes kc but I guess the thet- theall all ar are arp Said she sho was as Ion lonely lonel eh but if jf It was as a hint I r didn't didot take it The vegetables were Mere dt delivered two or days daj later and anti when Ezra was I read ready to start for or home the widow wido i said laid Something kept kt telling mc me mn all day yesterday that you oU d he hero herlt to tiny day and nd I bal baked ed two pies pie's and a n for von vou li c Mighty Might bh fine woman n said aid the farmer as as ashia Jlia horses along Ton Ten 1 minutes later inter latera r a farmer whom bom he knew hailed hailer Jim him with Sil Say when is is it comin off I What I I The you and the wil r Sch rm II Its It It g a all i Ezra Izra was scared and a as ashe v he e. e worked d ho he kept his big eyes oyes on the highway ay Three days later he saw a familiar figure figuro fig fit uro ure coming cominI and h he dropped his bis hoe and I Iran ran for the barn and Did bid on the hay mow Fifteen minutes had passed and ho be had be begun ull to breathe easier when there was was was' wasa a a. step on u the tho barn floor and anda a voice oice came camo up to him bim Oh Mr Hamilton I r saw you run run- ning Was it a snake after you you 1 Iso 10 o 0 reply Don Dont t tell teU me mo you are bitten and have come here to die He HP didn't t tell her Where can that man be bel he heard her per asking herself as she walked around I I I certainly saw sw him enter outer this barn and ho be must m be ho here He lie may be up on the tho mow and dying or dead ded I will wili climb up and seal seel limo is it down thero there called the theman theman theman man on th the ha hayOb hay Oh Ob Ezra then a a. snake nake didn't bite bito you you He came caine down n with a 3 mighty sober look on hi his hb fa face fao c. c and sho she explained that she wa was waa on her hera way a up to Smiths Smith's when she sh he taw saw him running across the fields field and felt it her duty to find out wh why ho ran It took him half halt an hour to moc move her hor alon along I and as M she went he ho j muttered By hokey can that widow bo ho wanting to get et 1 It ma may be just neighborly kindness but I dunno J I I dunno duane t That evening he be as was rooting up I Isome q I some burdocks burdock at the it passed and gave e a. him Oh Oh you ou ou P poor r victim j i What Whal do you r When the they camp on a w wh t he h his is a goner V Ezra stared after him m u ast Mt ut down to lo o tr try and aid d puzzle it it iiI Wu u the widow Schermerhorn o li bl J U UVas r Was Wa Vas she ht going to camp t u h gave in in I f Did she have y i 18 view ewo or was it sympathy PT man who t had to make if o ow W ars got ot the tha j th the hrad f ie He though but tho the question quntion had not ft not H j in in D bis his mind when h B hoped h however w ver that 8 b w III j A conic como again acain i 4 J I A And she he he didn didn't t till tB M f F the fourth da day Ezra w i. i cutting corn when b he be r. r n. n from rom the hou house e. e He lie eta sta run in at once What 1 dj a a. woman caught aught by her hor In I gate ate and a hog standing t f nero ncr It was tS the widow idO I was on my r sf y she f explained wh wF r n. n r r ft would just drop in inI in is I I 1 got ot caught in time the thep g P l land j a and d was afraid th tha that t Ol af alive Y ah said taid id I h j freo f and threW threw a stow rte I you Von U hadn't be betto et t stor stop tiT nA why hJ K Af AfI 1 I asked II 5 I Im I'm Im I'm afraid or But what can ti they y Why Why Why-why why that thet me re replied Led the paOli What What mat 1 t that at I am ut I I 1 am lm a. a afraid r d va to o. o i. i u. u Well you lon longer er Ezra V VA A I T respect bu butI I J r veil vou if yon yen were teJ teJI oA I r shall not com Q c noon Ezra lo lost t hi f 5 sit and aM when he re d 1 S. S wa was Vas to g slump him a t an and thinK think- I him im that it t was wasAnd nasi S SAnd And what w 1 I Ezra Hamilton a with Lh the th wido widOWs fJ 1 5 3 made him hun him run pul courting foro o f. yes yell J LJ |