| Show lF t p pA A DEACONS COURTSHIP I F HEN tho good of oC I Deacon Hazlett Hulett died dIol ho he t thought of or his hI farm fru removing to the tho vii 11 lago laso as ho hi had no noone ono one to act nt as nl it homie house I IC ICI for Cor him hilL himOn hilLl l On second leconti thought ho hu concluded to gel geLtL eL eLu u tL Ills his meals and have hae his hia hi washing done clone nt itt so 50 o much per ller week at itt widow Millers who tho farm Carm opposite hi his hii The rho deacon was ns 15 Ili tile the widow 40 J O and no one saw any Impropriety in the arrangement Tho Th deacon had recovered from dom his hii grief gref rier as tR all of oC UH tIN do JO In III time lime and a t year Jear had rolled roiled awny whon a u sudden thought came to him hint ono day dar as ho he was hoeing booing corn In tho the field flold He Ho dropped his hoe hoc and leaned his back J against the fence to Icon digest d the thu thought and ond after a quarter of oC an In hour he hc found himself rather pleased U with It ItHe Ho He had known Mrs Mis Irs Miller for tor six ud udor or seven seen years He Ho had hat been ono one of or ortho B the tho pallbearers at nt her I funeral Ho Ito knew that she was one B of oC the best cooks In the county countr and andI I always pared the potatoes thin tutu saved 6 cd Iho tue apple cores corel and md that her farm was waG worth 60 an m acre Why I not marry marr her I There was no hurry however The Ihie I deacon was getting cheap board and his hi shirts starched to Ills hits satisfaction and aUd It seemed a n pity hIlLY to Interrupt the program The widow waR It a good deal d ul of oC a hustler too a au H hO come como to know lenow and us its long as aa he was hs only a n boarder she he would not fool feel privileged ed edLo to Lo him hImI I Tho corn COIl wa WIlM only ani knee high when the deMon deacon came Caine to his 1111 decision hilt hilL It was Wl ready to be cut out and null shocked when he tic was ready to take talo n a step further lIe He might aught not have Itne done dono It then lieu had hid not Deacon o who was also a widower come driving out outto outto outto to the farm aria much oftener than seemed necessary Ills excuses were that ho lie wanted to buy lJur hogs hogl chickens cows other ot oth 1 r things but he never bought He H simp simply simpi ly h i sat In the tho house and nud to the widow I Then there came c tUe si Il t day Ill da When Ii a acon eon con foil cit extreme o tren I satisfied I with the good things s of oC life lICe He tie sold acid I u a dozen old lions liens to a n buyer buer Lot for pul pui I lots lets ho sold a n sheepskin to a n without tho the man taking notice that there was a big cut in the pIt p lt ho traded off otC a kicking cow for Cor one that kept her hind feet Ceet on tho ground all through milking and Imd then sat down downto 11 own to end the day dar with a good supper I There Thoro was wall wa custard plo pie on lie tho table Custard plo 10 was tho the deacons strong stronghold hold bold He Ito had hall that in mind when ho decided on marriage He lie H 0 had bad caton of oC the tho solids and nd one on piece of pie pic when the solicitous widow glanced over oel to lila his plate and said Try one more moro piece of I he the custard pie Ille deacon I dont care caio if IC r I do ilo was the re ic reply reIlly ply Illy ll And he hc tried it It seemed to Just Jui fit lit He was leaning back In Iii his hIli chair with his thumbs In the thc arm aria armholes armholes holes of oC his lila vest est when the widow glanced over again and said saidI I took Special paint pains with Unit plo pie deacon on out your our account Let me nc help You yon to another piece Ir If you oU dont douL mind I 1 never hoard that custard pic pie hurt anybody you OU are aro paying your board yOu Oll know That flint gave tho deacon his cue lie Flu 11 the Ih lie thIrd picco of oC pie JIll look looked looked ed eu longingly at ut what was waa loft and thlu ihen hi I the crumbs from his vest cst and saId Yes Im Iiii a n boarder but there are when I 1 wish I There lire nrc times limes when 1 wish 1511 I was waa closer than Luau a boarder in fact Mrs Miller I 1 believe the thc best est thing tIling wo can do Is to hitch horses You need me Inc nod and 1 I need you OU Youve had a n chance chanco to watch me and Ie Ive had a chanco chance to watch you ou and till I guess we wont wout make ninke any nn mistake The Tue willow widow was clearing off oft the table by this tills time but she paused to blush auld and oust east down lowit her liei eyes e s They always do that no matter how often they aro ille proposed to Sho Site say right out that shed the deacon and ho glad gad to do it but hut her actions notions left him to draw raw a favorable Inference and he lie drew it Three days later Inter when Deacon Brockway camo caine driving out to buy IJU gome more hogs ho lie was received with coldness Deacon met him in front Croll t of the lie house and antI said saidI I dont ont think you OU need teany more time around here Why Wit tho the matter r Ive asked her myself I and going to be mine inide Then you ou ate nic a blamed mean You go on Just what the widow expected after that proposal cannot ClInn l be stated for fO I certain but she alie surely surel had a right to expect tho wedding to o conic come off on oil Thanksgiving Un VaV Wily liy not Then she aho hc linn hail a right to I look t forward to tutu New Ne Years II but disappointment n her hitt lot lut again g ln Having i kod for Cor fo lini hAI heart and 1111 hand find and them the deacon seemed to keep on o paying pa ln board About tho the only change that took place In lii hint him was Wn ns the tho fact that ho lie now nosy helped lo to a piece Illece I of custard plo and und no excuses The widow took puma pains to rend read him nil all the wedding eliding announcements In Inthe inthe the county count paper hoPer but ho lie received them with willi nothing more than a Hum times tI mes when she determined to havo ha the day dav settled but she aho always backed out when hen the moment arrived to speak April hail had come colite and the state of or uncertainty continued whoa when Mrs Millers sister arrived from Cram a town I I HAZLETT 10 miles s awa away She Bho was not a widow but bul ella TUH wn ulso also a hustler She had hul hustled for Cot f a band cold nUd she sho would give gho out pointers Of or course cours she sho pumped for particulars lars l ra and got them and when thoy they were vere w re well In hand sac BOO said Sarah SiH h Im going to lift the tho deacon out of his boots lIes Hes just such a tt has qian Jan Janns as ns my mj lohn was and must mOat bo lie handled tho UI same way John kept me waiting for Cor three years eats and then I raised him h I Ill Hut But I cant ask mH him whon when we wo aro are areto to he bo married was g the protest You say a n word Just go right along alan as HI as a cat and let mo do the tho planning I like the tho deacon Hes lies u a good man but ho honee needs nee a scare hell ask me to sot Get the tho hay day for the lh first of or May Ma And maybe mn hell holl keep keel right on till tilt hes lies 70 0 and never novel say a n word woid about it H Sarah everybody eol hodr thinks a widow as BR sharp as us n 0 knife but they thoy tho are mis mistaken taken They Tho got tho thu gump gumption lion tion of oC spring chickens chIcken Three lays days later Int l Deacon Brockway came caine driving iriving along the road with a agrin agrin grin gnu on his face nee ace On this day ho lie did lid not stop stoll hut but on tho the next he ho lid dill Dea Den Deacon con cou Hazlett saw him from Cram tho fields but get got up In time to say sayan sayan am an thing Ho lie drove droo past the next day da and tho the next nest and each time ho signaled tho the hotie hote with his handkerchief I Deacon was now in a per perturbed state of oC mind He sulked but buthe buthe he ho n nihed I 11 no questions It was apparent ont cat that he lie was Jealous On the da days as s that Deacon Brockway did not drive past the farm the two women drove Into the th village and the slater sister finally dually announced that the thc trap was VM va ready for fot the victim and added Sarah Miller If Ir you ou are not a mar married ned ried rl d woman wC within 21 2 i hours then Ill gho till Up that I dont oven men know to t out a dishcloth and wind Up U II the lock clock But nul Is it to de do d else reho salted d the widow as sho felt Celt Ute tho of or f Conscience It tt la iii for Cor every over wom worn woman an ah to tl gIt II I husband and anti If Ir tile the inan itan Is tin tiui II n old and has hns to be bo hurried up HuH h t fault f ull That day Deacon stop step stopped ped at lit tile the house and got safely Marel away II Also Iso just at dark darl he ho was seen hiving pact llast at full speed Deacon Hazlett gritted bin hili teeth I and ind made tip lip his mind that within the tho next day or two life he h would have havo a talk lolk with the tho widow willow and demand cx ex s Ho lie was wan loo too lute however how cr crAl At Al 10 that evening Just as ns ashe aslie he lie had got to bed there Wore came cante 1 t pOUndIng on tile tho door loor and I nd a voice cried out 0 deacon but bul I cant find Sarah I and I fear Ceat the worst is it asked the tho deacon ns aa ho made male himSelf presentable and nud opened tho the doo Have Haye you noticed that Sarah hits has been licon acting for foi Ot the last three throe layS days But nut sho she jumped Into the lh ho shouted sho tell Worse Vorse than thou that Im ni afraid Den Dea Deacon con coil CO can nn you stand a great grent shock hoek hoeka a tremendous shock Woman what Is it he lie whispered ns n his hla face grew white as snow now and his knees wobbled until ho lie had hind to sit ait down Do Bo a n man Ulan deacon and brace your yourself self seif There Thele aro are worse things than Jumping Into Inlo a 1 well w 1 Sarah has has Hung herself In tho the barn No 0 I fear Icar she has eloped with Deacon Brockway lOlly By thunder yelled tho the deacon as ashe ashe ashe he sprang to his feet Ceet and rind the rOIl rod came como hack back to his face Ill follow them Ill pursue them theta to the ends of or the 4 earth Which way wn did they the go I Toward the Uti village They The were wore to I get married at the Inn there 0 O den deR deRI con Coil I If Ir you ou overtake them dont dont Hut But the th deacon had lUid rushed pact her hor herout herout out of ot Iho thu house and was sas on OR his way war warto to the Iho barn Three minutes later lah r ho lie was astride of oC the old bay ba maro mare and sending her hor along alon tho the Highway at a apace l pace jutes she ails struck for Cor five fie years ears before W WIt p pIt It was w s three mlles miles to tho the village and anil lie he met just ono one team on Oil tho the way ny Pile Tho driver called out a hello hollo to him but tho the deacon answered You go to lo I Ithe Id d p the tue and auni continued tho the pace Tho The inn was gained There Thero sat tho the t f widow willow There sat sal Deacon Brockway There Thoro sat a n minister With ono one awful yank Deacon Brockway Br went whirling out doors Then hOn the tho widow was lifted to her hor root foot C the thc minister woss WOI vai told to go ahead or meet his doom and widow Miller was ja jaMrs Mrs r Deacon Hazlett and on her way wa I home homo within the next nest 10 minutes J |
