Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 237, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1911 — WHEN THE TIME CAME [ARTICLE]

WHEN THE TIME CAME

By M. QUAD

Mrs. Sarah Drew was a New Hampshire widow. She owned a farm, and Jake White was her hired man. He was a good man and a good worker and had been with. the family for three years when Farmer White died. It will never be known to outsiders whether Mr. White, when told that he was to be gathered to his fathers, called Jake to his bedside and said: “I must go. but I am consoled by the thought that I leave Sarah In good hands. Give her a year or so to mourn my loss and then propose matrimony.” Three years went by and Jake had not spoken. There were times when he thought he was encouraged to speak out and other times when he was prepared to come in from the field after a hard day’s work and learn that the widow was engaged to the sewing machine agent who had that route. The widow, too, had thoughts. It was more than once whispered about that Jake was ih love with this or that farmer girl, and she had come to feel that his loss would be a double one. ‘ Mrs. Drew had been a widow for four years and Jake White had done bushels and bushels of thinking when, winter came on. When the foot or more of snow which heralded the change of season had got packed down on the highway Providence put it into Jake's head to get out the big hand sled and propose a ride down the long and winding hill. Providence didn’t go so far as to put the widow next as to what would happen, but it meant well by both. It had been a long time, and Providence meant to hurry things up a bit. Half a dozen of the neighbors were to take part in that moonlight sleigh ride, but for one reason or another all backed out, leaving the two alone. Probably this was another trick on the part of Providence. About the time the sled was drawn out for the glide Elder Henderson, who lived just beyond the foot of the hill, was saying to his wife: “Martha, I bought ten bushels of taters of the Widder White yesterday.” “We’ll need ’em all before spring,” was the reply. “I was goin’ for ’em tomorrer, but it’s such a nice night that I dunno but I’ll yoke up the oxen and jog along now." “Might as well, I guess, but look out that the taters don’t get frostbit You know how nigbsighted you are in the nponlight. If you hear sleighbells yoii’d better give ’em the road.” “Nighslghted I” he indignantly sniffed. “Don’t you go to makin’ out that I’m a hundred years old. Why, I could pick up a pin on the darkest night you ever saw. I’ve got just the same rights as anybody, and I’m dinged if I give more’n half the road.” The oxen were yoked in due time and started out. There were bags to hold the potatoes and blankets to cover the bags, and any old sport would have given odds of two to one that the elder, the oxen and its cargo would arrive at the top of the hill right end up after a climb of twenty minutes. The wager would have been made without taking Providence into consideration, and the old sport would have lost.

The Widow White was bundled up and seated on the sled. In fact, she was strapped on. Jake sat close behind her, dragging the foot that was to steer the sled a straight course. As they were ready so start it came over him to speak of his love. A feeling came to the widow that he was going to, but the time was not ripe. Providence figures those things down to minutes and seconds. As Jake shut his mouth on his words and started the sled Elder Henderson, near the foot qf the hill, started singing a hymn. He not only loved the sound of his singing, but he thought the oxen ought to be encouraged. His voice came floating up the hill, and as Jake caught It he said: “Mrs. White, that’s Elder Henderson.” “Yes.” p “He’s probably coming after thoso potatoes with his oxen and sled." “Well?” “He’ll be in the middle of the road, and as our sled is already getting away from control there’s going to be a smashup. I want to say to you that I have loved you for the last three years and to ask you if you will marry me?” “Oh, Jake!” “It’s the elder and the oxen for sure. Yes or no?” “It’s so sudden!” “Right in the middle of the road, and we’ll be into them In ten seconds.” “Must I-I”-“Flve seconds more!” “Then—yes!” Elder Henderson was marching ahead of the oxen, a hero leading the way. He was struck and sent flying and his tune cut short Then the sled struck the oxen and flung them Into the ditch and made a long jump over the other and a minute later was f the foot of the hill and Jake was saying: "We might say the first of next Week for the wedding!” ' It didn’t come off quite as quick as that *" they waited for the elder's cuts and bruises to heal so that he could be a guest, but things came ill right in a little time, and a favorite saying of the elder's is: “All the hand of Providence, air. If I hadn’t set out to sled them taten home that night there might noser have been a marriage.”