Jesse James and the Widow
A Missouri Folktale
retold by
S.E. Schlosser
One day, as Jesse James and his gang were riding through Missouri, they saw a farmhouse and stopped to ask for something to eat. A widow lived there with three small children. She didn't have much in the house, but shared with them what she had.
It was while they were eating lunch that Jesse James noticed that something was bothering this generous widow. He questioned her about it, and she broke down and told him her story. The mortgage was due on the house that very day, and since her husband had died, she did not have the money to pay it. Her landlord was not a generous man, and was sure to put her children and herself out on the street.
"How much money do you need to pay the mortgage?" Jesse asked the widow.
"Fifteen hundred dollars," the widow sobbed.
Jesse James took out his money bag, counted out $1500 dollars and presented it to the widow.
"I can't take this," she protested, but Jesse James insisted she use the money to pay off the mortgage.
"Just make sure you get a receipt," he warned her, and she promised that she would. Then he got a description of the man, and left with his gang.
Jesse James and his gang waited in the woods near the house until the man had collected his money from the widow. Then they rode out onto the road and stole their money back from the landlord.
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Comments
pretty cool gotta love a man who takes care of a woman.
Posted by: k leigh | August 30, 2010 10:05 AM
thats sweet n kool all togeetha!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: ;sldjfi | August 30, 2010 03:03 PM
what's the receipt for?
Posted by: nadeshiko daidouji | September 2, 2010 08:06 AM
Thats a nice ending...never thought of but i liked...no one is wrong.
Posted by: Rezeem | September 14, 2010 12:35 PM
pretty cool
Posted by: Anonymous | September 22, 2010 01:33 PM
How nice was that!!! Jesse is VerY nice!! :)
Posted by: kaysha | September 22, 2010 08:54 PM
omg
Posted by: bob | September 23, 2010 10:21 AM
this story teaches you alot about the poor
Posted by: kerriana | September 27, 2010 08:53 PM
Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!
Posted by: roclafamilia | October 21, 2010 03:16 AM
NICE ONE...LUV THIS STORY.
Posted by: Yaro | October 23, 2010 04:07 PM
Makes is own money like a man!
Posted by: TY | October 26, 2010 11:39 AM
good story kinda sounds like something iwould do but is it sposed to be scary????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: maty | October 26, 2010 01:35 PM
got to love a guy like him
Posted by: ty | October 27, 2010 10:34 AM
got to love a guy like him
Posted by: ty | October 27, 2010 10:36 AM
this makes the woman sound like she needs her husband to survive.
Posted by: sara | October 31, 2010 03:19 AM
the receipt was so that the landlord could not go back to lady and say that she had not paid him when she had.
Posted by: Boosy | November 1, 2010 12:30 PM
You've gotta love Jesse James! Even if he wasn't,you know, this nice in real life...
Posted by: Anonymous | December 6, 2010 07:46 PM
OMG this story is so cool you should read it:]
Posted by: vicky | December 9, 2010 10:16 AM
So romantic. Gotta luv a man like him
Posted by: midnight | February 28, 2011 10:14 AM
im from missouri but live in arizona
Posted by: zach | March 8, 2011 01:08 PM
Best Story Yet
Posted by: Richie | March 10, 2011 09:25 AM
Wow that was very clever of Jesse. When the widow got the receipt, he stole the money back, that way she had proof that she paid it.
Posted by: Justin James the outlaw | March 26, 2011 04:41 PM
love it:) made me cry ;(
Posted by: brenon | April 13, 2011 12:44 PM
so great!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 23, 2011 01:07 AM
sweet.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 28, 2011 09:52 AM
i liked how he was like get a receipt, to show she paid it bc he was gonnna steal the money back!!!! bahahaha great!!
Posted by: livealive | October 31, 2011 09:56 AM