The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-03-11
Miscellaneous,
WIDO w 8.

adS ano ID our OBJECT 10 Illustrate the old dvines
text by two famous and most ancient stories; but we
would in the FIRST place offer few remarks upon
Me species lcidotC. #.I
If widow be derived from the Latin piduns, void.
then Mr. Weller the elders pronunciation, vidder. i,
the most chronological. We are, however, far from
sharing that gentIemunS feelings towards those ladies'
eleverest OF their cnss. We love widows We gain
by their loss. And the roid to us and we fenr to
them is anything but 'achng void. -
In society Miss is, not to make a pun, amiss.
Your sixeens and are always at skies and
seyens about the men. They are so walked about
by what is proper and what is not proper that thew
can do nothing but sit bolt upright with their arms
folded. Their sitting, walking, riding, dancing, talk
ing, are all carefully graduated to the proper They
start when you speak to them, as a pigeon does when
it sees hawk, and take hold Of a mans arm rs
though he were made Of phosphorus and are bound
to look silly. and take refuge under mammals wings
IL the air be tainted by the ghost of possible impro-
pretty. Ia Spanish society young ladies' danced
with, but never spoken TO; hut more Of them
But widow, the becoming sorrow is
over, which takes place, is always gay, always
charming
in the first place, the widow sail sirre. She
knows how to talk to and how to treat them.
In the second, she does what she pleases and Miss
Scandal has to shrek allow improper ~ in whis-
per- In the third place, she never grows old A
spnster Is ON the wune at hve-and twenty, and at
forty, even Echo would be afraid to answer her, for
fear she should consider it offer; bat widow ut
thirty Is on the "wax and in her prime at forty; nj
least so says the song. We wonder that all women
do not wish they were born widows, and that failing
and the occasion presenting ITSELF do not emulate the
fifty Misses Dunaus, in the mythology who haste to
become widows stabbed their husbands on the we'd
dfS;g ngnt.
The Rev. DR. Sterne remarks that 'the Lord tenn
Pers the wind TO the shorn lamb Bereaved married
people must BIO shorn limbs. We have heard wild
Ows a fortnight after the sad event. humnng Gaf , /
Cal dc P'ofundts and widows finding the breeze
of most comfortable temperature, and keeping up a
cheerful ivean-loving spirit behind their impenetra-
Bile black wells, just as the shines as brightly as
ever behind the darkest thunder cloud.
The first tale is that Of the matrou Of Ephesus told
with infinite spirit by La Fontane In his Contos lie
took it from Boccaccio Il is to be found in Petronius
who had it from the Greeks. They borrowed il from
the Arabiuns who in their turn owe ii to the Chi
Lese. Du Halle has il in his version. The origin Of .
most of our veryduy stories is completely hidden
IN the obscurity Of bygone ages the name Of the
inventor Of the plough. Who the father orjukes
Was Joseph Miller the Joseph who found favor in the
eyes Of the facle Fatima Did Pharouh write ia
celi@ : Or did Job edit jest book Or was the
husband of Eve the first great wag; and must we not
consider Joseph misnomer for Adam
Once upon a time there lived in Ephcsus a lady
for her beauty and for her wit, but most
of all for her intense affection for her husband Moth
ers cited her example to their daughters, and
husbands forever singing her praise to their
wives. In short the town esteemed itself lucky in
possessing within its walls such a model Of virtue
But alas the husband died Far from being con
soIed by a will full Of Iegacies in her favor, the wild
ow abandoned hersclfto the most Distressing grief
and sobbed and groaned bitterly and so loudly that
all the neghborhood was in tears Frantic with her
loss she resolved descend iato the tomb with her
husband and to die upon his body. A faithful maid
servant accompanied her, ufe trying in vain bring
back her mistress to the love of life. She wished to
feed her eyes the last upon the bier of the deceased
and this was the only aiment she intended to allow
herself One day passed in weeping, and her
griec omitted nothing which is necessary in such
cases. I'D ~ .... n
Another dead body was lodged Ear from this
tomb, but very differently. His monument was
S'"""S' hiinseit MS only eplIp'--a warning 10
all thieves. A soldier watched him night and day,
and was threatened with instant death If the body
was removed. During the night the sentinel percei
we'd to his great surprise light flashing through the
crcvicos Of the tomb and stealing towards it heard
many soft obs and alas's. Entering he was amuzed
to see two pretty women in tears, and enquired po-
litey what motive could induceI them to snhahit
an abode the widow of did
degn to but the explained him that
they had resolved to themselves to death for
love Of the deceased. The soldier explained well
as he was uble what life was and ked leave to take
hrs supper in their presence, if they would nothing
themselves They gave him permission. Animated
by the beauty of the lady, and insisted by the maid
who began to tire Of starvation he pleaded so warmly
and so well, that the dame consented BY degrees to
forget her mort, and to bestoyv herself upon him.
Just as they had atiiied the by kiss under
the very nose Of the deiunci, be heard noise with