Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1847-07-08

|
dow; she looked at the ground, and al her
door stood, hesitatingly, a gentleman. Was
it sacrilege for Dorina just to take peep at
the man ? Would it be infdelity to Stephen,
if she looked at the living beauty of her one
at the street door? She thought it no harm,
and looking round at the lvooden husband,
there he stood, looking smilingly at her,
Memory Of Stephen that smile was thy
desertion. Hadst thou frowned, it would
have saved thee, perhaps, the life elaboration
of thy widow.
The door opened. "Madam," said the
maid, "a gentleman would speak with you,
a lovely gentleman, almost as lovely as your
blest one. He said he had business with
yourself alone, which he could not trust with
me-" ooh, no,'' said Dorina, ''tell him |
see no one-make up some story-I'm sick
with sorrow-for, ah me - and she clasped
her white arms around the avooden Stephen,
and she kissed his faded lips, and she heav-
ed deep train Of signs, and cried out, 'for-
ever thine Stephen, forever thine" ''Madam,
you must come down-'twil never do, for
he has caught sight of your form from be-
low, as you stood gazing by the window.
lie says he will not be sent away. ! should
think, madam, you might 60" Perplexity
dashed its lightning contortion over her
beautiful face, and Aut!ering 'twixt memory
and hope, she rushed, and with sudden
glow, again embraced the image that so long
had soothed her woe, and going to the door,
she looked back. With averted glance, she
caught the face of Stephen-he smiled on
her-he was happy-why should not she be
happy also? Down she goes and lets the
stranger in. All! widow Dorina, loving him
forever!
Who is he? can you tell f.? A sutton p
Ask the maid who is listening at the key
hole. How long they sit together? Does
Dorina weep? Alas, no. There is JOY in
that clustered room, and in joy the day
slips by. Why don't the stranger go? Sure
he bores the widow Dorina. He should
leave the house. Perhaps he has had the
unheard of boldness to ask to remain guest.
Dorina comes forth alone. Is she sad !?
No. She says "Maid, the gentleman avill
be guest tonight. Go make our supper
ready" Gladly flew the maid to her work.
But alas! in her eager prying at the door,
the cooking wood had been forgotten. Up
the house and down the house, not stick
of wood could she find, and the wood-cut-
ter could come no more that day. Dorna
is in agony, when the maid says, "Ah, ma
dam, hear the solemn truth, there's not a
single stick of wood in the house. Suppose
take the image down and split it. 1t is
good wood know, and would cook sweet
y. "The image" cried Dorina. ono, in
deed! weli-yes, do! What need to
make all this fuss about it, Pm sure don't
care" 'But, ma'am, the image is too hea-
Wy for me, can't lift it alone, and then to
take it down-the gentleman might see it.
1t would 60 easily out of the window."-
"A lucky thought" cried Dorina in delight,
sand falling to the hard pavement in the
yard, will split it for you too, and save you
much labor. This gentleman will hereafter
live with me, and should hate to see that
odious wooden fright in my bed chamber"
said Dorina. Up went the sash, and up
went the blessed wooden Stephen to the
window sill, lifted by the widow and her
maid, and then down he fell with horrid
crash, breaking into thousand pieces On
the hard stones below. Those fragments
fed the fire that warmed the wedding feast
ofthe widow Dorina, and her second spouse.
Perhaps she thought Of Stephen, in her days
of JOY. If she did, she did not mention it.
Widows are faithful, especially to the men,
cries of dead husbands. Ha-ha-it is so
funny.