Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-10-14
1flistcllancous.
The Two Widows.
M NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

The following story, the simple and do
,stc incidents Of which many be deemed
arcely worth relating, after such lapse
4 time, awakened a degree OF interest
hundred years ago in a principal seaport Of
she Bay Of Massachusetts The rainy
AaHght of an autumn day; parlor on the
second floor Of small house, plainly fur
she'd as beseemed the middliug circum-
ances Of its inhabitants, yet decorated
lh little curiosties from beyond the seas,
% few delicate specimens OF Indian manu-
cture these are the only particulars to be
vmiscd in regard To scenes aud season. 49,
80 Young and comoly women sat together
lie hresidc nursing their mutual and
ocular sorrows. They were the recent
ies Of two brothers, a sailor aud q lauds-
ln. and two successive days had brought
lo-s Of the death of each, by the chances
Canadian war fare aud the tempestuous
kiduuc. The universal sympathy excited
ths bereavement drew numerous coudol-
/ b. guests to ihe habuations OF the widow
sisters Several, among whom was the
auster, had remained toll the verge Of
t'e1iur, when one by one, whispering many
W1uablc passages Of the Scripture, that
sore answered By more abundant tears,
ay took their leaves and departed to more
ppy homes The mourners though not
sensible to the kindness Of their friends
yearned to be left alone. United as
a, had been by the relationship Of the liy-
Z and now more closely so by that Of the
gld, each felt as IT whatever consolation
grief admitted as 10 be found IA the
asom Of the other. They Joined their
carts aud wept together silently. But ai-
au hour of such indulgence, one Of the
Hers. whose emotions were Influenced by
r mild, quiet yet not feeble character, be-
gao TO recoliect the precepts al resignation
Id endurance which piety had thaughi
r, when she did not think TO heed them
Her misfortune, besides, as earliest known
aould earliest cease To interfere with hel
suIar course of duties accordingly, hav
y placed the table before the FIRE, and ar
ranged a frugal meal, she took the hand o
H. companion
4 Come, dearest sister, YOU have not eater
Il norsel to-day she said. Arise, pral
70, aud le, us ask blessing on that whlol
i provided for US
Her slster-in-law was Of lively and If
able temperament; aud the irsl pangs O
sorrow bad been expressed by shrieks ans
lssiouate lamentations She now shraul
1om Mary's words like a wounded suiiere
'om a hand that received the thro5.
There IS no blessing for me, ueIthc
gdl ask it, cried Margaret, with lresI
burst of tears. Would that 1t were Iii
Enl that might never taste food more
Yet she troubled at these rebeiious eS
Tesslons, almost as soon as they were utter
ed and by degrees Mary succeeded in bring
IL her sisters mind nearer to the situatio
Fl her own. Time went, aud their usu'
lour Of repose arrived The brothers an
heir brides entered the marriage state wlt
20 more than the slender means winch the
ancloned such a step, and confederate
emselyes in one household with equ'
ghts the parlor, and claiming exclnsv
Nleges ia two sleeping-rooms contiguou
bL Thlher the widowed ones retire
aer heapiug ashes on the dying embers {
be ire, aud placing a lighted lamp upo
be hearth The doors Of both chamber
were lelt open, so that a part Of the inter
IT, of each, and the beds with their unclo
led curtains were reciprocally visible.
Sleep did not steal upon the sisters at on
and the same time. Mary experienced tt
elect often consequent upon grlei quiet
L borne, and sank into utter iorgeiiuluess.-
II Margaret became more disturbed and leye
Il 18Th IA proportion as the night advanced "il
Ms deepest and slllest hours. She lay lls
emng to the drops Of rain that came do"
HOMOGENEOUS succession, unswayed by
breath Of wind, and nervous impulse co
unnally causing her TO llf her head fro
AeT pillow, aud gaze into Mays ehamb
ahd The intermediate apartment. The co
lght Of the lamp threw the shadows OF Il
furniture up against the wall, stamping the
immoYably there, except when they we
shaken by the sudden flicker of the fidme.-
Two vacant arm chairs we're in their O
position ON opposite sides of the heart
where the brothers had been wont to SIT
laughing dignity as heads OF families, "
humble seats were near them the Two shrln
OF that little empire, were Margaret III
'efclsed m love power that love d
won While Margaret groaned III bite
ness, she heard a knock al the street dore
How my heart would have leaped at ii
sound but yesterday thought she, reme'
oeflng the anxiety with which she had lo'
awaited tldngs from her husband. ca
4 not Tor 1t now; let them begone for | "
pot arise.
But even while sort of childish iretl'
2, less made her thus resolve, she was brea'
ng hurriedly and straining her ears to cat
repetition of the summons. II is dlihc'
be convinced of the death OF one who
we have deemed another self. The knoc
J ing was now renewed in slow aud regu
sHokes, apparently given by the slow
~ doubled fist, and it was accompanI
W words family heard through several the
J. "esses Of the wall. Margaret looked