The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-27

care Miss Pinchum said testify ,. II dom
suppose should ride in it twice in my hfe'
MIR. Richards made no reply TO shis las
observation, but turning to me, talked Will
seeming interest of the neighborbSod, tn
| country round about, its agriculture. advsn
tages, the character Of the people, and th'
hke While we were so engaged, the re was {
loud ring at the door, and the next monen
heavy step was heard ascending t ie stairs
the door opened, and tall figure, eC npletely
enveloped in black, stood before us.
- You are Henry Richards, unless T am very
much mistaken she said, for the visitor wa
woman advancing toward that gentleman
and my name is Wilkinson-I am a widow
my husband has been dead two years; never
took Oft mourning, and never will. tie longest
day live. My husband was q carpenter
ne worked at this very house, some wonder
what's become of the man that first Suit it
ne was as sour-looking as vine gar-0some ell
lowed he was lovecracked, and SOM allowed
maybe he had killed man sometime and was
taking On about it, fer he never MAJ himself
no way sociable, among US here-ne' err visited
nobody-he went down the river at l. st. Well,
how is your little boy? | heard he Sas sick
Self brag is poor recommendation, rs I can
nuss with nybody il the village; | N a Wild
ow, and have had experience, and J ave come
to go to work, and do whatever is t be done
and, la me, there is always enough Il do where
one Is sick; twenty well, are no MOI Q trouble
than one sick, so they say, and be ieve it's a
fact-in my husbands last illness * lave been
a widow two years, now it seemed 20 me that
my house was just as upside. down . g it could
bel am good housekeeper, and was wexed
till | was nigh about crazy. You must be
lonesome here-a little good company will lie
rewiving But just let me tel you how got
skeered as | was coming here, tonight. You
see I'd been all the afternoon to Mr. Goodman's
donation party; there was number there
some | didn't expect to see, and there were
some expected that didn't come lit always
will be so, you know, Mr.. Richafds--well,
was there, and along in the evening" when the
men began to come for their wives don't care
about mems society any more Just puts my
bonnet on, and home | goes, and no sooner
gets there, than word comes to M about your
little boy being so dreadful bad aid thought
about your being in a strange pl@ee, and all,
and | just puts on my things agar but had
not taken them off, and starts foj your house
Of course, takes the nearest w =, and that
brings me right across Halstead fields, this
girls father J and was leetle ute afraid,
but didn't let on, and Lucretia that's my
little girl-quite little girl she Mr.. Rich
ards, she says to me, she says, Z" Iother, ant
you afraid, J" just that way, the lit thing says
to me-and says |, "What wouldI be afraid
Of my shaddsr?" and Lucretia sughed and
said was always funny and, in cact, when [
am well, | am of as lively TURF aa you will
fnd-well, gets pretty well alop Z, and | be-
gins to think that good luck will have II, and
that amt going to see no sign Of the bull,
but all the time knew would sea him, for
Pn be bound, you could not cross thousand
acre field, if there was bull on it but that
you'd see him tearing up the gsound come
where; and sure enough just as comes into
the big boiler, in the paster-grOund, secs him
believing along like everything. Thinks /, it's
no use to turn back for he will chase me, ten
to one; SO turns down my skirt over my pet
ticoat, for bulls hate red as they do pisen, and
| keeps right along, all of trem6le, and just
as gets opposite, the great ugly sarpent turned,
his head sideways, till ono CT his horns almost
touched the ground, and his big c9cs rolled a.
me, and when | thought was clean by, he up
with his tail, and he gave my clothes such a
histe Dear sakes, it's q wonder 4 m alive |
wouldn't cross that field again, not if you would
give me dollar! | wouldn't. am widow,
and not much to care to live fotS bnt don't
want to be skeered to death by { bull when
do die
lcHAP. II TO BE CONCLUDED IN UR NEXT