Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-05-09
price Two Cents
OBJ aaiIp spp.
TUESDAY. Way 0, ls54.
The Two widows.
BY NArHAS1EI HAWTHORNE.


The following story, the simple and domes-
tic incidents of which may be deemed scarcely
worth relating after such lapse Of time,
awakened degree of interest a hundred years
ago, in principal seaport of the Bay Of Mas
sachusetts. The rainy twilight of an autumn
day, a parlor on the second floor of house,
plainly furnished, as beseemed the middling
circumstances of its inhabitants, yet decorated
with little curiosities from beyond the sea,
and few delicate specimens Of Indian manu-
facture, these are the only particulars to DO
presented in regard to scenes and season.
Two young and comedy women sat together
by the hreside, nursing their mutual and Pc
culiar sorrows. They were the recent brides
OF two brothers, sailor and landslnan. and
two successive days had brought tidings Of
the death of each, by the chances Of Canadian
warfare and the teinpestuous Atlantic. The
universal sympathy excited by this bereaye-
ment drew numerous condoling guests to the
habitation of the widowed sisters. Several,
among whom was the minister had remained
until the verge of evening, when, one by
one, whispering many comfortable passages of
Scripture, that were answered by more album
dant tears, they took their leave, and departed
to their own happier homes. The mourners,
though not insensible to the kindness Of their
friends, had yearned to be left alone. United
as they had been, by relationship If the living,
and now more closely so by that of the dead,
each felt as if whatever consolation her grief
admitted was to be found in the bosom of the
other. They joined their hearts, and wept
together silently. But after an hour of such
indulgence, one of the sisters, all Of whose
emotions were influenced by her mild, quiet,
yet not feeble character, began to recollect the
precepts of resignation and endurance which
her piety had taught her, when she did not
think to heed them. Her misfortunes, be-
sides as earliest known, should earliest cease
to interfere with her regular course of duties 4;
accordingly, having placed the table before
tie fire, and arranged frugal meal, she took
the hand Of her companion.
"Comc, dearest sister, you have not eaten
morsel to-day" she said. I" Arise | pray
you, and let us ask blessing on that which
is provided for us"
Her sister was of a lively and irritable tenn
permanent, and the first pangs of her sorrow
had been expressed by shrieks and passionate
lamentations, She now shrunk from Mary's
words, like a wounded sufferer from hand
that revives the throb.
"There is no blessing for me, neither will
ask it," cried Margaret, with fresh burst Of
tears. "Would that it were His viii that /
might never taste food more r.
Yet she trernbled at these rebellious exoreS-
sions, almost as soon as they We're uttered and
by degrees Mary succeeded in bringing her
sisters mind nearer to the situation Of her
own. Time rolled on and their usual hour of
repose arrived. The brothers and their brides
entered the married state with no more than
the slender means which then sanction such
step, and confederated themselves in ono
household, with equal rights to the parlor, and
claiming exclusive privileges in two sleeping
ones retired, after heaping ashes upon the dy-
ing embers of the fire, and placing lighted
lamp on the hearth. The doors of both cham
bers were left open, SO that a part Of the inte-
rior of each, and the bed with their Enclosed
curtains, were reciprocal visible. Sleep did
not steal upon the sisters at once and the same
time. Mary experienced the effect often con-
sequent upon grief quietly born, and soon sunk
into temporary forgetfulness, while Margeret
became more disturbed and feverish in proper
as the night advanced with its deepest and
stillest hours. She lay listening to the drops of
rain that came down in monotonous success
sion, unswayed by breath of wind, and anerv-
GUS impulse continuity causing her to lift her
head from the pillow, and gaze into Mary's
chamber and the intermediate apartment.-
The cold light Of the lamp threw the shadows
Of the furniture up against the wall, stamping
them immovably there, except when they
were shaken by a sudden flicker OF the fame
Two vacant arm chairs were in their old posi-
ton on opposite sides of the hearth, where the
brothers hal been wont to sit III Young and
laughing dignity, as heads of families two
humber seats were near them, the thrones of
that little empire, where Mary and herself had
exercised iii love power that love had won
The cheerful radiance of fire had shown UPON
the happy circle, and the dead glimmer of the
Ia IL.
While Margaret groaned Ia bitterness, she
heard knock at the street door.
SHOW would my heart have leapt at that
sound but yesterday thought she remember
ing the anxiety with which she had so long
awaited tidings from her husband, " care
not for it now; let Il. EN- BECOME, for viii not
arise
But even while sort of childish fretfulness
made her TINS resolve, she was breathing hur-
riedly and straining her ears to catch a repe-
tition ofthe summons. tits difficultto be con-
vincced of the death of one whom we have
deemed another SELF The knocking was now
in slow and regular strokes, appa-
rently given with the soft end Of double fist,
and was accompanied by words family heard
through several thicknesses ofthe wall. Mar
garet looked to her sister 8 chamber and beheld
her still lying in the depths Of sleep. She
slightly arrayed herself, trembl ng between
fear and eagerness as she did so.
" Heaven help me !" sighed she. al have
nothing left to fear, and methinks am ten
times more a coward than ever
Selling the lamp from the hearth, she has
tened to the window that overlooked the
street door. 1t was lattide, turning upon
hinges; and having thrown it back, she
stretched her head little way into the moist
atmosphere. A lantern was reddening the
front of the house, and melting its light in
the neighboring puddles, while deluge of
darkness overwhelmed every object. As the
window grated on its hinges, a man in q
broad brimmed hat and blanket coat stepped
from under the shelter of the projecting story,
and looked upward to discover whom his ap-
plication had aroused. Margaret knew him
as friendly inn keeper of the town.
"What would you have, good man Par
er y cried the widow.
''lack a day, is it you, mistress Margaret
replied the inn keeper. al was afraid it
might be your sister Mary, for hate to see a
young woman in trouble, when hav' mt q
word of comfort to whisper to her.
"For Heavens sake, what news do YOU
bring;' screamed Margaret.
"Why, there has been an express through
the town this half hour" said good man Par
ker, !" travelling from the westward iurisdic-
ton with letters from the Governor and Coun-
Gil. He tarried at my house to refresh him
self with drop and morsel, and asked him
what tidings on the frontiers. He told me We
had the better in the skirmish you wot Of,
and that thirteen men, reported slain, are well
and sound, and your hugbsnd among them.
RnsifleH he ia annoinfa1 ana of The asoorf ~