Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-17
stlttt q aLt.
THE WIDOWS BEAU.
ny mas. cAaoLiSE A. souLr.

little sanctuary which the Inhabitants OF
Fairmount had consccratcd 20 the wor-
ship OF God Tho minister had read
the Psalm and the Scripture lesson,
and the FIRST lines Of the opening hymn.
The eyes OF hts people were fixed In
tontly upon him, for he was uot only u
good, sound, and eloquent preacher,
but he WAS adnc.looklng one too, and
thus enehalned usually not ouly tho
attention of the true but the false wor-
shipper. Tho house was very still
tho clear, molodious tones OF the speak.
or were tho only sounds that throbbod
on tho balmy, golden alr which the
midsummer sabbath morn had breath
cd Into that holy place, The first
syllable OF the second line was trembl.
Ing on his lips, wheu rustic at the
door and tho entrance OF two persons,
n lady and a gentleman, dissolved the
charm. In second every eye turned
from the pulpit TO the broad aisle. and
watched with moro than ordinary
eagerness the progress Of the couple.-
A most searching ordeal were they
subjected 10; and when they were fairly
and quietly seated In the front pew,
Immediately before the pulpit, what u
nudging Of elbows there was--aye.
and how many whispers. too, In vain
Iaought the good, the sound, the olo-
quent, the handsome Mr.. B---to seal
again the attention Of his hearers
They had eyes and thoughts for no.
body but the Widow O.. aud
Widow C---'s young and dashing.
lookinng attendant.
How she had cheated theml--
Hadn't she said hundred times or
more. that her heart was In the grave
Of hor buried one--that she would
never marry agqin2 Hadn't she ro.
fused always 10 walk out or ride out
with any OF the unappropriated gentle
mon Of tho ylllagcY Hadn't she said
she didn't feel rs though she could
ever wear anything but mournIngY-
And In spite OF all those proleslatIons,
hadn'tsho come out. all once. dressed
all IN white, and walked into church
In broad daylight, leaning on the arm
OF "a young gentlomanY
Yes, indeed she had. She would
have pleaded guilty 10 all these charges
grave ones as they were. and 10 the
last two how many witnesses might
have been snbpoenacdl She was
actually dressed IN whItel A buauti-
ful robe Of India null. tucked 20 the
waist. with mn open corsage displaying
m elaborately wrought chemisette,
drapery slsevea trimmed with the
richest Of Mechlin lace. undersleeves
OF the same expensive material, awhile
Grape shawl. white lace hat with
orange buds and flowers. white kid
gloves and light gaiters--sueh was the
description every lady had on her
tongues end 10 repeat over rs soon as
service was closed. And tho gentle
man--he. too, was dressed IN Style
Didn't he wear itepants of the latest
Ipattera. and white vest. and coat
of "satin finish, and white kids too?
and didn't he sport u splendid pin and
q massive chain, and didn't he gaze
often, and tendcrly, and lovingly on the
fair creature beside him? All yes, he
did so, and there was no farther room
TO doubt. Widow c. had cheated
them. She had won beau, laid aside
her mourning. put on bridal attire, and
was going To be- married in church.
But who the beau was, or whence he
came. was more difficult to solve.
Service proceeded. The choir sang,
the minister prayed and preached
the people wondered when the cere-
mony would would take place. But,
to their utter astonishment, they were
left to wonder; for when the benediction
was pronounced, Widow C-and
the strange gentleman walked with
the rest of the congregation quietly
out of the church When they reached
the pavement he offered his arm very
gracefully, and she placed her hand
very conhdingly on the beautifully soft
coat sleeve. and they passed on.
What morning that was in Fair
mount What a world Of conjectures,
surmises, inquiries, and doubts rolled
over and over in the brains of not only
gossiping ladies', but sober, matter-of-
fact gentlemen. 1.-The like of such a
thig" had never occurred before in the
annals Of the village. There was some
thing new under the sun-a lady had
q beau, and nobody knew Of i'll
Widow C, didn't your ears, not
only the right but The left, burn that
day? Ah! we wonder they hadn't
dropped of; surely the must have been
crisp and crimson
The Rev. Mr. B. preached to n
crowded house that afternoon; no com
pliment to him, though--lhe magnet
was in the pew before him. Every one
was sure the wedding would takeplacc
then, but every one was again sadly
disappointed; and il tongues had run
at railroad speed before. they travelled
then on the electric wires. Ths minister
might have preached in Greek that
day, and his sermon would have been
quite rs edifying. But one subject
engrossed the village mind. The
widows beau--that was the topic.
1t actually seemed. too, as though
the lady tried to make all the talk she
could. After ten, arm in arm with the
strange gentleman, she walked the
whole length OF the village, and away
out to the cemetery, and never returned
till the moon was high.
"A nice-looking dress guess she
had. drawled out old Grandma W,
as she listened to the account OF the
widows wanderings. I'm glad
haint got to wash 1t, all drabbled up
with dew as it must have been; but
Z - l., =,