St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-05-12
MoraI TaIs.
THE WIDOW.
BY MRS. ELIZA BIsBEE DUrrEy

What a pleasant face Miss Young
has" said |, to my companion, as the
lady of whom l spoke passed the win.
dow where we were sitting. What
a pity she is an old maid her life
must be such lonely one"
"An old maids life is lonely enough
no doubt" was the reply received,
if you mean solitary hearth, and
vacant spot in the heart which should
have been filled by the love of hus-
band and children. But Miss Young
is neither lonely nor unloved. The af.
lection that might have bound her to
one family, is divided among many,
at whose home she is welcome and
expected guest. As the world speaks,
she has herself onl Y to look out for
but she is not satisfied with this sell
fish life of no one could it be said
more truly than of her. she goes
about doing good Miss Young is
not so much to be pitied. l think she
might rather be envied. Then do
not call her an old maid. She is a
widow"
a widow! You astonish me |,
Yet you called her Miss"
80 l did. But she is widow,
nevertheless l, who know more of
her than most-who have learned her
history from her own lips-know her
to be widow, though l call her Miss,
as others do"
"Then there has been romance in
her life-something more than those
who have always known her are ac-
quainted with Do l understand you
aright?"
There has been romance in it,
though perhaps not more than very
many could recount from personal ex-
pcrience yet sufficient to change it's
current, and make her an old maid in
the behalf of the world, widow in
mine"
The story I then listened to, of Miss
Young's girlish days, l will now re-
peat, substituting my own language
for that of the narrator.
Twenty-Five years ago, Lucy Young
had just passed her seventeenth year,
and was fresh, good-looking country
girl, whose principal personal charms
consisted in the glow and vigor of
health, and cheerful smiles, betoken-
ing a contented heart, that beautilied
her face A city belle, with her hot
house ideas, might have sneered, if
Lucy had been cited to her as model
of beauty. Nevertheless, Lucy was
among the fairest maidens of the lit
tie neighborhood in which she lived
She was a belle in her country way,
challenging by her natural graces-
not coquetishly, as the city Miss
knows how-the admiration of all the
bcaux for miles around.
She was a farmers daughter, and
busy with the heavy share Of farm
house work which was her daily duty
to perform, she lived happily on
through Winter and Summer, igno,
rant of the havoc among hearts she
was guilty of, as her bright eyes, and
| full rich voice charmed the village
swains. Ignorant, did l say? She
would not have been a woman, if she
were ignorant of it all. Nor must ii
| be denied that she sometimes felt a
womanish huttering of the heart, may
be an innocent feeling of elation, which
might have been mistaken as coquet-
tish, as some more daring admirer
gave slight token of his preference.
There was one to whom she was
not Indifferent James Hartwell, a
neighbours son, who had been her boy
lover from the time when they leaned
over the school ma'am's" lap, side
by side, and learned the rudiments OF
education /; onward, when they had
walks to and from school in Summer
time, and when he gallantly assisted
her through the deep snow, upon his
sled, in Winter onward, from the in
nocent time when the honest affection
of their boy and girl hearts was some
thing they did not think Of Disgusting
up, when, as they grew in knowledge
and stature, and learned more Of the
ways of the world, they became more
timid and reserved, though not more
cold, till now, when she, finding her
self come to woman's estate, and with
the consciousness that childish feel
ings had passed away, was waiting
coyly to be won and he, with the
newly fedged dignity of manhood
justified by the appearance of a sof
down upon his chin, was eager to wo,
her-Jamcs Hartwell, of all her ad
mirers, could most readily call blusl
to her cheek, and send a happy thrill
to her heart.
James was a man now, and he hat
higher ambition than that of following
his fathers occupation as tlller o
the soil. With incessant labor, hls
father had acquired little money
and so might he in the same pursuit
but it was such humdrum life. SO
after deliberation in the family, which
was somewhat FASTENED by the young
mans eagerncss, it was decided tina
the city should be the place wherein
, to develop his talents, before he set
tied in business for himself.
To the city, then, he went but no
before he had claimed and received
promise from Lucy, that she would b
his wife at the expiration OF the year
Of trial, when he was prepared to ell
ter life for himself.
He went away with glad heart
strengthened by the assurance of he
love, and ready to give battle to
l thousand imaginary difficulties. Luc.
D remained at home, while the remen
brance of her lover frightened he
: matter-of-fact life, which was spent II
: dairy and culinary duties. Jane
: was so noble and good so energetI
t and persevering. He would be sur
5 to succeed. And then, when he ha,
y established a reputation in the world
!. he would come back to her, Nor di
}. she overrate his powers. He was
person sure to succeed though h