Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-06-17
MIS- c Ell N Y.
From the Home Magazine for May.
THE WIDOW.
nv Ms. KLlzA BlssnEE DUFFY.

"What a plcasan, face Miss Young has,
said to my companion as tho lady Of
whom spoke paSscd tho window where
we were sitting. "what pity she is an
old maid her life must be such q lonely
one"
"An old maids life is lonely enough, no
doubt" was the reply received, " IL you
mean solitary hearth, and va"ant spot
in the heart which should have been filled
by the love Of a husband and children. hut
Miss Young is neither lonely nor rnloscd.
The affection which might have bound her
TO one family j. divided among many, at
whose home she Is welcome and expected
guest. 4, tho world speaks she ha. no one
bat herself to loik on, for but she Is not
satisfied with ihi. selfish life; OF no one
could !, be said more truly than her" she
gocs abou. doing gool." Miss Young Is
not so much to be pitied. | think she
nigh, rather he cnyi~d. Then do no, call
her an old maid. She j. a widJw."
~ widow, YOU astonish NE Yet you
called her Miss"
"SoI d.. Bot she is widow ncycrihc.
les. who know more Of her than most
who have learned her history from her own
lIp,-know her to be a widow, though |
call her Mis. ~ others DO"
"Ther has bccn romance in her life
-somcthing moro than those who have al
ways known her arc acquainted with Do
understand YOU ausht?"
There hl. been romano, in 1t though
perhol. not more than very many could r.
count IRON pcrspnAl experience. yc, suli.
cicn, To change il, current, aud make her
an old maid in the belief Of the world, a WI
dow in mine"
The story I then listened to. Of NJ"
Young's sirl,sh days, will now rcpa,
substituting my own lausuas, l0F that OF
the narrator.
Twenty hyc years ago. Lucy Young had
just passed her seventeenth year, and was
rcc,h, good looking country girl. whose
princ'ph personal charms consisted in the
glow AMI visnr Of health, and cheerful
smiles, be,okcnins a contcn'cd heart, tha,
bcau,icd her face. \ city belle with her
hot.hous' ideas migh, have snrcrrd, II Lucy
had bccu cited 10 her ~ q model % beauty.
Nevertheless, Lucy W.. amons., the lair.
c.i maiden. NJ the liIlls ncishbjrhopd in
which she lived. She was belle in hcr
country way, challenging By her natural
srlc,s-noi c,que.ishly rs the city Miss
knows how-ihc admiration OF all the
bcAux f,s m,ls, around.
She was farmers daughter, and busy
With the heavy share Of hrm.hol. work
which was her daily duty to perform, shc
lived happily on through Winter aud sum
mcr. ignorant Of Ihc havoc among hears
she was guilty II, a. her bright eyes and
fall rich yoico charmed the village swans.
Ignorant, dl sy? Sh, would not have
bcrn woman, II she were isnoran, OF 1t
all. Nor must it be denied that shc some
times lcl, womanish lut,erins Of the
heart, maybe an innocent feeling uf oll,ion
which might have been mistaken as coquet'
ti,h as some more daring admircr gave
slight token Of his pr ference.
There was one 10 whom she was not in
different; James Ilir,w,ll, nelghbor',
son Who bad bccn her boy lover from the
time when they leaned over the " school
ma'um's" lap, side by side, aud learned Ihe
rudimen,s OF education onward. when ,hcy
had walks TO aud from school in SumncF
time. and when be calamity assisted hcr
through the snow upon hi, sled, in Winter,
onward lrom the innocent time when the
honest affection OF their boy aud gIrl hearts
was something they did not think uf DIS
guising up when they srow N knowledge
and stature, and learned more OF the ways
Of the way, Of the world. they became more
timid and reserved, though not more cold
till now, when she finding herself come Il
woman's estate. and with the Consciousness,
that childish feelings had passed away, wa'
waiting coolly 10 be won and he, with the
newly ledsod dignity Of manhood, justified
by the appearance Of a solS down upon his
chin was eager to WOO her-Jamcs Ilartly
OF all her admirers. could most rcIii ly cal
a blush TO her check, aud send happy
thrill to her heart.
james was man now and he had hishel
ambition than that OF following his father
occupation Us tiller OF the toll. With in
ccssant labor his laih,r had acquired a liz
tls money. 50 might he in the same pursuit
bat it VAS such humdrlm ola life. Su
after deliberation in the family, which wa
somewhat hasIened by his easerne's, It wa
decided that the city was the place wherein
10 urNciop hls taities pl'NaN Hs sNNN''N ~
business for himself.
To the city then hc went but no
before he had claimed and received prom
ise from Lucy. that she would be his wifi
at the expiration Of the years OF trial wher
be was prepared to enter life for himself.
lie went away With glad heart strength
cncd by the assurance Of her love, and rca
dy to give battle too thousaNd imaglnar
difficulties. Lucy remained at home, Will
the remembrance Of her lover brigbieue,
her mater Of fact life, which was spent u
dairy and culinary duties James was ;
noble and good 50 enterprising and persc
yerins. lie was sure to succeed. An
then. when he had established reputa
ton in the world he would come back :