The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-01-27
The Disconsolate Widow.

| Lue OlSCOuSOldJ6 WluOWs
We will insure good hearty laugh I
all who will take the trouble to read til
following 1t is mixture of the sublim
and the ridiculous that is positively re
fresljng:
after nine miles of the most lonesome
dfeary and billy road that ever morta
man Travelled, caihe In sight of what
supposed to bo the widows house.
was low cabin, at the foot of the hill
With tremendous oak in front of it.
saw sohfe oiie sitting under the tree, and
as approached nearer, discovered i
was a woman, with her face buried IL he
hands and weeping violently. As soor
as | reached the spot, | addressed hel
somewhat in the following Words
i do not wish to be impertinent
but feel some concern to know what i,
the matter with your
90 I6ateve9 apd.oh, me! Hoo-oo-hoo
by it are left as neta..
-. Is the matter
/ deniaMu5d, becoming really concerned
at the manner III which she was acting
She kept up her agony of distress, while
a group of six or seven children began to
come from the neighborng houses and
gather close about her.
Madam cried |, in the name of all
that's good, tell me what ails you?
20, stranger she exclaimed, raising
her eyes, bloodshot with weeping, my
boo-Doo-hoo .-hus--boo-bafd is-boo.
hoo dcad?' and again she relapsed into
her fit of weeping. was truly affected
by the poor woman's distress, and though
poor sinner myself / could not refrain
from Offering her SOME CONSOLATION.
My dear madam, do not give up to
distress. Heaven has promised to be u
husband to the widow, and father to
the fatherless. Cheer up, my good wo-
man; the cloud may be dark, but the
sun will eventually dissipate it. You
may have to labor hard for your children,
but Heaven will aid you =
"That arn't nothing" " exclaimed the
woman; "as fur the children, / ha'nt
got tbutseventeen, an | can make sport for
them easy enough. Heaven mout be my
husband, an has no doubt he'd make
a mighty good husband; but I want u
sure nutf husband, a real one like my
poor john Was atbEe he died=po John
poor John! o, me .-hoo-hoo-ee-ee!
When / had listened to this speech,
there was something so absolutely and
purely original in its ridiculous IDEAS, that
| could not help laughing at the mourn-
er. As soon as possible | recovered my
self and changed my tactics.
"Well ma ahi," | said, 'if that's all,
for Heavens sake don't give YOURSELF any
trouble, there are plenty of men in the
world: surely you can get another hus-
band"
IL mout git another husband, stranger,
but, oh! | could find nary mother like
John-poor John poor John oil, me I.
boo hoo-ee!"
"What was there remarkable about
him ma'am? If he was uncommonly
likely, there are plenty of handsome men
left in the world. II he was an extraordi-
nary strong man, know of some giants
in strength. Was he good, kind and
gentle, there are s'yh ss'y lett ~, the
| earth. Was ne man of J2Xtracsdifary
intellect, wisdom or genius. depend up.
pom it, there are others equal to him on
earth. Depend upon it, that no matter
what extra gift he may have possessed
with patience and diligence you may
find another to smooth the rough way o
life for you, and fill the vacancy which
now distresses you so.'
80, stranger" returned the woman
81 know it's your hndhearte,iaess what
makes you speak so, but 'tant worth
while; John wasn't nothin' extraordinary
in none o. them things you speak Of
But never, no never! know / kin nev,
er find the likes of John again on yuth
o, John poor John!-poor John! boo
hoo-ee. "
"Well, ma'am, have guessed till I'm
tired. What was there about him so re'
markable?" sF
Markbull :" she exclaimed, "why,
stranger, John was the best fiddler on
yuth. How he'd lay back behind his
fiddle and roll his beautiful red head
about from side to side, us he played
Sugar in de Gourd,' Pig in de Tatui
Patch, 'Ole Dan Tucker an all them
tunes Just to think It hant been a
month since he sit rite here under this
tree and played for me while | got up
and danced just this way to that good
old tune
40, she wouldn't an she couldn't an she woulin
come at all
Te um tun dddc DUN doolc addy day!'
And here the woman jumped up and
cut two or three very difficult steps-halt
way between the pigeon wing and the
old Virginia back step-while she sang
the above tune; then falling, she scream
ed in the agony of distress; :,
"And now he's gone dead o, me y
gazcd at the woman for one moment
aid then told her knew some very gooc
fiddlers. She immediately became calm
and looking up into my face, with an en-
quiring glance, she said
"Stranger, maybe you is good fid
dler; III go and git Johns fiddle !"
And off she started for the house! A
soon as she was out of sight, | strucl
spurs to my horse.
Few can understand the depth of sucl
feeling as that.
sY- Here is something good about I
fretful man: 1--WE know man with I
patient, good, Christian wife, and we nev