Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-10-11
PUBLISHED BY
E. COWLES & CO.,
70. 144 American buildings, Superior st.
The Widow CObbs First Love,
BY NARY W. STANLEY GIBSON.


COReluded
The stranger pushed the stand back afleI
the pipe was lit and drew her easy-chair
little nearer the ire-and his own.
"Oome sit down" he said, pleadingly.-
It's not late-and when q man has been
knocking about in California and all sorts Of
places, for a score Of years, he IS glad to get
into a berth like this-and have pretty
woman to speak to once again.
"Oalifornis Have you been in California"
she exclaimed, dropping into the chair al
once. Unoonsciously she had long cherished
/ the idea that Sam Payson-the lover Of her
youth-With whom she had foolishly quar-
relied, had pitched his tent after many
wanderings, In that faF-of land. Her heart
warmed to one who, with some thing of Sam $
look and ways about him-had also been
soiourning in that country-and who very
possibly had met him-perhaps had known
him intimately At that thought her heart
beat quick--and she looked very graciously
at the bearded stranger-whO, wrapped in Mr..
Cobbs dressing gown, wearing Mr.. Cobb's
slippers and sitting in Mr.. Cobbs chair, beside
Mr.. Cobbs wife, smoked Mr.. Cobb's pipe with
an air OF feeling most thoroughly and com
fortably at home
AYES, maam-rYe been in California for
the last six years. And before that | went
round the world-in a whaling ship"
"GOOd Gracious"
The stranger sent puff Of smoke curling
gracefully over his head.
ats very strange, my dear lady, how
often you see one thing as you go wandering
about the world in that fashion,
And what is that ?"
"M Men, without house or home above their
heads, rowing here and there and turning up
in ali sorts of odd places-caring very little
Tor life as a general thing, and making for
tunes Just to fling them away again-and all
for one reason. You don't ask me what
thatis No doubt you know already very
well.n
al think not, sir"
Because a woman has Tilted them !"
Here was long pause, and Mr.. CObbs pipe
omitted short pufs with surprising rapidity.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser, and the
widows cheek was dyed with bushes as she
thought Of the absent Sam.
81 wonder how women manage when they
get served in that way" said the stranger,
musingiy. "You never meet them rowing up
and down in that style"
+" No, said Mrs. Cobb with some spirit,
" if woman is in trouble she must stay at
home and bear it, the best way she can
And there's more women bearing such things
than we know Of, dare say" -
"Like enough. We never know whose
hand gets pinched in trap unless they
scream. And women are too shy or too
sensible-which you choose-for that"
Did you ever, in all your wanderings,
meet any one by the name of Samuel Pay
son2' asked the widow, unconcernedly. The
stranger looked towards her-she was rum
maging the table drawer for her knitting
work, and did not notice him. When it was
found, and the needles in motion, he answered
her.
"PaysOn2 Sam Payson? Why, he was
my most intimate friend Do you know
him 2n
"a little-that is, used to when was q
girl. Where did you meet him"
ale went with me on the whaling voyage
told you Of-and afterwards to California.
We had a tent togsther-and some other
fellows with us-and we dug in the same
claim for more than six months"
g suppose he was quite well p
HStrong as an OK, my dear lady"
"And-and happy2' pursued the widow,
bending closer over her knitting.
"Hum-the less said about that the better,
perhaps. But he seemed to enjoy life after a
/ fashion of his own. And he got rich out
there, or rather, I will say-well off,
Mrs. Cobb did not pay much attention to
that part of the story. Evidently she had
not finished asking questions. But she was
puzzled about her next one. AT last she
brought it out beautifully.
"Was his wife with him in California 2"
The stranger looked at her with twinkling
eyes.
e His wife, ma'am2 Why, bless you-bG
has not got one
HOh, thought mean heard7-here
the little widow remembered the fate o.
Ananias and Sapphira, and stopped short
before she told such tremendous fb.
= q Whatever you heard of his marrying was
all nonsense, can assure you. l knew him
well, and he had no thoughts of the kind
about HIM. Some of the boys used to tease
him about it, but he soon made them stop.
Chow 2"
"He Just told them frankly that the only
girl he ever loved had Tilted him years befor'
and married another man. After that no ont
ever mentioned the subject to him again
except me-"
Mrs. Cobb laid her knitting aside, ant
looked thoughtfully into the fire.
"He was another specimen Of the class 0
men 1 was speaking Of I have seen him fac
death score of times, as quietly as faci
the fire. 1T matters very little what take
me off, he used to say; I've nothing to liv,
for, and there's no one that viii shed tea
for me when am gone It's sad though
for one to have, isn'titP
Mrs Cobb sighed as she said she thought
was.
aBut did he ever tell you the name of th
lady who Tilted him2"
''I know her first name
"What was it 2"
Maria"
The plump little widow almost started ou
Of her chair the name was spoken so exacti
as Sam would have said it.
"Did you knew her too ?" he asked, look
i ing keenly st her.
ayes"
ultimately"
dyes"
And where is she now? Still happ
with her husband, l suppose; and neve
giving thought to the poor fellow she drov
out into the world"
mo" said Mrs. Cobb, shading her fac
with her hand, and speaking unsteadily.-
"No; her husband is dead"
: " An. But still she never thinks of Sam.
, There wss dead silence.
" Does sie2"
"How can / tell2"
care you still friends ?'
aYes."
I "Then you ought to know, and you do
Tell me"
i "Pm sure / don't know why should
2 But if do, you must promise me, on yol
E honor, never to tell him, if you ever meet hi
again