Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-12-07

\ * .
~"I think you had better take off your coat
and boots You will have the rheumatic fever
or something like it if you don't. Hero are
some things for you to wear while they are
| drying. And you must be hungry too.
will go into the pantry and get you something
to cal" y ,s,s.', -. ,.t. ',-s -.r-..-.. -,
She hustled away on hospitable thoughts
intent" and the stranger made the exchange
with quizzical smile playing around his
| lips. He was tall, well formed man, with a
bold, but handsome -sunburned and
heavily bearded, and looking anything but
delicate y though his blue eyes glanced out
| from under forehead as white as snow
chicvous air, and stretched out his feet before
him, decorated with the dcfunct Dcacon's
slippers. r. -.,.. 7,..,...# ,...-1s .,r.
Upon my word-this is stepping into the
old mans shoes with vengeance! And
what hearty, good ,humored looking woman
she is s!--kind as Kitten" and he leaned and
stroked the cat, and her brood, and then
patted old BOwse on the head. The widow
bringing in sundry good things, looked pleased
at his attentions to her dumb friend. .. ,
| "Its a wonder Bowsc does not growl-hc
generally does il strangers touch him. Dear
me. how stupid!''t ,...r..-.... 49, ..... s..
The last remark was neither addressed to
the stranger nor to the dog, but to herself
She had forgotten that the little stand was
not empty-and there was no room on it for
what things she held. a.. ..,... - -.
Oh, I'll manage it" said her guest, gath
ering up paper, candle, apples, and spccta-
clcs-Gt was not without little pang that
she saw them in his hand, for they had been
the Deacon's and were placed each night like
the arm chair, beside herr and deposited
them on the scttcc. fs.,- .ur.! .-r.....''.. ..
Give me the table cloth, ma'am-I can
spread it as well as any woman-I've learned
that along with scores of other things, in my
wandcrings. Now let me relieve you Of those
dishcs-they are Ear too heavy for those little
hands the widow blushed--" and now
please to sit down with me, or cannot cat a
morscl." s.- $.-. ~. t..-. ..-,-....s. ,-...
i had supper not long ago, but really
think can take something more" said Mrs.
Cobb, drawing her chair nearer to the table.
| Of course you can, my dear lady-in this
cold autumn weather, people ought to cat
twice as much as they do in warm. Let me
give You piece Of this haln-your own cur
ing; dare say - -
Yes-my poor husband was very fond OF
it. He used to say that no one understood
curing ham and drying beef better than l."
| He was most sensible man, am sure.
l drink your health, Madam, in this CIDER
He took long draught, and set down his
glass. III. sn,. ss...- :. s.. ..,., .l...- So. .....
| at is like nectar" . .... ........
The widow was feeding Bowse and the cat,
(who thought they were entitled to share OF
every meal eaten in the house, and did not
quite hear what he said. fancy she would
hardly have known what nectar was-so
| it was quite as well. .... t-
"A fine dog, lna'am-and very pretty
cat" -
"Thcy were my husbands favorites," and
sigh followed. -.,-..,-,....... ,,..
"Ah-your husband must have been very
happy man." -,a.-.s.. -.., .-.- ..,,'.
The blue eyes looked at her so long, that
she grew furried. .,., ..a.,.l -. ...
SIS there anything more can get for you,
sir p she asked, at last. ..,,-f = ,...
Nothing, thank you, have finished Va
She rose to clear the things away. He as
sisted her, and somehow their hands had a
queer knack of touching as they carried the
dishes to the pantry shelves. Coming back
to the kitchen, she put the apples and cider
in their old places, and brought out clean
pipe and box Of tobacco from an arched recess
near the chimney. ,-... =.
my husband always said he could not
sleep after eating supper late, unless he
smoked" she said, Perhaps you would
like to try it."
"Not fit is to drive you away" he answer
cd, for she had her candle in her hand.
"Oh, mol do not object to smoke at all" {"
She put the candle down-some faint sugges-
ton about propriety" troubled her, but she
glanced at the old clock, and felt re-assured.
II was only hall. past nine
The stranger pushed the stand back after
the pipe was lit, and drew her easy chair a
little nearer the iire-and his own. t
/" Come, sit down." ne said, pleadingly.-
"It's not late-and when man has been
knocking about in California and all sorts Of
places, for a score Of years, he is glad to get
into berth like this-and have q pretty
woman to speak to once again." =.
California? Have you been in Califor-
mia ~ she exclaimed, dropping into the chair
at once. Unconsciously she had long cher
ished the idea that Sam Payson-the lover Of
her youth-with whom she had foolishly
quarreled, had pitched his tent, after many
wanderings, in that far-off land Her heart
warmed to one who, with something Of Sans
look and ways about him-had also been SO.
journing in that country-and who very pos
sibly had met him perhaps had known him
Intimately At that thought her heart beat
quick--and she looked very graciously at the
bcardedstranger- wrappcdin Mr. Cobb's
dressing gown, wearing Mr.. Cobb's slippers,
aud sitting in Mr.. Cobb's chair, beside Mr.
Cobb's wife, smoked Mr.. Cobbs pipe with
an air. Of feeling most thoroughly and COM
fortably at home ~ ~
Yes ma'am-I've been IN California for
the last six years And before that went
round the world lin a whaling ship" 'fsi'
!" Good Gracious - @ sksi fsa
The stranger sent puff of smoke curling
gracefully oyer his head. s.'''71t e tE.
~" n" It's very strange, my dear lady, how often
you see one thing as you 90 wandering about
| the world in that fashion" 3sso ssi
And what is that - ssa IL 4 4
"Men, without house or home above their
heads, sowing here and there, and turning up
in all sorts OF odd places caring very little
for life as general thing, and making for
tunes just to. fling them away again and all
for one reason. You don't ask me what tlsa,
is? No doubt you know already very well. =
I think not, sir. assFl y
Because woman has jilted Them 7gei