The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-11-21

lion. Keeping his eye fixed on the widow,
who, all unconsciOus, Of his gaze, was now
flirting most desperately with Master Bill
The old mans son and heir. .r.
"Don't you find it kinder lonesome up
there by yourself 7" said Bill, with a tender
glance toward the "widdsr." .....-
,"Oh I'm used to it now, and like it well
che replied carelessly.
There was pause after this. Bill aat
gnawibg his fnger.nnils, and evidently try
ing to say somethiag ,bs, stuck in his throat.
The wiacwsat, tapping the floor impatieuhy
with one foot. and waiting for the return Of
Roth. who bad Mt thSh. ~. 'a-''sa
"Widder I wSlT to get married." said
Bill atlength. with startling suddenness.
"Do you?" suid the widow, lifting her
bewidering, black eyes to his face, aston
ished at the abruptness of the avowal.
"Widder," continued Bill, pluckihg up
courage by desperate effort, "wouldn't you
like to get married sgOin :" ...f.n.g, ,..
"Marred again :" replied the lady, show
do you know ever was married o. ...
"Why every one calls you wilder, and
never heard tell OF any one being widder
without fust bein' married." replied Bill.
"Ye,," said the lady, with difficulty re.
pressing a laugh, "every one calls me wi
dow but whether am one or not, is an.
other thing.
"WelI," said Bill, who, as he afterwards
expressed it, was determined 10 ego the
whole hog" ~ am chap ss is pretty well
of. I'm going to build new shanty, and
get new boat some OF these times, and I'm
pretty good looking feller-hem I! So
hem Wilder, if you'll have me, you and
NELL get spliced !"
Amusement, for moment, kept the wild.
ow silent and she stared in the face of her
sheepish odmirer, who blushing, startled,
sat crossing one leg uneasly over the other.
Then every other feeling gave way to her
sense of the ridiculous, and leaning back in
her chair, she burst into peel of lsushter,
that made the old house ring
The unusual srund brought the whole
household to the spot. There was pretty
Ruth laughing from sympathy, without the
slightest idea of what the fun was about,
there was old Miles staring at them with
mouth md eyes wide open, there sat Bill,
looking irresistbIy shcepish and there sat
the widow. laughing and laughing until the
tears stood ia her eyes.
"Wha,-what-wh the dickens ia tie
matter Z" roored the old man, staring first at
one, snd then atthe other, in utter bewildsr.
ment.
III must CO." said the widow, in voice
faint from excessive laughter, "come up this
evening, Ruth. | have something to tell
you" And s,iI laughing, the "widder"
vanished. ea.
That evening, two events worthy Of nc.
tice took place 10 the little vill'ge OF Nj.
Old Miles dep atted, full of an important sc.
cret, to the city, and Ruth Judson and the
close conference on the rocks OF B!eok Point.
What Ruth learned there she did not dis.
close, but sundry expressions of delight,
proved th9t it was far from disasreeube.
The following evening, when the gloam,
ing wss falling over the rock bound coast OF
New Brunswick, the Widow Black sat in
her little cottage, gezing in the fre, and
l5at in thought, Suddenly, the tramp Of
feet approaching Bleak Point, fell on her
quick esr. SpriogiOg to her feet, she saw
several constlbIes, headed by Old Mlea, op.
pro ching her cottage. Scarcely had she
time to draw the bolt, when heavy knock
came to the door, and stern voice com
manded her to open ia the name Of the law.
"Not until know your business" said
the widow, boldly, "who are you ! and what
do you want g. Fto '#
"We are officers Of the law. You are
suspected OF being connected with SNUG
slers, and Of concealiDg contraband goods
about your premises and our business is to
arrest you, and search for them" was the
reply. aa.9 ri .as is
"Then lstme assure you, your trouble
will be all for nothing. The smuggled
goods you speak Of were here, but are now
where the eye of the custom house will nev.
er fall on them. AS to arresting me, a poor,
lone 'widder,' | am sure you are too much Of
a gentleman to do it," ,r,t ..
"Open the door or will break it open,"
shouted the enraged officer.
"Break away" retorted the prov oking
widow, with the utmost co olness.
With an oath, the officer rushed against
the door, at the same moment the widow
drew the bolt, and he fell h cad first into the
room. while old Miles, who rushed after, ley
spraWling on top OF him. Before they could
rise, the widow seized the remaining officer,
and hurled him with the greatest ease over
his fallen companions. Then drawing the
door after her, and securing it on the out.
side, the widow was off, and away. a
| Search was made for the widow, but in
vain. No trace Of any one answering the
description given OF her could be found
Neither could any smuggled goods be dis.
covered on Bleak Point, although they easily
d;scovefed thew had lately beenythere. aa3
i IA few weeks after, late one night, a, hand
some young fellow, dressed asa sailor. en-
tered the village OF M. Advancing tc
| the honae of Miles Judsop, he fastened pa