Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-10-10
The Widow Cobb's First Love
BY NARY W, STANLEY GIBSON.

sWept-tne chairs naQ not speCh OF uusl
upon leg orround-the long settee near the
fireplace shone as if it had been just varnish-
ed, and the eight day clock in the corner
had its white face newly washed, and seemed
determined TO tick the louder for it. Two
arm chairs were drawn up at a cosy distance
from the hearth and each other, a candle
newspaper, a pair of spectacles, dish Of red
checked apples and pitcher Of cider, filled
a little table between them. In one Of these
chairs sat a comfortable looking woman
about forty-6ve with cheeks as red as the
apples and eyes as dark and bright as they
had ever been, resting her elbow on the table,
and her head upon her hand, and looking
thoughtfully into the fire. This was the
Widow Cobb-''relict' Of Deacon Levi Cobb,
who had been mouldering into dust in the
Bytown Churchyard for more than seven
years. She was thinking Of her dead hus-
band, possibly because-all her work being
done, and the servant gone to bed-the sight
of his empty chair at the other end of the
table, aud the silence of the room, made her
a little lonely.
Seven years, so the widows reverie
ran. at seems as if it was more than fifty
and yet don't look so very old neither
Perhaps it's not having any children to both
er my life out, as other people have. They
may say what they hke-children are more
plague than pro6t-that's my opinion. Look
at my sister JeIusha with her six boys. She S
worn to a shadow, and I'm sure they have
done it, though she will never own it."
The widow took an apple from the dish
and began topeel it.
Il D,T 4 -, h. .e
these gratis. He never will eat any more of
them-poor fellow-ior don't suppose they
have apples where he has gone to. Heigho
1 remember very well how l used to throw
apple parings over my head when 1 was a
girl, to see who was going to marry"
Mrs. Cobb stopped short and blushed. For
in those days she did not know Mr.. Cobb,
and was always looking eagerly to see if the
peel had formed a capital IS" Her medita-
tons took a new turn.
"How handsome Sam Payson was and
how mnch used to care about him. l Won
der what has become of him Jerusha says
be went away from our village just after
did, and no one has ever heard of him since
And what q silly thing that quarrel was J
If it had not been for that"
Here came long pause, during which the
widow looked very steadfastly at the empty
chair of Levi Cobb, deceased. Her fingers
played carelessly with the apple pairing, she
drew it safely towards her, and looked around
the room.
'Upon my word It'll very ridiculous, and
l don't know what the neighbors would say
if they saw me-"
Still the plump fingers drew the red peel
nearer
''But then they can't see me, that's a COM
fort, and the cat and old Bowse never will
know what it means. Of course don't be
lieve anything about it"
The pairing hung gracefully from her small
hand.
"But still, should like to try, it would
seem like old times and
Over her head it went and curled up quiet
/ ly on the floor at a little distance of. Old
Bowse who always slept with one eye open,
saw it lall, and marched deliberately up to
smell it.
"BOwse-Bowse-don't touch itr' cried
his mistress, and bending over it with beat
ing heart, she blushed like rose. There
was as handsome capital rs" as any one
could wish to see.
A great knock came suddenly at the door.
Bowse growled, and the widow screamed
and snatched up the apple-paring.
ats Mr.. CObb-it's his spirit come back
again, because l tried that silly trick" she
thought fearfully to herself.
Another knock-louder than the first, and
a mans voice exclaimed:
"Hillo, the houseI'
''Who is it2' asked the widow somewhat
relieved to find that the departed Levi wa!
still safe in his grave on the hill side.
"a stranger" said the voice.
"Mhst do you want?"
''To get a lodging here for the night
The widow deliberated.
'FCan't you 90 on-there's house half {
mile further, if you keep to the right han(
side of the road-snd turn TO the left afte
you get by"
ats raining cats and dogs-and Pm very
delicate, said the stranger coughing. "In
wet 10 the skin-don't you think you cal
accommodate me? don't mind sleeping ol
the floor"
" Raining, is it2 I didn't know that, ant
the kind hearted little woman unbarred tn
door very quickly. HCome in, whoever yor
may bel only asked you to go on becuus
/ am q lone woman, with only one servan
in the house.
The stranger rentered-shaking himself lik
Newfoundland dog upon the step, an,
scattering little shower Of drops over hi
hostess and her nicely swept floor.
! "Ah-that looks comfortable, after amal
has been for hours in a storm" be said as b
| ,>aught sight Of the FIRE, and striding alonl
TO wards the hearth, followed by Bowse, VIII
snihtNd suspiciously at his heels he statione
himself in the arm chair-Nr. CO5bs dr1
chair, which had been kept sacred to hi
memory" FOR seven years The widow wa
horrifed, but her guest looked so weary an
worn out, that she could not ask him to move
but busted herselfin stirring up the blaze tha
he might the sooner dry his dripping clothes
A new thought struck her: Mr.. Cobb ha
worn a comfortable dressing grown durin
his illness, which still hung in the closet g
her right. She could not let this poor ma
catch his death by sitting in that wet cast
he WASH Mr.. Cobb's chair, why should
not be in Mr. Cobbs wrapper2 She wer
nimbly to the closet, took it down, fished oil
a pair of slippers from the boot rack below
B and brought them to him.
81 think you had better take off your COT
and boots-you will have the rheumatic fevt
or something like it if you don't. Here al
J some things for you to wear while they al
drying. And you must be hungry too.
will 60 into the pantry and get you somethin
/, to eat"
She hustled away on hospitable though
intent, and the stranger made the exchanl
with a quizzical smile playing around h
lips. He was a tall, well formed man, wit
a bold, but handsome face-sunburned al
: heavily beardOl, and looking anything b
d "delicate" though bis blue eyes glanced o.
from under forehead as white as snow
He looked around the kitchen with a mi
chievous air andstretched out his feet befo
him. decorated with the defunet Deacon
slippers.
Upon my word--this is stepping into 4
old mans shoes with vengeancel Al
L what hearty, goOd-humored looking womi
she sl-kind as a kitten" and be lean
and stroked the cat, and her brood, and tn
Nuen# aanI . =