The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-11-20

s1nictuing oil Oalh : Iooh anu ways aoopt nIn
g had also been sojourning IN that country
and who very possibly had met him-per
haps bad known him intimately! At tha
thought her heart beat quick, and she look
ed very graciously at the bearded stranger
who, wrapped in Mr.. Cobb's dressing gown
a wearing Mr.. Cobb's slippers and sitting il
! Mr. Cobb's chair, beside Mr.. Cobb's wife
+ smoking Mr.. Cobbs pipe, with an air Of feel
ing most thoroughly and most comfortably al
home.
a Yes, ma'am, I've beon in California for :he
last six years. And before that went round
4 the world in whaling ship
Good gracious!
! The stranger sent puff Of smoke curling
over his head
Its very strange, maam, how often YOU
sea one thing as yon 60 wandering about the
world.
'Anl what is that"
'Men, without house or home about their
heads, rowing here and there, and turning up
in all sorts Of odd places, carrying very little
for life as a general thing, and making for.
tunes Just to fling than away again. and all
for one reason. Why don't you ask me
What ,hat il! No doubt you know already
very we'll
/ Il think not, sir
Because a woman jiltel them!
Here was long psuse sud Mr.. CoLb's
pipe emitted short puff, with surprising ra-
ddIty. A guilty conscience ueeds no ac, user,
and the widows cheek was dyed with bushes
as her mind reverted back to her quarrel with
! Sam.
! | wonder how women manage when they
get served in that way said the stranger mu-
sngly. 'Ycu never meet them rowing up
and down in that style
No. said Mrs. Cobb, with some spirit, If
a woman is in trouble she must stay at home
and bear it, the best way she can. And there
is 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 Paysou -
asked the widow.
The stranger looked towards her, she was
rummaging the table drawer for her knitting
work, and did not notice him. When it was
found and the needles in motion, he answered
'f.aysoni sam psyseu2 Why, he was
my most intimate friend Blu. do you know
him q
"A Iitte-that is, used to when was
girl. Where did you meet him?'
He went with me on thu whaling voyage
| told you Of, and afterwards to California
We had tent together, and some other fel-
lows with us, and we dug in the same claim
more than six months.
Il suppose he was well?'
'.otIong as an OK, my dear lady
Aa1-and-happy!
Aud the widow bended closer over her
knitting.
'Hum-the less said about that the better,
perhaps. But he eened to enjoy life after
fashion Of his own. Aud he got rich out
there, or rather well off,
Mrs Cobb did not pay much attention to
that part of the story. Evidently she had
not finished asking questions. But she SO EN-.
ell puzzled about her next one. At last she |
asked:
WAS his wife with him in California;?
The stranger looked at her with twinkling
ewes.
His wife, ma'am! Why bless you, he has
not got one!
oh, thought, mean | heard here the
widow remembered the fate of Ananias and
sapphira, and stopped short before she told
such fib.
'Whate' er you heard Of his marrying was
all nonsence, can assure you. / know him
WELL and he had no thoughts Of the kind
about him. Some Of the bows used to teaz,
him about marrying, bat he soon made them
stop
How
He just told them frankly tha; the only
girl he ever loyel had Tilted him years be-.
fore and married another man. After that
no one ever mentioned tho subject to him ,ex-
cept me-
Mrs. Cobb laid aside her knitting aud look
ed thoughtfuly into the fire.
'He was another specimen Of the class of
men was speaking Of. | have seen him
face death score Of times, as quietly as
face the fire. 1T matters very little what
takes me off, he used to say; I've nothing
to live for and there's no one to shed a tear
for me when I'm gone.' It's sal thought,
isn't it,
Mrs. Cobb sigel as she said she thought i,
was.
But did he ever tell you the name Of the
lady who Tilted him.
Il know her first name
What was it?'
Mariahv
The plurp little widow almost started out
of her char; the name was spoken exactly MS
would have said it.
Did you know hoI toor he asked, look
ug keenv at her.
Yes
lntimatelyr
Yea
Aud where is she now w?--still happy with
ler husband, | suppose: and never giving
hot to the poor fellow she drove out into the
world
No. said Mrs. Cobb, shaIing her face with
lcr hand, aud speaking unsteady, No; her
husband is dead
'Ah But Of course sho never thinks of
sam
There was n silence.
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