The Shasta courier., 1861-03-02
What do you want ?"
{" To get a lodging here tonight"

modate me? | don't mind sleeping on the
floor"
Raining, is it2 didn't know that" and
the kind hearted little woman unbarred the
door very quickly. "Come in. whoever you
may be. only asked you to 60 on because
am a lone woman, with only myself and servant
in the house."
The stranger entered-shaking himself like a
Newfoundland dog upon the step, and scatter
ing little shower of drops over his hostess and
her nicely swept floor.
"Ah, that looks comfortable, after man has
been for hours in Storm" he said as he caught
sight of the fire, and striding along towards the
hearth followed by Bowse, who snuffed sus-
piciousy at his heels, he stationed himself in
the arm chair-Mr Cobb's arm chair-which
had been kept "sacred to his memorpp for seven
years. The widow was Mortified. but her guest
looked so weary and worn out that she could not
ask him to move, but busted herself in stirring
up the blaze that she might the sooner dry his
dripping clothes. A new thought struck her
Mr.. Cobb had worn comfortable dressing
gown during his illness, which still hung in the
closet at her right. She could not let this poor
man catch his death by sitting in that wet coat
if he was in Mr.. Cobb's chair, why not in Mr..
Cobbs wrapper2 She went nmbly to the clo-
set, took it down, fshed out pair of slippers
from the boot rack below, and brought them to
him.
al think you had better take off your coat
and boots-you will have the rheumatic fever
or something like it if you don't Here are
some things for you to wear while they are dry
ing. And you must be hungry too. will go
into the pantry and get you something to eat"
She hustled away, '' on hospitable thoughts
INTENT" and the stranger made the exchange
with quzical smile playing around his lips
He tall well-formed man, with bold but
handsome face-sunburned and heavily beard
ed, and looked anything but delicate" though
his blue eye glanced out from under a forehead
white as snow. He looked around the kitchen
with mischievous air, and stretching out his
feet before him, decorated with the defunct
deacons slippers.
"Upon my word-this is stepping into the
old mans shoes with a vengeance. And what
a hearty good humored looking woman she is !
kind as a kitten" and he leaned and stroked the
cat and her brood, and then patted old Bowse
upon the head. The widow bringing in sundry
good things, looked pleased at his attention to
her dumb friends.
ats a wonder Bowse does not growl-he
generally does if strangers touch him. Dear
me- how stupid !"
The last remark was neither addressed to the
stranger nor the dog, but to herself. She had
forgotten that the little stand was not empty
and there was not room on it for what things she
held.
"Oh, III manage it," said her guest, gather
ing up paper, candle, apples and spectacles-(it
not without little pang that she them
in his hand for they had been the Deacon's
and were placed each night, like the arm chair,
beside her,) and deposited them on the settee.
"Give me the table cloth, maam-I can
spread it as well as any woman-rve learned
that along with scores of other things in my
wanderings. Now lie. me relieve you of those
dishes-they are far too heavy for those little
hands"-the widow blushed-" and now please
to sit down with me, | cannot eat NOR
SELL"
81 had supper not look ago, but really
think can take something more," said Mrs.
Cobb drawing her chair nearer the table,"
Z" OF course you can, my dear lady-in this
cold autumn weather people eat twice much
as they do in warm. Let me give you piece
of this ham-your own curing, dare say"
Yes-my poor husband was very fond oft.
He used to say that no one understood curing
ham and drying beef better than l."
I" He was most sensible man, am sure. l
drink your health, Madam, in this cider"
He took long draught, and set down his
glass.
1t 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.
"a fine dog, ma maam-and very pretty cat"
"They were my husbands favorites," and
gh followed.
"Ah-yo husband must have been very
happy man.
The blue eyes looked at her SO long that she
grew furried.
sis there anything more can get for you,
sir2" she asked at last
Nothing, thank you, have finished"
She rose to clear the things away. He as
sisted her, and somehow their hands had
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 smok-
ed,i she said '' Perhaps you would like to try
it,"
"Not ift is to drive you away" he answered,
for she had candle in her hand.
"Oh, mol do not object to smoke at all."-.
She put the candle down-some faint suggestion
about propriety troubled her, but she glanced at
tue Olu ClOCk, anu lell Te-uSSuTtu. IL WAS only
half past nine.
The stranger pushed the stand back after the
pips was lit and drew her little easy chair
little nearer the fire-and his own.
"Come sit down." he said pleadingly. ats
not late-and when a 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 pretty woman to speak
to once again."
california Have you been in California ~
she exclaimed, dropping into chair at once
Unconsciously she had long cherished the idea
that Sam Payson-the lover of her yonth-with
whom she had foolishly quarreled, had pitched
! his tent in that far-off land. Her heart warmed
to him who, with something of Sans ways
about him-had also been sojourning 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.. Cobb's dressing gown, wearing
Mr.. Cobb's slippers, and sitting in Mr.. Cobb's
chair, beside Mr.. Cobb's wife, smoked Mr.. Cobb's
pipe with an air of feeling most thoroughly a.
4 home
ayes, am, I've been in California for the
last six years. And before that went around
the world-in whale ship
Good gracious"
a It's 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 p
Men, without house or home above their
I rovfn har a.l