East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-10-15
EAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, OCTOBER l5 1861

| Win only one servant IN the nOuse.
The stranger entered, shaking himsel
like a Newfoundland dog upon the STEP
aud scattering a little shower of drop
over his hostess aud her nicely swep
floor
"Ah, that looks comfortable after meI
has been out for hours in Storm" b,
said, as he caught sight of the fire, and
striding along towardsithe hearth, follow
ed by Bowse, who shifted suspiciously a
his heels, he stationed himself in the arm
chair-Mr. Minards' arm-o chair whicl
had been kept "sacred to his memory
for seven years. The widow was horri
fled, but her guest looked SO weary ant
worn out that she could not ask him tC
move, but busted herself in stirring VI
the blaze that he might tho sooner dry
his dripping clothes. A new thought
struck her. Mr.. Minards had worn a com
Portable dressing gown during his illness
which still hung in the closet to heI
right. She would not let this poor man
catch his death by sitting in that wet
coat; if he was in Mr.. Minards' chair
why should he not be in Mr. Minards
wrapper? She went nimbly to the closet,
took it down, fished out a pair of slip
pers from boot-rack below, and brought
them to him.
81 think you had better take off your
coat and boots-you will have the rheu-
matte fever, if you don't. Here 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 eat"
She hustled away, "on hOspitable tho'ts
intent" and the stranger made the ex-
change with a quizzical smile playing
around his lips. He was tall, we'll
formed man, with bold but handsome
face, sunburnt and heavily bearded, and
looking anything but "delicate," though
his blue eyes glanced out from under
forehead as white as snow. He looked
around the kitchen with misohievous
smile, and stretched out his feet before
him, decorated with the defunct Boni-
faces slippers.
"Upon my word this is stepping into
the old mans shoes with vengeancel
And what hearty, good-humored look
ing woman she isl Kind as kitten"
and he leaned forward and stroked the
cat and her brood, and then patted old
Bowse upon the head. The widow bring
ing in sundry good things, looked pleased
at his attention to her dumb cat and
dog
"It's a wonder Bowse doesn't growl;
he generally does if strangers touch him.
Dear me, how stupidl'
This 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 the things she held.
ooh, I'll manage it," said the guest,
gathering up the paper, candle, apples,
and spectaces (t was not without little
pang that she saw them in his hand, for
they had been the landlords, and were
placed each night, like the arm chair, be-
side her,) and depositing them on the
settle
"Give mo the table-cloth, ma'am. l
can spread it as well as any woman; I've
learned that, along with scores of other
useful things, in my wanderings. Now,
let me relieve you of those dishes-they
are far too heavy for those hands" The
widow blushed. "And now please sit
down with me, or cannot eat morsel. !"
81 had supper long ago, but really |
think can take something more," said
Mrs. Minards, drawing her chair nearer
to the table.
"Of course you can, my dear lady in
this cold autumn weather people ought
to eat twice ae much as they do in warm.
Let mo give you a piece of this ham,
your own curing, l dare say"
eyes; my poor husband was very fond
of it, He used to say that no one under
stood curing ham and drying beef better
than l."
"He was a most sensible man, / am
sure. l drink your health, ma'am, in
this cider"
lie took long draught, and set down
his glass.
at is like nectar"
The widow was feeding Bowse and
the cat, (who thought they were entitled
to a share of every meal eaten in the
house, and did not quite hear what he
said. L fancy she would hardly have
known what nectar was--so it was quite
as well.
"Finc dog, ma'am, and very pretty cat"
"They were my husbands favorites;"
and sigh followed the answer.
"Ah, your husband must have been a
very happy man."
The blue eyes looked at her so long
that she got 1urried.
"Is there anything more can get for
you, sir" she asked at last.
"Nothing, thank you; ] have finished" "
She rose to clear the things away. He
assisted 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
then brought out clean pipe and box
of tobacco from an arohed recess near the
chimney.
"My husband always said he could not
sleep after eating supper late unless he
smoked" she said. "Perhsps you would
like to try it yourself"
"Not if it is to drive you away" he
r.. Il L. i. L