The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-06-15

| 4UO 0ShGO SuGGbhWby WI bUS VbUNO
hearth Of an old fashioned public house,
in an old-fashiOned village down in Corn.
wall. A cat and three kittens bavsed In
the warmthy and . deerepit yellow dog,
lying full in the reflection Of the blaze,
vrinkled his black nose approvingly, IS
he turned his hind feet where hia fore feet
had been. Over the chimtey hung sew
cFal fino ,hssps and pieces Of dried beef
Apples were fsstQoned along the ceiling,
and other signs Of plenty and good cheer
-~sEs scattered prefssefy -aboHt. There
we're plants, too, on the window lodges
horSeahoe geraBiums and dew.plants, and
. monthly rose just budding, to say moth.
ing Of jars Of viOlets that perfuIDed the
whole place whenever they took it into
their purple heads to bloom. The floor
was carefully swept. the chairs had not q
speck Of dust upon a leg or round, the
long settle near the fireplace shOne as u
IL had been just vanished, and the eight.
day clock In the corner had its white face
newly washed, and seemed determined to
tick the louder for it. Two aFm.chaiFa
we're drawn up at Q cosy distance from
the hearth and each other; a candle, q
newspaper, pair Of spectacles, dish Of
red-cheeked apples, and pitcher Of cider,
filled . little table between them. In ono
Of these chairs sat comfortable. looking
woman about forty-iive, with cheeks az
red as the appIes, and eyes as dark and
bright a. 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 Minards,
"relict" Of Mr.. Levi Minards, who had
been mouldering into dust IN the neigh.
boring chnrchyard for more than seven
yeara She was thinking Of her dead hus-
band, possibly, because ell her work being
done, and the servant gone tO bed, the
sight Of his empty chair at the other side
Of the table, and the silence Of the room,
made her a.little lonely.
Seven years." so the widows reYery
run; "it seems as il it were more than
fifty, and yet don't look 30 very old
neither. Perhaps it's not having any
clildren TO- bother my life out, as other
people have. They may say what they
like-chidren are more plague than profit,
that's my opinion. Look at my sister
Jerusha, with her boys. She's worn to q
shadow, and ain SURE they have done it,
though she never will own it,"
The widow took an apple from the dish
and began TO peel Il.
How fond Mr.. MinArds used to be Of
these apples. lie never will eat any more
Of them, poor fellow, Tor ! don't suppose
they have apples where he has gone II.
Heigh-hOl remember very well how {
used to throw apple.pssl over my head
when l Was girl, 70 see WhO was going
to marry"
Mrs. Minards stopped short and blushed,
for In those days she did not know Mr..
Minards, and wss always lOOking eagerly
to see il the peel had formed . capital s.
Her meditation took Q new turn.
How handsome Sam PaysOn was, and
how much | used a. care about him -
wonder what haS become Ofhiin. JerWsha
says he went away frem our village just
after | did, and no one has ever heard oil
him since. What silly thing that quar-.
rel was! n It had not been fGr that
Here came long pause, during which
the widow looked very ateadIastly at the
empty armchair Of Levi Minards, deCeas.
ed. Her fingers played carelessly with
the apple-pesl; she drew it safely toward
her and looked around the room.
Upon my word it IL very ridiculOus
and I don't know what the neighbour
would say if they saw it, ..
Sill the plump fingers drew tho red
peel nearer.
But then they can't See me, tIlat is q
comfort; and tho cat and old BOwse never
will know what it IleanS. OF course
don't believe anything about it,
The peel hang gracefully from her hand.
Bot stiN I should like to try IL; il
would seem like old times, and
Over her head 1t went, and curled up
gracefully on the floor at little distance
Old BOwse, who always slept with one
eye open, saw il Gal, and marched dellb'
eratcly up ia. smell vi it.
Bowss-B Bowse, don't touch it |" cried
his mistress, and, bending over II with q
beating heart, bke turned a. rcd ~ fire
ThsrOwas aShandsOn,e capital IS as any
one could wish to sce. ..O . i.'
A great knUck came suddenly to the
door. BOwse growled. aud the widow
screamed and snatched up the apple.peel
It's Mr.. MiAards-it's his spirit come
bsck sgAin. because tried that silly trick,
she Thought (rsrfully, 70 herself
Another knock louder than the first
and . mans voice exclSimed:
'lIil!o-the ho1Aafs -
'WhV isM Mr asked the widow, some.
what relieved to Cad that the departed
Levi was still safe ip his grave upon the
hillside.
"A stranger said the voice.
what do yoo wsnte ''. ~
To get lodging here for lhs night
The widow deliberated.
Cant you 60 onl There's q house
half . mife further, II you keep to ths
right.haWd side Of the road. and turn tC
the lsit after you get by---''' 0e.s
It'sraining cats and dogs, and I'm vel
to the skin; don't you think you can &C
commOdate meH don't mind sleeping
on the 6OOF,' "' . i fFf7
'Rainlng, il itH didn't know that,
and the kind.hearted, little woman unbar
red the door very quickly. Come in
whoever you may be; | only asked you
to 30 on because I ain lone woman, with
only one servant In the house, ~"
The stranger catered, shaking hiuassl
like p Newfoundland dog upon The step
and scattering . littls shower Of drops
Ovst bis AOsESas cad her nicely swsp
"':sA6, tA.s iooks .,, sopfs,,.bl. .i..r /. mar s
hes been a1Ht ,tOr, hears 10 : storm, b
said, % Pc papglH sight OF The Ars, and
strialBg along Aqwprd lhs hearth, iOllowed
by Bowse, who shifted s6spicioGsly q. hi,
heels. he stationed himself In the ara,
chair Mr.. MfnafdsF Armchair !MHwhich
had been ksps 'baGsSH ~ his Iusemoty
fOT seven YsasA Ths walsw was hOrFi
fed, bnt Der guest locked 70 weary and
worn out thai, ahe could not ask him Il
move, bdt" "6hsied ReFsrlf IN stirring W
the blass that BE might the sOohsr dry
his AriPsins i,saetheah a REV thouEAi
struck hen; NJ. NluArda had worn q c1sn
knefahlA nrMaainw.wOvr sAsnrinw hia sI1naea