The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-01-17

between them. In one Of these chairs
sat q comfortable woman, about forty
five, with cheeks as red as the apples,
and eyes as dark and bright as they had
ever been, resting her elbow upon the
table, and her head upon her hand,
looking thoughtfully into the fire
This was widow Cobb, relict Of Deacon
Levi Cobb, who had been mouldering
into dust in the Bytown Church-yard
for more than seven years She was
thinking Of her dead husband, possibly
becauso-all her work being done, and
the servant gone to bed-the sight Of
his empty chair at the table, and the si-
lence Of the room, made her feel a lit
tie lonely. "Sevon years" so the wild
owl roverio ran. at seems as if it was
more than forty-and yet I don't look
very old neither. Perhaps it is not
having any children to bother my life
out, as other people have. They may
say just what they like--ohildren arc
more plague than proGt--that's my
opinion. Look at my sister Jerusha,
with her six boys. She's worn to a
shadow, and I'm sure they have done
it, though she will never own il"
The widow took an apple from the
dish, and began to peel it.
GLOW dreadful fond Mr. Cobb used
to be Of these CRAFTS! He never will cat
any more of thom-poor fellow!--for l
don't suppose they have apples where
he has gone to. lleighol l remom-
Der very well how ] used to throw ap-
ple-parings over my head, when l was
a girl, to see who l was going to mar
.ry."
Mrs. Cobb stopped short and blush
ed. For in those days she did not
know Mr. Cobb, and was always looking
eagerly to see if the peel formed a
capital rs. Her meditations took a
new turn.
GLOW handsome Sam Payson wasl
and how much L used to care about
him! Jerusha says he went away from
our village just after 1 did, and no
one has ever heard Of him since. And
what silly thing that quarrel was!--
If it had not been for that"
Here came a long pause, during
which the widow looked very steadiust-
ly at the empty chair Of Levi Cobb, de-
ceased. Her finger played oarelessly
with the apPle-paring, she drew it
softly towards her, and looked around
the room.
"Upon my word it is very ridicu-
lous, 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
comfort and the cat and old Bowse
never will know what it means. Of
course l don't believe 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
quietly on the floor at a little distance
off, Old Bowso, who always slept with
one eye open, saw it fall, and marched
deliberately up to smell it.
"Bowse, Bowse, don't touch it," and
bonding over it, with a beating heart,
she blushod like rose. There was as
handsome a capital rs" as any one
could wish to see.
A great knock came suddenly at the
door Bowso growlod, and the widow
screamed, and snutched up the apple
pairing.
Its Mr.. Cobb-its his spirit come
back again, because l tried that silly
trick, she thought fearfully to herself.
Another knock, louder than the first,
and a man s voice exclaimed, "Hillo, the
hOusel"
"Who is it?" asked the widow, some
what relieved to find that the departed
Levi was still safe in his grave on the
hillside
"a stranger" said the voice.
"What do you want2"
"To get lodging for the night"
The widow doliberated
Cant you go on?--there's a house
half a mile further, if you keep to the
right hand side of the road, and turn to
the left after you get by"
"Its raining cats aud dogs, and I'm
very delicate, said the stranger, cough
ing. "Im wet to the skim don't you
think you can accommodate me?
don't mind sleeping on the floor"
"Raining is it? l didn't know that, -
and the kind hearted little woman un-
barred the door very quickly. Come
in, whoever you may be; l only asked
you to go on because l am a lone wo-
man, with only one servant in the
house"
The stranger entered, shaking him
self like a Newfoundland dog upon the
step, and scattering a little shower of
drops over his hostess and her nicely
swept floor.
"Ah, that looks comfortable, after a
man has been for hours in storm, he
said, as he caught sight of the fire, and
stridng along towards the hearth, fol-
lowed by Bowse, who shifted suspio-
iously at his heels, he stationed him
self in the arm-chair--Mr Cobbs arm
chair--which had been kept "sacred to
his memory" fer seven years. The
widow was Mortified, but her guest
looked so weary and worn out that she
could not ask him to move, but bus
led herself in stirring up the blaze,
that he might the sooner dry his drip
ping clothes. A new thought struck
her. Mr. Cobb had worn comfortable
dressing gown during his illness, which
still hung in the closet, She could not