The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-06-15
RrsA sAs Medicinal HasAElss.
THE WIDOWS First LOVE,

The Ere cracked cheerfully on the broad
hearth Of an old fashioned public house,
in an Old.IashiUned village down in Corn.
wall. A Cit aud three kittens bassed In
the warmth, and . decrepit yellow dog,
lying full in the reflection Of the blaze,
wrinkled his black nose approvingly, as
he turned his hind feet where his fore feet
had been. Over the chimney hung sew
eral fine hams and pieces Of dried beef
Apples were fsstoOned along the ceiling,
and other signs Of plenty and good cheer
tWgfS scxttgrgd prUfGSgty E60Ut. There
we're plants, too, on the window lodges ;
horSeshoe geraDiums 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 .
speck Of dust upon q leg or round, the
long settle near the fireplace shohe as II
II 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 Arm.cbairs
were drawn up at 4 cosy distance from
the hearth and each other; a candle, a
newspaper, q pair Of spectacleS, dish Of
red.cheeked apples, and pitcher Of cider,
filled little table between them. In one
Of these chairs sat comfortable looking
woman about forty-five, with cheeks rs
red as the apples, and eyes as dark and
bright as 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 Wondering into dust in the neigh
boring churchyard for more than seven
years. She. was thinking Of her dead lIus.
band, possibly, because ell her work being
done, and the servant gone to bed, the
sight of his empty Chuir ut the other side
Of the table, and the silence Of the room,
made her Little lonely.
Seven years." SO the widows reyery
run; ait seems as if it were more than
fifty, and yet don't look 10 very old
neither. Perhaps it's not having any
clIildren to bother my life out, as other
people have. They may say what they
like children are more plague than profit,
that's my opinion. Look at my sister
Jerusha, with her boys. She's worn to q
shadow, and sm SURE they have done it,
though she never will own it."
The widow took an apple from the dish
and began to peel it.
"HOw fond Mr.. Minards used to be Of
these apples. He never will eat any more
Of them, poor fellow, fnr | don't suppose
they have apples where he has gone To-.
Hcigh.hOl remember very well how
used to throw apple.pcel over my head
when | was girl, to see who was going
to marry"
Mrs. Minards stopped short and blushed,
for In those days she did not know Mr.
Minards, and was 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 to care about him -
wonder what has become OfhiM. JerUsha
says he went away from our village just
after I did, and no one has ever heard Of
him since. What silly thing that quar-
rel was! iii had not been Tor that
Here came . long pause, during which
the widow looked very steadfastly 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 ~ very ridiculous.
and | don't know what the neighborS
would say il they saw it,
Still the plump fingers drew tho red
peel nearer.
But then they can't See me, that is q
comfort and the cat and old BOwse never
will know what it means. Of course
don't believe any thing about it,
The peel hang gracefully from her hand.
But stih should like to try it; il
would seem like old times, and
Over her head it went, and curled up
gracefully on the floor at little distance.
Old BOwse, who always slept with one
eye open, saw 1t Gall, and marched dellb.
eratcly up to smell VI it.
.BOwSe-BOwse, don't touch it !" cried
his mistress, and, bending over it with q
beating heart, She turned as red as fire.
Therewas a. handsome capital IS as any
one could wish to see. i.I'
A great kpock came suddenly to the
door. Bowse growled. aud the widow
screamed and snatched up the apple peel.
Its NJ. MiWards-it's his spirit come
back again. because tried that silly trick,
she Thought fvarfully. to herself.
Another knOck-lOuder than the first,
and mans voice exclaimed:
'Ilil!O-the houser
Who Is ieY asked the widow, some.
what relieved to 6Rd that the departed
Levi was still safe 10 his grave upon the
hillside.
"A stranger said the voice.
What do yo0 wHntr .'
| To get lodging here for the night
The widow deliberated.
Cant you 60 onl There's house
half nile further, II you keep to thu
right-haNd side Of the road, and turn to
the left after you get by
It's.raining cats and dogs, and I'm vel
to the skin; don't you think you can &C.
cOmmOdAte meI don't mind sleeping
on the 6oOr.'
Raining, is iti didn't know that,
and the kind.hearted- little woman unbar.
red tho door very quickly. Come in,
whoever you may be; only asked you
to 60 on because atm lone woman, with
only one servant in the house,
The stranger entered, shaking himself
like Newfoundland dog upon the step,
and, scattering . littls shower Of drops
over his hostess and her nicely swept
floor. 49,, ,.a .t.f ..I'.
'Ah, that looks comfortable after = man
has been 0pt for, hours 10 . storm, he
said, % be caught eight Of the lire, and,
stridilg along tqward The hearth, followed
by Bowse, who shifted sGspicionsly at his
heels. he stationed himself in tho arm
chAir-Mr. MInafds' arm chair !-which
had been kept 'hacreH ~ his memory
for seven yeasA Tbs widow was hOrri.
fed, but Der guest looked 70 weary and
worn out that she could not ask him to
move, bot busted hersrlf IN stirring up
the blaSs that be might the sooner dry
his gripping 'eaethcs. A new Thought
struck hen; Ne. Niuards had worn com.
II - l.