Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-03-20

and deposited them on the settee.
'Give me the table cloth, ma am, | ca
spread it as well as any woman-Pv
learned that along with scores of othe
things, in my wanderings. Now let M
relieve you of those dishes-they are ia
too heavy for those little hands" the wild
ow blushed-"and now please sit dow
with me or 1 cannot eat morsel."
81 had supper not long ago, but really
| think | can take something mo-" saiC
Mrs. Cobb, drawing her chair near to tn,
table. ..
"0f course you can, my dear lady-in thi
cold autumn weather, people ought to ca
twice as much as they do in warm. Le
me give you piece of this ham-yOur owl
curing, l dare say
''Yes, my poor husband was very fonC
of it. He used to say no one understood
curing ham and drying beef better than I. ,
''He was a most sensible man, an
sure. drink your health, Madam, in thi:
cider"
He took long draught and set dowr
his gass. a-sai.7--.r
1T is like nectar
The widow was feeding Bowse and tho
eat, (who thought they were entitled to q
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,am-and very pretty
cat.
"They were my husbands favOrites, -
and sigh followed.
s'Ah-your husband must have been a
very happy man."
The blue eyes looked at her so long that
she grew furried.
is there anything more that can get
for you, sirl' she asked. at last.
Nothing, thank you; l have finishe1." "
She rose to clear the things away. He
assisted her and some how their hands
had a queer knack of touching as they
carried the dishes to the pantry shelves
Coming back to the kitchen. she nut the
apples and cider in their old places, and
brought out clean pipe and box of tobacco
fran an arched recess near the chimney.
MY husband always said he could not
sleep after eating supper late. unless he
smoked" she said perhaps you would
like to try it.
''Not if it is to drive you away" he an
swered, for she had her candle in her hand.
"Oh, no-I do not object to smoke at
ALL She put the candle down-some
faint suggestion about ''propriety" troub-
led her, bat she glanced at the old clock
and felt re-asSured. 1t was only half
past nine.
The stranger pushed the stand back
after the pipe was lit, and drew her easy
chair a little nearer the fre-and his own.
Come sit down" he said pleadingly.-
'.It's not late-and when man has been
knocking about in California and all sorts
of places, for a score of years, he is glad to
get into a berth like this-and have
pretty woman to speak to once again.
California? Have you been in Califor-
MAJ" sic exclaimed, dropping into the
chair at once. UncOnsciously she had
long cherished the idea that Sam Payson
her lover of her youth-with whom she
had foolishly quarrelled, had pitched his
tent, after wanderings, in that far-of land
Her heat warmed to one who, with some
thing Of Sans look and ways about him
had also been sojourning in that country
and who very possibly had met him-per-
haps had known him intimately? At that
thought her heart beat quicl-and she
looked very graciously at the bearded
stranger-whO, wrapped in 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 thorough
ly and comfortably at home?
"Yes, ma'am-l've been in California
for the last six years. And before that l
went round the world-in whaling ship"
Good Graciousl''
The stranger sent a puff of smoke cu5l-
ing gracefully over his head
''It's very strange, my dear lady, how
often you sec one thing as you go wander
ing about the world in that fashion"
"And what is that?"
"Men without house or home above their
heads; rowing here and there, and turning
up in all sorts of odd places-caring very
little for life as general thing, and max
ing fortunes just to fling them away again
and all for one reason. You don't ask
re what that is? No doubt Won know al
ready very we'll"
Il think not, sir.
"Recausc woman has Tilted theml''
Here was long pause, and Mr.. Cobb's
pipe omitted short pufs with surprising
rapidity. A guilty conscience needs no
aecuser, and the widows check was dyed
with bushes as she thought of the absent
Sam.
Il wonder how women manage when
they get served III that way" said the
stronger, musingly. "You never meet them
rowing up and down in that style
NO" said Mrs Cobb, with some spirit,
"if woman IS in trouble she must stay at
home and bear it. the best way she can
And there's more women bea ing such
things than we know Of, L dare say
Like enough. We never know whose
hand gets pinchcd in trap unless they
scream. And women are too shy or too
you choose-for that"
"Did you ever, in all your wauderings,
meet any one by the name of Samuel Pay
son?' asked the widow, unconcernedly.
The stranger locked towards her-she was
the table drawer for her knit
ting work. and did not notice him. When
It was found, and the needles in motion,
he answered her.
.'Payson? Sam Payson? Why, he was
ny most intimate friendl Do you know
lim?''
"a little-that is. 1 used to when
was girl. Where did you meet him?'
He went went with me IN the whaling
Toyagc l told you of-and afterwards to
California. We had tent tegether-and
SONS other fellows with us-and we dug
Il