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

/ mOtlOn, ne answered 0er.
'PaysOn-San PaysOni Why, he was
my most intimate friend! Do you know
himV
A little - that Ia, used tn, when l WAS
. girl. Where did you meet hint ?
He went with me on the whaling
voyage l told you. Of, and a6erwaTd to
California. We had tent together, and
some other 6llOws with us, and we dug
in the same claim for more than six
months
Il suppose he was quite wellF
p StEoRe as-aR-ox,@-
'And-hnppy ?" pursued the widow,
bending close over her knitting.
Hum-the less said about that the
better, perhaps. But he seemed to enjoy
life after fashion Of his own. And he
got rich out there, or rather, will say,
well off,
Mrs. Minards did not pay much atten-
ton to that part of the story. Evidently
she had not finished asking questions,
but she was puzzled abont her next one.
At last she brought it out beautifully.
Was his wife with him in California ?
The stranger looked at her with twink
ling eyes.
His wife, mA'nml Why, bless you,
he has not got one
'Oh, l thought mean heard'-here
the little widow remembered the fate of
Ananias and Sapphirn, and stopped short
before she told such q tremendous fb.
Whatever you heard Of his marrying
was all nonsense. ] can assure you.
knew him well, and he had no thoughts
Of the kind about him. Some Of the boys
used to tease him about it, but he soon
made them stop
'HowP'
lie just told them frankly that the
only woman he ever loved had Tilted him
years before, and married another man.
After that no one ever mentioned the sub
jcct to him again, except me-
Mrs. Minards laid her knitting aside,
and looked thoughtfulIy into the FIRE.
He was another specimen Of the class
Of men was speaking Of l have seen
him face death score Of times as quietly
as face the fire. 1t matters very little
what takes me off, he used to say; Il
have nothing to live for, and there's no
one that will shed tear for me when
ain gone It's a sad thought for a man
to have, isn't it y
Mrs Minards sighed, as she said she
thought it was.
But did he ever tell you the name of
the woman who Tilted him =
! know her first name
what was itg
Maria
The plump little widow almost started
out Of her chair, the name was spoken SO
exactly as Sam would have said it.
Did yon know her, too?' he asked,
looking kcenly at her.
Yes
Intimately?
Yes
And where is she nowI Still happy
with her husband, ] suppose, and never
giving thought to the poor fellow she
drove out into the world p
No. said Mrs. MinardS, shading her
face with her hand. and speaking unStead-
lily; no, her husband is dead
!'Ah but she never thinks of Sam
There was dead silence.
Docs she?'
How can tellT
Are you still friends!'
Yes
Then you ought to know, and you do.
Tell me-
I'm sure I don't know why I should.
But If do you must promise me, on your
honor, never to tell him, IL you should
ever meet him again
Madame, what you say to me never
shall be repeated to any mortal man,
We'll, then, she does remember him.
'Bdt how
AS kindly, ! think, as he could wish
| ain glad to hear it, for his sake. You
and are the friends OF both parties; we
can rejoice with each other
lie drew his chair much nearer hers,
and took her hand. One moment the
widow resisted, but 1t was q magnetic
touch, tho rosy palm lay quietly in his,
and the dark beard bent so low that Il
nearly touched her shoulder. 1t did not
matter much. Was he not Samuel's dear
friend? II he was not the rose, had he
not dwelt very near It, for long, long
time r--' - -
1t was q foolish quarrel that parted
them, said the stranger, softly.
Did he tell you about itY
Yes. on boaed the whaler.'
Did he blame her much?
Not 10 much as himself He said
that his jealousy and ill-temper drove her
to break off the match; but he thought
sometimes if he had only gone back and
spoken kindly to her, she would have had
him after ALL
I'm sure she would, said the widow
piteously. She has owned it to me more
than thousand times
She was not happy, then, with anoth-
err
'Mr.-that is to say her husband WAS
very good and kind, said the little NO.
man, thinking Of the lonely grave out on
the hillside rather penitently; and they
lived very pleasantly together. There
never was harsh word between them
Still, might she not have been happier
with himl Be honest, now, and say just
what you think
Yea
Bravo That il what wanted to come
at. And now have secret to tell YOU.
and you must break 1t to her.
Mrs. Minards looked rather scared.
What Is itI'
II want you to go ard see her, where
ever she msy Be, end say to her, Maria
what makes you atSrt 90 n
Nothing. only you speak, like some
one used to know, once In while 90
DO II; Well take the rest Of the mes.
sage. Tell her that Sam loved her through
the whole; that; when he heard abe wss
freq hs began 70 work bard a making p
fortune. He has got H., and Is c0ming
home to share It with her, IL she will lei
him. Will you tellher thisY ''f - ~
The widow did not answer. She had
freed her hand from his, and covered her
lace with it. BY and by she looked up
again; he was waiting patiently -
'WeITY' 1890 =. -. .,.'..-..-
| WIZ get "et' r.-,,N 'e '-