The Shasta courier., 1861-03-02
The Widow Cobb's First Love.
BY MARY W. STANLEY GIBSON.

The fire cracked cheerfuly on the broad
hearth of the old farm house kitchen, cat and
three kittens basked in the warmth, and de-
crepid yellow dog lying full in the reflection
OF the blaze wrinkled his black nose approve
ingly, as he turned his hind feet where his fore
feet had been. Over the chimney hung fine
hams and pieces of dried beef Apples were
festooned along the ceiling, and crooked neck
ed squashes wed with red pepper and slips of
dried pumpkin, in garnishng each window
frame. There were plants too, on the window
ledges-horseshoe geraniums, and dew plants
and monthly rose just budding, to say moth
ing of pots of violets that perfumed 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 leg or
round-the long settee near the fire. place shone as
if it had just been vanished, an eight day clock
in the corner had its white face newly washed
and seemed determined to tick the louder for
1T. Two armed chairs drawn up at cosy dis
tance from the hearth and each other, q candle
a newspaper, pair of spectacles, dish of
red checked apples and pitcher of cider, filled
little table between them. In one of these
chairs sat 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 on the table, and her head upon her
This was the Widow Cobb. relictn of Deacon
Levi Cobb, who had been mouldering into dust
in the Bytown Churchyard for more than seven
years. She was thinking of her dead husband,
possibly because-all 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 si-
lence of the room, made her a little lonely.
Seven years. so the widows reverie ran.
'lt seems as if it was more than ffty-and yet
don't look so very old neither Perhaps it's
not having any children 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 six boys. She's worn to a shadow,
and I'm sure they have done it though she will
never own it,
The widow took an apple from the dish and
pegan to peel it.
How dreadful fond Mr. Cobb used to be OF
these CRAFTS He will not eat any more of then,
poor fellow-for | don't suppose they have
apples where he has gone to- Heighol | re-
member very well how used to throw apple
parings over my head when | was a girl, to see
who was going to marry
Mrs Cobb stopped short and blushed.-Fol
in those days she did not know Mr.. Cobb and
was looking eagerly to see if the peel had FORM
ed a capital as" Her meditations took a new
turn.
How handsome Sam. Payson was and how
much | used to care about him. | wonder
what has become of him Jerusha says be
went away from the village Just after did
and no one has ever herd of him since And
what silly thing that quarrel was If j,
had not been for that"
Here came long pause, during which the
widow looked very steadfastly at the emp,,
chair of Levi Cobb, deceased. Her fingers
played carelessly with the apple pairing, sh,
drew it safely towards her, and looked arounC
the room.
"Upon my word it is very ridiculous, and
don't know what the neighbors would say i
they saw me-"
Still the plump fingers drew the red pee
nearer.
"But then they can't see me, that's com
fort, and that cat and old Bowse never will know
what it means. OF course | don't believe any
thing about it."
The pairing hung gracefully from her smal
hand.
But still would like to try, it would seer
so like old times, and"
Over her head it went and curled up quietl
on the floor little distance of. Old Bows,
who always slept with one eye open, saw it fal
and marched deliberately up to smell it.
'Bowse-Bowse-don' touch it u cried hi
mistress, and bending over it with breathin
heart, she blushed like rose. There was a
handsome capital " 81 as any one would wis
to see.
great knock came suddenly at the door,
Bowse growled, and the widow screamed, an
snatched up the appe-paring.
'@h's Mr. Cobb-it's his spirit come bac
again because 1 tried that silly trick" sh
thought fearfully to herself.
Another knock-louder than the first, and
mans, voice exclaimed
Hello the house "
Who is 2" asked the widow, somewhat re
heved to find that the departed Levi was sti
safe in his grave the hill side.
"A stranger" said the voice.