The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-06-06

can cat something more said Mrs. MinaIds
drawing her chair nearer to the table.
Of course you can my dear lady; in this
cold autumn weather people ought to eat twice
as much as they % in warm Letme give you
piece of this ham, your own curing, l dare
say
Yes; my poor husband was very fond Of it,
He used to say that no one understood the cur
ing ofham and drying beet better than L.
He was most sensible man, am sure l
drink your health, ma am in this cider
He took a long draught and set down his
glass.
1t is like nectar
The widow was feeding Bowse aud the cat,
(who thought they were entitled to share of
every meal eaten in the house, and not quite
hear what he said fancy she would hardly
have known what nectar was-so it WAS quite
as we'll
EsFe dog ma'am and very pretty cat
'Tney were my husbands fagorites,' and a
sigh followed the answer
All, your husband must have been a very
happ5 man.
The blue eyes looked at her SO long that she
got airried.
Is there anything more can get for you,
sir size asked at last.
Nothing, thank you have finished
She rose to clear the things away. He as
sisted her and somehow their hands had queer
knaek of touching as they carried the dishes
to the pantry shelves. Coming back to the
kitchen she put the apples and cider in their
old places, and brought out clean pipe and a
box Of tobacco from 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 ifit is to drive you away for she had
her candle in her hand.
oh nc, 1 do not object to smoke at ALL. She
put the candle down; some faint suggestions
aboutpropriety troubled her, but she glanced
at the clock and felt assured It was only halt
past nine. The stranger pushed the stand back
after the pipe was lit and drew her easy chair
and her own little nearer to the fire.
Come, sit down, he said pleadingly. It's
not late, and when a man has been knocking
about in Calf orna and all sorts fplaces for
score of years. he is glad enough to get in
berth like this, and to have pretty woman to
speak to once again"
California have you been in California p
she exclaimed, dropping into the chair at once.
Unconsciously, she had long cherished the idea
that Sam Payson, the lover Of her youth, with
whom she had so ioolishly quarreled, hs9 pitch
ed his tent after many wandcrings in that far-otf
of Sans looks and ways about him,
had also been sQjourning in that country and
who, very possibly had met him-perhaps had
known him intimately 1t that thought her
heart beat quick, and looked very graciously at
the bearded stranger, who, wrapped i'll Mr. Mi
nards dressing gown, weaving Mr. Minards
slippers, and sitting in Mr. Minards' chair be-
side Mr.. Minards' wife, smoked Mr.. Minards'
pipe with such an air of feeling most thoroughly
and comfortably at home.
Yes ma am, I've been in California for the
last six years. And before that l went around
the world in a whaling ship
Good gracious
The stranger sent a puff Of smoke cur ling
gracefully over his head
It's very strange, my dear lady, how often
you see one thing as you 60 wandering about
the world after that fashion.
And what is that?
Men without house or home above their
heads. rowing here and there and turning up in
all sossS ct odd places caring very little for
life as a general thing, and making fortunes just
to fling them away again, and all for one reason.
You doa't ask me what that is No doubt you
know already very well
think not, sir
Because woman has Tilted them 7
Here was a short pause and Mr.. Minards' pipe
CAHiGiFu SuOSJ DuilS WIFI sur ilStnR IdDlUlbN. ~
guilty conscience needs no accuser, and the
widows cheek was dyed with bushes as she
thought of the absent Sam.
wonder how won en- manage when they get
served in the same way said the stranger, mu-
singly you never meet them roaming up and
down in that style
No. said Mrs. Minards with some spirit, if
a woman is in trouble, she must stay at home
and bear it the best way she can. And there's
more women bearing such things than we know
Of, Idere say.
Like enough we never know whose hand
gets pinched in trap unless they scream. And
women are too shy or too sepsible-which you
that
Did you ever, IN all your wanderings, meet
any one by the name Of Samuel Payson?' asked
the widow unconcernedly. The stranger look
ed towards her; she was rumaging the table
drawer for her knitting work and did not notice
him. When it was found and the needles in
motion, he answered her.
Payson--Sam Payson; why lie was my
mo st intimate friend Do you know him?
"A little-tbat is l used TO when l was girl.
Where did you meet him"
He went with me on the whaling voyage |
told you Of, and afterwards to California. We
had a tent together and some fellows with us,
and we dug together in the same chain for more
than six MONTHS
/ suppose he was quite well"
Strong as an OK.
And-happy?' pursued the widow, bending
closer over her knitting.
Hum--the less he said about that the bet
ter, perhaps But lie IS emed to enjoy life after
a fashion of his own. And he got rich out there,
or rather, will say, well off.
Mrs. Minards did not pay much attention to
that part of the story. Evidently she had not
finished asking questions, but she was puzzled
about her noxt one, At last she brought it out
Was his wife with him in Californian
The stranger looked at her with twlnkling
eyes.
: His wife ma'am! Why bless you, he has
not got one
oh, 1 thought mean I thought here
tue little widow remembered the fate Of Annani-
as and Sapphire and stopped short before she
told such a tremendous tib.
Whatever you heard OF his marrying was all
can assure you. knew him well,
and he had no thought If the kind about him.
Some of the boys used to tease him about it,
but he soon made them stop
How p
sHe lust told them frankly that the only wom-
an he had ever loved had Tilted him and mar
ried another man. After that no one ever men
toned the subject to him again except me.
Mrs Minarts laid her knitting aside and
looked thoughtfully into the fire.
He was another specimen OF the class of men
1 was speaking Of. / have seen him face death
a score of times,as quietly as face the fire. 1T
matters very little what takes me off, he used to
say I've no one to live for and there's no one
that will shed tear for me when / am gone
It's sad thought for nan to have isn't it y
Mrs. Minards sighed as she said she thought
it was.
But did he ever tell you the name ofthe wom-
an who Tilted him?'
Il know her first name.
what was it 2
Maria.
The plump little widow almost started out OF
her chair, the name was spoken so exactly as
Sam would have said it.
Did you know her too . he asked, looking
keenly at her.
'Yes.'
Intimately
yes
Add ubara IL che now Still hannv with