Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-05-24

ter than !.
He was a most sensible man, l am
sure. / drink your health, madam, in
this cider
He took long draugbt and set down
his glass,
1T is like nectar
The widow was feeding Bowse and the
cat who thought they wee entitled to a
share of every meal eaten in the house
and did not quite heal what he said
| fancy she would hardly have known
what nectar was-so it wm quite as well
Fine dog, ma'am, and ve,y pretty
cat.
They were my husbands faprites,
and a sigh escaped her lips.
They were 2
Yes.
'Ah' your husband must have ben a
very happy man.
The blue eyes looked at her 60 bng
that she grew hurrled.
Is there anything more l can getfor
you, sir ? she asked at last.
Nothing, thank you, believe h.ye
finished
She arose to clear the things awaf.-
He assisted her, and somehow their binds
had queer way of touching as tbeycar-
ried the dishes to the pantry shely,s.-
Coming back to the kitchen, she put
the apples and cider in their old places,
and brought out clean pipe and box
Of tobacco from an archel recess near
the chimney.
My husband always said he could
not sleep after eating supper late unless
he smoked she said. Perhaps you
would ike to try it, sir
Not if it is to drive you away he
answered, for she had the candle in her
hand.
oh, no ! do not object to smoke at
all
She put the candle down-some faint
suggestion about propriety troubled her,
but she glanced at the clock, and felt re-
assured, It was only half past nine.
The stranger pushed the stand back
after the pipe was lit, andrew her easy
chair a little nearer the fire aud his own
at the same time.
Come, sit down, he said, pleadingly.
Its not late, and when man has been
knocking about Californi, and all sorts of
places for a berth like ths-and to have
a pretty woman to SPEAK 10 once again
California have you been to Califor-
MIA ? she exclaimed, dropping into the
chair at once.
Uncousciously she had long cherished f.
the idea ;hat Sam Payson, the lover of
her youth, with whom she had so foolish
y quarreled, had pitched bis tent after
many wanderings, in that far off land. .
Her heart warmed to one who, with .
Of Sans look and ways about
him, had also been sojouning in that
country, and who had very possibly met .
im-perhaps had known him intimately. .
AT that thought her heart beat quick,
and she looked very graciously at
he bearded stranger who, wrapped in
Mr.. Cobb's dressing gown, wearing Mr..
Cobb's slippers, and sitting in Mr.. Cobb's
chair, beside Mr.. Cobb's wife, smoked
Mr.. Cobb's pipe, with such an air of
ceiling most comfortably and thoroughly
At home.
Yes, ma'am, I've been in California
or the last six years. And before that,
went quite round the world in a whal-
ng ship.
Good graciousr
why surprised?' p
1T was so dangerous
The stranger sent a puff Of smoke
,urling gracefully over his head.
ITS very strange, my dear lady, how
,ften you see one thing wandering about
III over the world after that fashion,
And what is that?
Can't you guess !?
No, indeed
Men without house or home above
heir heads, rowing here and there, and
urning up in all sots Of odd places, car
ng very little for life as a general thing,
nd making fortunes just to fling them
way again-and for one reason. You
ont ask me what that is. No doubt you
now already very we'll
4 think not, sir
Because a woman has Tilted the most ,
f them.
Here was a lorg pause, and Mr.. Cobb's 4
ipe emitted short puff 5 with surprising