Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-11-11
RAsBURGH, VERMONT, FRIDAY NOVEMBER H. 1864.
"Eb ? / beg your pardon, ma'am,

preston" said the lady.
Certainly, ma'am," said Mr.. Crum-
stone, mentally making c of the
correction.
"You remember sir, p or Capt
Capt-Captain Halyard, who died at the
dockyar last week ?"
"Perfectly well, ma'am ; and very
estimable person a d gallant officer he
was. Died, after a short illness, uniyer-
sally beloved an regretted" pursued
the attorney.
"Oh, my dear sir" said the lady, with
a fresh burst of tears, "if his friends re-
gret him so much, judge what must be
the feelings of his pO-poor distracted
wite!'
"His wife, ma'am ~ cried the attorney.
"Why, my good lady, he never had any.
He lived and died IA bachelor; she"
"Oh, l thought you would say SO !"
rejoined his visitor; $50 Everybody says,
that's the most miserable part OF it; SO
Everybody h n k S, and no wonder, too,
considering that be never acknowledged
me-"
"Youi m n, said Crumstone,
aghast; "why you don't mean to tell me
;hat-stop!' (It flashed across him that
the woman was insane. He had a pc
culiar dread of lunatics. Supposing she
were TO attack him with the ruler; it lay
dangerously near her-horribe thougbtD
He was just about to summon his clerk
under pretence of sending for more sher-
ry, when bis afflicted client said,
"Well, sir, if you can't take the word
of poor injured widow, perhaps this will
convince YOU
And she drew from her reticule a
dirty dogeared piece of paper, and gave
it to the attorney.
Stay said be, hastily glancing at it
do you mean to say that the Mr.. Plum
tree who signed this is the present rector
of St. Mary's?"
"The very same, SIR"
"And you think be will confirm
the certificate ?"
"As sure as l sit here, SIR"
"This is most extraordinary case,"
said the attorney, after a short pause
'If what you say be true, you are of
course entitled to the widows pension"
THAT'S what I'm coming o, please
sir" said the lady, little more cheer
fully.
"Well, but have you applied to the
Admiralty ?
"Oh, no, sir not yet, at least. Why,
you see, where'd be the use of poor
creature like me going and telling my
story, sir; who'd believe it, SIR"
Here h hood-gates were opened
again.
"Stay, my good friend" said Crum-
stone, who was fast sohening before the
tears of bis client. "Stay; if you have
been really injured, l will take upon my
self to you rigbted. My clerk can
take down your depositions.'
"My what, sir ?" said b weeping
client.
"Your statement, madam" a i d the
attorney, ringing the bell. "Now, what
is the outline of The case Z"
"There was no outlying, nor"
"My dear madam, l mean the outline
of your story. You say that the deceas-
ed captain married you?"
"Yes, sir, that be did but | was in
service, sir, at the time and the captain,
you see, sir, being young man, he wish
ed it KEEP secret from bis friends-which,
I'm sure, TIE been no disgrace to them
sir, though aoaS poor woman-but he
never said nothing about it to no one, sir !;
and we were married one frosty morning
in Febbuary, sir; which, I'm sure Mr..
Plumtree will remember it, owing to our
coming so early; and after the iust few
weeks we lived quite apart, sir; he in
his house in the town, and / in humble
way at Delverton, where he came to see
me reg'lar twice week.
'Ab, Wednesdays and Saturdays, now?
inquired the lawyer, abstractedly.
We'll, he wern't partic'lar to the day,
sir rejoined the widow; but come he
did, at all events and often and often
I've said to him, says L Why don't you
take m home reg'lar, l says; which,
No, Betsy says he, i wish / could with
all my art, my dear, but at present It's
impossible was the words he said, sir
Wat bit, until he waited t o long,
poor dear; an d now he's gone to his
long 'ome, and am his poor unfortnight
widow, with not so much as shilling, by
way of pension, to bless myself
Here the poor creature again burst in
to food of grief, and the honest lawyer