Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-11-02
THE WIDOW AND THE POKER.

4
in moral or physical courage, but that he
was afraid of the women On all other oc-
casions he was usually equal to the emer-
gency be it whatever it might but place
him tete-a-tete with woman, and, to use a
vulgar, but expressive phrase, he was done
for.
His mother had long ago settled down to
the uncomfortable conviction that William
would never marry and the girls had ar
rived at the same conclusion it had be-
come quite the thing to say, in making
comparison, " AS great a fool as Will
Woodhouse"
For-take note, bashful gentIemen-how-
ever much ladies may admire modesty in
the other sex, they invariably despse "a
man who has not heart enough to say to
the girl of bis choice, al love YOU"
Will admired all the girls in his way, but
he looked upon them very much as sensible
people do upon hornets nest--as curl
Gus piece of architecture, but not safe to be
familiar with
SO he kept his distance, and in the mean
time arrived at the mature age Of twenty
three. Then he met, for the first time, at a
picnic party, Adelaide Browne. We be-
Elieve, people with the stoniest hearts fall in
love at picnics, and from that hour poor
Will had no comfort of his life Sleeping
or walking, his dreams were full of the
beautiful Miss Browne. Surely there never
was another of the numerous Browne fam
lily like her ! Blue eyes, white muslin
dress, with knots of pink ribbon--brown
hair, red lips, pearly teeth, snowy hands
all danced together in miscellaneous all
hands round before his distorted vision.
Adelaide, all unconscious of the trouble
she had caused went her way, breaking
the hearts Of most Of the young gentlemen
in Highbridge, and trying hard to fracture
the few that remained whole.
She was visiting her aunt Hooper and it
is an undeniable fact that ladies always
take best where they are not known. This
is no libel on the sex-no, indeed for
! with gentlemen this truth is still more ap-
plicable.
Mrs Hooper was widow lady, of no
small personal attractions in her own esti-
nation, and if she was not 50 young as she
might have been, she thought she was, and
behaved accordingly. She still affected
short sleeves and proiuse ringlets of CLOS
siest back-though envious individuals
persisted in it that her curls were made at
the hair-dresser's The same persons also
believed that she was anxious to supply
that place of the dear deceased as soon as
possible.
For week after meeting with Adelaide,
Will bore up bravely. The second meet
ing destroyed all the stock of composure
he had been boarding up. He took des
perately to the Muses., and walked the
whole night away to the infinite destruc-
tiOn of shoe-leather and the infinite disgust
of his practical papa.
He met Adelaide now quite frequently
Highbridge was very gay. There was a
singing school, lyceum, a society, and
then the folks got mp excursions to the sur
rounding hills for it was yet early autumn,
and nature was in her robes of state.
There was an excursion to Mount Giblo,
one fine day, and there Will had the costa
tic pleasure of treading on Adelaides dress,
thereby throwing her headlong into pile
Of brush, and while Laura Blake picked
her up and helped her pin her tiounces, he
stood by frightened out of his wits. and
momentarly expecting the mountain to
open and swallow him up.
From that time he pined rapidly. His
appetite was a thing Of the past His
mother thought him in quick decline, and
dosed him with hoarhound and DR.. Perkins
patent pills He grew worse and worse
! At last, thinking himself near his end, he
confessed to his mother She was thunder
struck at first but afterwards, like a sem
sible woman, she advised him to put on his
" t'other clothes" and go right over and lay
the case before Miss Browne. 1t couldn't
kill him, she said, and then if she refused
him--why there was as good fish in the
sea, etc.
Will took three days to consider, and at
the end of that time his mind was made up.
He swallowed "a double dose of blackberry
cordial, donned his flame colored vest and
black blue plaids, brushed his hair till it
shone like ebony, covered his head with his
fathers ten dollar beaver, and made the
best of his way to Mrs Hooper's. Not that
he intended to ask Adelaide-but Mrs.
Hooper If he could only get the aunt won
over to his cause, and employ her to state
the condition of his heart to her niece, he
should be happy He felt assured that he
never could live through confessing him
self to Adelaide and if he did, and she
should say no, he was satisfied he should
faint right on the spot
AS good fortune would have it, he found
Mrs Hooper alone in her best gown and
her best humor She was charmed to see
him, and treated him to nuts and cider, and
a seat on the sofa so near herself that Will
was at his wits end to frame the first word
of his errand.
They talked of the weather and the crops
till the clock struck ten. The widow tried
, to make him think it was only nine, but he
was not so far gone but that he could still
, count. He felt that the terrible moment
could be no longer delayed he must make
beginning
"Mrs. Hooper," said he, 81 came over
this evening" he hesitated.
: "Yes, WILL" she said encouragingly
:" came over"
, "Yes, know you did," still more ell
, couragingly.
: a came over to ask great favor Of
you"
Well, you couldn't have come to any
body that would be reader to do you a
; kindness" ,
"Thank you" The sweat stood on his
: forehead in great drops But this is {
a very delicate business, very. | come t'
ask you to--to-to."
" Go On.-dOn't be afraid | am listen