The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-11-16
selected story
Widow Cobb's First Love.


of the yellow blaze, wrinkled his black nose
approvingly, as he turned his hind feet where
his fore feet had been. Over the chimney
hung several fine hams and pieces OF dried beei;
Apples were testooned along the ceiling, anu
crooked-neck squasheS We'd with the red pep
pers and slips of dried pumpkins in garnlsh-
ing each window frame. The were plants'
too, on the window ledges-horse-shoe gera-
NUNS and dew plants, and montniy rose,
lust budding, to say nothing OF pots OF violets
that perfumed the whole place whenever tney
took il into their heads to bloom. The 1oor
was carefully swept, the chairs had not spech
of dust upon leg OF found, the long setlie near
the fireplace shone as if it had been Vafnlsh,
ed. and the eight day clock in the corner had
its white face newly washed, and seemed de-
termined to tick the louder tor it. Two arm
chairs were drawn up at a coy distance from
the hearth and each other; candle, news
paper. a pair OF spectaces, dish OF red
checked apples and a pitcher OF cider, filled
little table be ween them. In one OF the chairs
sat comfortable looking woman OF about
forty-ive, with cheeks as red as the apples,
and eyes as dark and as bright as they had
ever been, resting her elbow on the table, and
her head upon her hand, looked thoughtfully
into the fire. This was the widow Cobb
"reict" of Deacon Levi Cobb who had been
Wondering in the dust in the Bytown church
yard for more than seven years. She was
thinking of her dead husband, probably be-
cause-her work being done, and the servant
gone to bed-the sight of the empty chair at
the other side OF the table, and the silence of
the room made her little lonely.
"Seven yearsI" so the widows reverie ran.
/" 1t seems as if twas more than ffty-and yet
l don't look so very old either. 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 Je-
rusha with her six boys. She's worn to
shallow, and Pm sure they have done it,
though she will never own it.
The widow took an apple from the dish, and
began to peal it.
allow dreadful fond Mr.. Cobb used to be
of these gratis. he will never eat any more
of them, poor fellow, tor don't suppose they
have apples where he's gone to. Heigho! L
remember well how L used to throw apple
parings over my head when was girl, to
see Eho was agoing to merry"
Mrs. Cobb stopped short and blushed. In
those days she did not know Mr.. Cobb, and
was always looking eagerly to see ii the peel
had formed capital S. Her meditation took
a new turn.
"How handsome Sam Payson was, and
how much L used to care for him. Jerusha
says he went away from our village just after
/ did, and no one has heard of him since
LII
it had not been for that
Here came long pause, during which the
widow looked very steadfastly at the empty
armchair OF Levi Cobb, deceased. Her lin
gers played carelessly with the apple pairing /;
she drew it slowly towards her, and looked
around the room.
upon my word it is very ridiculous, and
don't know what the neignbors would say if
they saw me-"
Still the plump fingers drew the peel near
"But they can't see me-thats comfort
and the cat and old Bowse will never know
what it means. OF course 1 don't believe
anything about it,"
The pairing hung gracefully from her hand.
But still, L should like TO try; it would
seem like old times, and"--
Over he ad it went, and curled I'D quietly
on the floor at little distance; old Bowse
who always slept with one eye open, saw
1t fall, and marched deliberately up to smell
it.
"Bowse, Bowse, don't touch it'll" cried his
mistress; and bending over it with beating
heart, she turned as red as fire. There was
as handsome capital as one could wish to
see.
A loud knock came suddenly at the door.
The dog growled, and the widow screamed
and snatched up the apple-paring.
Its Mr.. Cobb; it'sthis spirit come back
again because l tried that sillr trick" she
thought fearfully to herself.
Another knock, louder than the first, and
mans voice exclaimed:
"Hillo, the housed"
"Who is it?" asked the widow somewhat
relieved to find that the departed Levi was
still safe in his grave upon the hillside.
"A stranger" said the voice.
what you want?"
ITO get lodging here for the night"
The widow deliberated.
Cant you go on? There's house half
mile further on if you keep to the right hand
side OF the road, and turn to the left after
you get by"
TITS raining cats and dogs, and Pm very
delicate" said the stranger, coughing. "Tm
wet to the skin. Don't you think Won can
accommodate me? don't mind sleeping OH
the floor.
"Raining is it? I didn't know that" and
the kiDd-hearted little woman unbarred the
door very quickly. "Come in, whoever you
ana lone woman with only one servant in
the house."
The stranger entered, shaking himself like
newfoundland dog upon the step, and scat
terlng little shower OF drops over his hostess
and her nicely swept floor.
"Ah, that looks comfortable after a man
has been out for hours in a Storm" he said as
he caught sight OF the fire, and stridins along
toward the hearth, followed by BoWse, who
snufed suspiciously at his heels, he stationed
himself In the arm chair-Mr. Cobb's arm
chair-whch had been sacred to his memory
for seven years." The widow was Mortified.
but her guest was SO weary and worn out
that she conld not ask him to move, but
busted herself in stirring up the blaze, that he
might the sooner dry his dripping clothes. A
new thought struck her. Mr., Cobb had worn
q C01n0rf2DtQ DRESSING 1,.,., Il,
ness, which still hung in the closet at her
right: She could not let this poor man catch
his death by sitting in that wet coat IF he
was in Mr.. Cobb's chair, why should he not
be in Mr.. Cobb's wrapper? She went nimbly
TO the closet, took it down, fshed out a pair
OF slippers from the boot rack below, and
brought them to him.
Il think you had better take off your coat
ana boots you will have the rheumatic fever.
or something like it, if you don't Here are
some things for you to wear while they are
drying. And you must be hungry, too. l
Will go into the pantry and get you something
to eat"
She hustled away, son hospitable thoughts
intent" and the stranger made the exchange
with quizzical smile playing around his lips.
he was tall, well formed man, with bold
put handsome face-sun burned but heavily
bearded, and looking anything but delicate.
though his blue eyes glanced out from under
forehead as white as snow. He looked
around the kitchen with a mischievous air.
stretching out his feet before him. decorated
with the defunct deacon's slippers.
upon my word this is stepping into the
ofd mans shoes with vengeance! And what
nearly, good-humored looking woman She
n ~ hlho as Kitten" and then he patted old
Do"se upon the head. The widow, bringing
in sundry good things, looked pleased at his
attention to her dumb friend
lts wonder Bowse doesn't growl. He
generally does when strangers touch him,
Dear me, how stupid"
This last remark was addressed neither to
tne stranger nor to the dog, but to herself
She had forgotten that the little stand was
not empty, and there was no room ON if for
the things she held.
"Oh, iii manage that" said her guest. gath
erlng up paper, candles, apples and spectacles.
ut was not without a little pang that She saw
them in his hand, for they had been the dea- |
cons and were placed each night like the |
rm-ehair, beside her, and depositing them
on the settle. "Give me the table cloth,
ma am-Pve learned that along with a score
OF other things in my wanderings. Now LET |
me relieve you of those heavy dishes: thew
are too heavy for those little hands,-the
wi icI blushed-"and now please sit down
WIN me, or cannot eat morsel.-'
nov, t n1a supper long ago, but really think
d S~n i"nI something more, said Mrs. Cobb,
uIaWhS her chair near the table
VI cou!se you can, my dear ladv Tn tb;s
colo autumn weather, people shmnId cot +,r;ao
as much as they do in warm IT, cav Twice
you piece of this ham-your own cn n,G give