The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-10-20

No said Mrs Cobb. With some spir
Il, II a woman is in trouble she must
stay At home and bear ii the best way
she can. And there's more women
bearing such things than We know Of
/ dare say
Like enough. We never know whose
hand gets pinohed in trap unless they
scream. And women are too sensible
or too shy which you choose ior that.
Did You ever in all your wanderings,
meet any one by the name Of Samuel
Paysony asked the widow, unconeern-
edly.
The stranger looked towards her
she was rummaging at the table draw
er for her knitting work. aud did not
notice him When it was found, and
the needles in motion be answered her.
Payson 2 Sam Payson9 Why. he
was my most intimate friend Did you
know him
A little--that is, l used when / was
girl, Where did you meet him2
He went With me on the whaling voy-
age l told you of--and afterwards to
California, We bad n tent together,
and some other fellows with us, and we
dug in the same claim for more than
SIX months.
! suppose he was quite well 2
Strong as an OK, my dear lady.
And-and happy? pursued the wild
ow, bending over her knitting
Hum, the less said about that the
better, perhaps, But he seemed to en-
Joy life after fashion of his own. He
got rich out there, or rather / will say,
well off.
Mrs. Cobb did not pay much atten-
tion to that part of the story. Evident
ly she had not finished asking ques-
tions, But she was puzzled about her
next one. At last she brought it out
beautifully.
Was his wife with him in California
His wife ma'am f? Why, bless you,
he has not got one.
oh, thought meant-I heard
here the little widow remembered the
fate OF Ananias and Sapphira, aud stop
ped short before she told such tre-
mendous fib . .....
Whatever you heard of his mrrrying
was all nonsense, ] can assure you. ]
know him very well, and he had no
thought Of the kind about him. Some
of the boys used to tease him about it,
but he soon made them stop.
How
He just told them frankly that the
only woman he ever loved had Tilted
him years before, and married another
man. After that no one ever mention
ed the subject to him, but me-
Mrs Cobb laid her knitting aside,
and looked thoughtfully into the fire,
He was another specimen Of the
class of men / was speaking Of have
seen him face death score OF times as
quietly as face the fire. 1t matters
very little who takes me off, he used to
say; I've nothing to live for and there's
no one TO shed tear for me when I'm
gone. It's sad thought for man to
have, isn't it?
Mrs Cobb sighed as she said she
thought it was.
But did he never tell you the name
OF the lady who Tilted him
| knew her first name.
What was it2
Maria
The plump little widow almoet start
ed out of her chair; her name was spo-
ken exactly as Sam would said it.
Did you know her, too he asked,
looking keenly at her. ....
Yes.
Intimately?
Yes.
And where is she now? Still happy
with her husband, ! suppose, aud never
giving a thought to the poor fellow she
drove out into the world.
No, said Mrs. Cobb, shading her face
with her hand, and speaking unsteadily.
No, her husband is dead
Ali But still she never thinks Of
Sam
There was a dead silence.
Does she2
How can | tell
Are you still friends?
Yes.
Then you ought to know and You do.
Tell me.
] am sure ] don't know why ! should
But If do, You must promise me on
your honor never to tell him, If you eY-
er meet him again.
Madam, what you say 10 me shall
never be repeated TO any mortal man.
upon my honor.