The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-07-10
@isfellaueons.
Widosr Brorn's on We'll.

The land was not very productive, but Mrs
Brown had only herself to provide for, ant
though her income would hardly warran
her living luxuriously, OH tho other hanl
there wns no danger OF the aims house. OI
the whole the widow might 10 considered
comfortably provided for, though her Earn
and house together would have been deal
at thousand dollars.
But Mrs. Anastasia was not contented
She was an ambitious woman. and bent or
bettering herself if the opportunity eve
presented. To lady under her circum
stances second marriage with an eligible
party seemed to be the readiest road to q
higher station. But the widows persona
advantages were hardly Of a character to
inspire very lively hopes in that direc,ion
She was tall and gaunt, and her share o.
the pcrishable but rather desirable gift oi
beauty had been below the average. BE.
sides. she was not less than forty five, nntl
therefore Of rather doubtful juvenili,y.
ltschanced that the wealthiest man Ia
town was certain Ebenrzer Pogram, who
in addition to an excellent farm Of three
hundred acres, had comfortable sum in.
vested in stocks aud bonds. ho was a
widower, and in the market. His wife
would be the foremost lady in tho village
For this position there was moro than one
aspirant, but among them all none stood 50
poor chance as Mrs. Anastasia Brown.
but, nevertheless the widow laid her plans
to capture the citadel, and circumstances,
aided by her own shrewtlness, assisted her
to accomplish il.
About this time the petroleum fever was
at It's height. There was wild excitement
general not only in the districts where pc
troleum had been discovered, but specula-
ton was rife In the commercial capital, and
companies with flaming prospectuses were
daily springing into existence. Farms
which would have been considered dear nj
twenty dollars an acre, all at once enhanced
in value fifty or even n hundred fold, and
the owners, who had hitherto found IL tlif.
fcult to earn n scanty subsistence, all ut
once found themselves rich beyond their
widest dreams.
Among ihoss who cherished hopes Of
wealth from this source was Squire Po.
gram. He saw no reason why his own
acres might not prove to DO lowing with
oil, and he instituted somc preliminary in.
vestigations which had only resulted in dis
appointment. Though already man Of
abundant means, he was inclined to he
grasping, and had no objection to doubling
or lrebling his present property. In fact
the love OF money was the ruling passion
with the squire, and this was Known to
his townsmen.
Mrs. Brown. awnre Of this fact, deter
mined upon a coup d sta,, if we may so
call il with view Of taking by assault the
hand Of the squirc-ior his heart she cared
little.
One morning the cxprcssman brought to
Mrs. Browns cottage keg, which was cv.
identity full Of some liquid.
"Fihy cents, widder," he said. rs no
lugged Il into tho back room, and deposit
cd il in the corner. "lt's rather heily."
aYes," said the widow, "molasses is hea-
vicr n most anything else"
"Nlolasses, is il? Wal, now, reckon
i,'ll take mighty long time to use up
keg full Of molasscs. :"
al'm fond Of it," said the widow, short.
y.
ayes, but there aint but one Of ye."
"I don't know but shall take boarder,
or two, IL I can get thcm," said Ms.
Brown, improvising a fib, on the spur Of
the moment.
"Then you'll have to piece out your
house, 1 reckon"
Tho widow was glad when the express
man with his intrusive curiosity was gone.
In the country II is very common to com
ment with the utmost freedom upon the
plans aud proceedings Of ones neighbor,
and this sometimes has its Disadvantages.
The widow did not open the kcg ill tho
next day. Then, instead Of molasses, she
found the contents to I've petroleum oil. 1t
might have been supposed that the suppo-
sition would have proved vexatious, but
the widow took it very coolly. She man.
aged 10 get the keg down the cellar stairs,
where she locked Il up in closet. First,
however, she filed common water.pail
with the precious liquid. and going to the
WELL deliberately poured II down. After
this rather singular proceeding, she looked
carefully up the road until she saw a horse
and buggy approaching, which she well
knew belonged to Squire Pograrn, who al.
ways came over the road about that time.
to visit small house which no was build
ing for tenants mile beyond.
The squire was just abreast Of the cot
tage, when the widow ran out and hailed
him.
10, Squire Pogrnm," she said, "wont
you Just drive into the yarl minuto7 The
water in my well tastes SO strangely. do
believe it's petroleum"
"Petroleum!" The squire pricked up
his ears, and made all haste to do rs 70.
quested.
.You don't say SO. widtcr!" he cxclaim.
cb, when did you notice il 6rst?'
"ldidn't really notice Il much ull to-day"
said Mrs. Brown. "lt might have tasted n
little queer maybe, but to-day it's very
strong"
1Let mo TASTE" said the squire. II can
tell II it's that or something else. Il may
be sotue dead crittcr that's got drowned in
the well and poisoned the water"
20, | hope not" said tho widow In
tone Of alarm. "I wouldn't have my well
sp'iled for a good deal" .....
Except by petroleum." suggested tho
squire. ~ spose you'd DO reconciled to
that" .... .f, ..
"wcll, ycs," owned the widow, "l
vouldn't mind that ~,
BY this time they had reached tho well.
and tho squire had already commenced
lowering tho bucket.
The widder was quite confident Of the
result. the oil having been recently poured
In. Still she felt a nomcntary alarm Issi Il
had become % diduscd that the portion OF
wafer drawn up would show scsnt iraces
OF admixturc. But when the bucket can,e
again to the top, she was rcasured. On the
surface OF tho water was coating Of oil.
That was clear enough. 1'.g