Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-11-26

could not ask him to move, but busted her.
elf in stirring up the blaze, that he might
the sooner dry his dripping clothes.
new thought struck her. Mr.. Cobb had
worn q comfortable dressing gown during
his illness, 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 m Mr.. Cobb's chair why
should he not be in Mr.. Cobb wrapper ?
She went nimbly to the closet, took it
down, fished out a pair Of slippers from the
boot rack bel0w, and brought them to him.
4 think you had better take off your
coat and boots; you will have the rheu>
rna.ic 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. 1 will GO into the
pantry and get you something to eat
She hustled away, on hospitahle thots
intent : and the stranger made the ex>
change with a quizzical smile playing
around his lips. He was tall, we'll
formed man, with bold but handsome
face-sun burnt and heavily bearded, and
looking anything but delicate, though his
blue eyes glanced out from under fore>
head as white as snow. He looked
| round the kitchen with q nnischiev-
Gus air, stretched out his feet before him,
decorated with the &efNDct deacon's slip
pers.
Upon my word, this is stepping into the
old mans shoes, with vengeance And
what a hearty, good humored looking
woman she is; kind as kitten and he
leaned forward and stroked the cat and
her brood, ard then patted old Bowse
upon the head. The widow bringing in
sundry good things, looked please at his
attentions to her dumb friends.
Its a wonder Bowse does not growl.-
He generally does when strangers touch
him. Dear me, how stupid!'
This last remark was addressed neither
to the stranger nor to the dog, but TO her
SELF She had forgotten that the little
stand was not empty, and there was no
room on it for the things she held.
'Oh, I'll manage that said her guest,
gathering up paper, candle, apples and
spectacles Ct was not without little pang
that she saw them in his hard, for they
had been the deacon's, and were placed
each night, like the armchair, beside her, }
and depositing them on the setice. Give
me the table cloth, ma 'am-Ive learned
that, along with score of other things, in
my wandcrings. Now let me relieve you
of those dishes; they are far too heavy
for those little hands widow blushcd
-'and now please sit down with me, or
cannot eat a morsel.
4 had supper long ago, but really think
can take something more. said Mrs.
Cobb, drawing her chair near the table.
OF course you can, my dear lady. In
this cold, autumn weather, people ought
to eat twice as much as they do in warm.
Let me give you piece Of this ham-your
own curing, dare say
Yes; my poor husband was very fond
it. He used to say no one understood
curing ham and drying better than L.
He was most sensible man, am sure
l will drink your health, madam, in this
cider
He took a long draught and sat down his
glass.
1t is like nectar
The widow was feeding Bowse and the
cat, (who thought they were entitled to a
share of every meal ate in the house,, and
did not quite hear what he said. l fancy
she would hardly have known what 'nec-
tar was, so it was quite as well.
Fine dog, ma'am, and a very pretty cat.
They were my husbands favorites, aud
a sigh followed the answer
'Ah, your husband must have been a
very happy man.
The blue eyes looked at her so long that
she grew flurried.
is there anything more I can get fol
you, SIR she said at last.
Nothing, thank you, j have finished
She rose to clear the things away. He
assisted her, and somehow their hands had
queer klack Of touching as they carried
the dishes to the pantry shelves. Comrne
back to the kitchen, she put the apples and
cider in their places. and brought out 9
: clean pipe and q box of tobacco from an
arched recess near the chimney.
MY husband always said he could mo-
sleep after eating supper late unless hs
smoked she said. Perhaps you weult
like to try it,
Not IL it is going to drive you away,
he answered; for she had candle In he,
hand.
oh, no, do not object to smoke at all.
She put the candle down--some faint sig,
geslion about 'propriety' troubled her ;.sh,
glanced at the old Cock and felt reass ured
1t was only halfpa nine.
The stranger pushed the stand back
after the pipe was lii, and drew her cas-,
chair little nearer The ire-aDd his own
Come, cit down. he said, pleadiugly.-
1t is not late; atid when d man has
been knocked about in California, and al
sorts of places, for a score Of years, he il
glad enough to get into berth like thi.
and to have pretty woman to speak te
again.
California? Have you been to Callfot
{ mar she exclaimed, dropping into the
I chair. Unconsciously. she had long cher.
r ished the idea that Sam Psyson- the lover
of her youth--with whom she had foolish.
Fly quarreled, had pitched bis tent, after
, many wanderings, in thai far~off land
, Her heart warmed 10 one who, with some.
; thing of Sans looks and ways about HIM,
had also been sojourning in that country,
/. very possibly had met him-pcrbaps had
. known him intimately. At that momen,