Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-03-11

at is so bad for woman 30 be Alone"
said he to himself, shambling along the
| shingly beach a moment after. Nobody
TO mend her chairs or split up her kind
lings or do chore for her aud she lame
into the bargain II Is Zoo bad"
| 4" he has steered straight for the Widow
| Keens, as sure as A is apple dumphngs."
remarked Miss Persis, peering after him
| from the window. = t-h
"Well, must admit l wouldn't have
thought of Captain Ben's being enam-
ored after such a lsickly piece of bust
ness. But men never know what they
want. Won't you just hand me that gum
camphyer bottle, now you are upf 1t is
on that chest of drawers behind you"
"No more they DON'T" returned Miss
Tame, with plaintive cadence, taking
| sniff from the camphor bottle on the way.
However, don't begrutch him 70 her,
don't know as do. 1t will make her a
| good hum, if she concludes to make ar.
rangements"
Meantime, Captain Ben Lundys head
was wellnigh at Mrs. Keen's door, for it
was situated only around the first sand
hill. She lived in little bit of house
that looked as though it had been knocked
together for crockery crate in the first
place, with two windows and rude door
thrown in as afterthoughts. In the rear
of this house was another tiny building,
| something like grown-up hen coop and
| this was where Mrs Keens carried on the
business bequeathed to her by her de-
ceased husband, along with five small
children, and one not so small But,
worse than that, one who was "Dot alto
gether there" as the English say, .
She was about this business now,
n -. 80
with wash tub and clothes wringer be-
fore her, with an army Of bathing.suits of
| every kind and color tapping wildly in
the fresh sea air at one side.
From little further on, mingling with
the sound of the beating surf, came the
merry voices of bathers,-boarders at the
great hotels on THE hill.
"Here you be- Hard at itp' said Cap
| tain Ben, putting around the corner like
portable west.wind. "I've understood
you've had hurt. Is that so ?"
] 30 mol Nothing to MENTION" re-
f, turned Mrs. Keens, turning about a
face bright and cheerful as the full
moon and throwing, as by accident, a
red bathing-suit over the two broom. sticks
that leaned against her tub.
| Unlike Mrs Davids, Mrs. Keens neither
pitied herself nor would allow anybody
else to do so.
"Sho |" remarked Captain Ben, feeling
defrauded. He had counted on sacrificing
himself to his sympathies, but he didn't
| give up yet. You must see some pretty
tough times pears to me with such a
parcel of little ones, and only yourself to
look to-" said he, proceeding awkwardly
enough to hang the pile of wrung- out
clothes upon an empty line
"I don't complain, returned the widow,
bravely. "My children are not teuson,e
and Jack, why you would be surprised to
see how many things Jack can do, for all
he isn't quite right @
AS she spoke thus with affectionate
pride, Jack came up wheeling roughly
made cart filed with wet bathing clothes
from the beach. He looked up at sound of
his mothers voice with something of the
dumb tenderness of an intelligent dog.
"Jack helps, Jack good boy" said he,
nodding with happy smile.
"Yes, Jack helps. We don't complain" A"
repeated the mother.
1t would come handy, though, to have
a man around to see to things and kind
O. provide, wouldn't it thought" per-
sisted Captain Ben.
"Some might think so," replied Mrs.
Keens, stopping her wringer to reflect a
| little. "But haven't any wish to change
my situation" she added, decidedly, going
on again with her work
"Sure ont ?" persisted the Captain.
"Certain," replied the widow.
Captain Ben sighed. ~ thought ma
be you was having hard row to hoe, and
1 thoughts like enough"
4 What he never said, excepting by q
beseeching glance at the cheerful widow,
for Just then an Interruption came from
some people after bathing-suits.
So Captain Ben moved off with dismal
countenance. But before he had gone
far it suddenly frightened at might
not be for the best" quoth he to himself
"Like enough not. 1 was very careful
not to commit myself, and l am very glad
l didn't" He smiled as he reflected on
his judicious wariness "But, however,
he continued, II might as well finish UP
this business now. There is Rachel boo
little Who knows but she'd make likely
wife? Lyddy sot a good deal by her
She never had quilting or sewing bee
but what nothing would do but she mus
give Rachel Doolittle an invite. Yes;
wonder l never decided on her before
She will be glad of home sure enough
for she haves to live around, as it were
, upon her brothers"
Captain Ben's feet quickened them
selves at these thoughts, and had almos
overtaken his head, when behold at
sudden turn in the road there stood Mis-
Rachel DoOlittle, picking barberries from
wayside bush. my sakes If she ain
right here, like Rachel in the Bible 7
calculated Captain Ben, taking heart a
J the omen. ..rr .lt.
Miss Doolittle looked up from unde
9 her tieddown hat in surprise at such
salutation. But her surprise was increases
by Captain Ben's next remark.
. ut Just came into my mind" said he
shat you was the right one to take Lyd
dy's place. You two used to be such grea
,, knit-ups thstit will seem most ike having
! Lyddy back again. No." he continued
after little reflection, 81 don't know G
! anybody had rather see sitting in Lyd
dy's chair and wearing Lyddy's thing
than yourself"
"Dear me, Captain Lundy, couldn'
think of it. Paups folks expect me to sta,
: with them while the boarder season last:
: and I've as good as promised Jacobs wifi
! LII spend the winter with her"
: Amt that hard life you are layinj
: out tor yourselfY And then bum by yo
! will get old or sick ma be, and who
going TO want you around then? Ever
: woman needs husband of her own +
take care of her" sTia
I'm able to take care of myself a
I yet, thanks to goodnessl And 1 am NO
I afraid my brothers will see me suffe
in case of Sickness" returned Mis-
I Doolittle, her cheeks flaming up like
' sumach In October. olGl
. But hadn't you better take a littl
time to think 1t overS Ma be it com
:, sudden 0you," pleaded Captain Ben,
r. mo, thank you. Some things don
i need thinking over" answered Miss Doc
t little, pluckingat al the barberries more dill
D gently than ever ao % lst
al wish Lyddy was here. She wOul
Q convince you you are standing in you
|, own light, returned Lyddy's widower, i
i q perplexed tone. ~. - -s..,.-,.,.,,,5s, n
: III don't need one to come from tn
g dead to show me my own mind" retoTte
Q Miss Doolittle, firmly. 'ris n
Q "Weli, like enough you are right" sal
! Captain Ben, mildly, putting a few stem
Of barberries in her pail "ma' be-
j | Nnnld nj ha hest L dnnI wani 70 be rash