Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-04-08
5fiscellamu.
Captain Ben's Choice.


An old red house on rocky shore,
with fsherman's blue boat rocking on
the bay, and two white sails glistening
far away over the water. Above, the
blue, shining sky; and below, the blue,
shining sea.
at seems clever to have pleasant
day." said Mrs. Davids, signing.
Mrs. Davids said everything with a
sigh, and now she wiped her eyes also on
her calico apron. She was woman with
complexion like faded sea-weed, who
seemed always plying herself.
81 tell them," said she, l have had
real hard luck. My husband is buried
away off in California, and my son died
in the army, and he is buried away down
South. Neither one of them is buried
together"
Then she sighed again. Twice, this
time.
And So" she continued, taking out a
pinch of bayberry snuff, " | am left alone
in the world. Alone, l say why, I've
got daughter, but she is away out West.
She is married to an engineernan And
I've got two grandchildren.
Mrs Davids took the pinch of bay
berry and shook her head, looking as
though that was the hardest luck of
all.
well, everybody has to have their
posters, and you'll have to have yours" /"
rejoined Miss Persis Tame, taking pinch
of snuff-the real Maccaboy-twice as
large, with twice as fierce an action. 81
don't know what it is to bury children,
nor to lose husband | s'pose | don't ;
but l know what it is to be jammed
round the world and not have ruff to
stick my head under. l wish / had all
the money ever spent travelling,-and
that's twelve dollars" she continued, re-
gretfully.
"Why in the world don't you marry
and have home of your own?" sighed
Mrs Davids.
"Well, l don't expect to marry.
don't know as | do at my time of life,
responded the spinster. rather guess
my day for chances is gone by"
+" You amt such dreadful sight old,
er than / am, though, " replied Mrs. Da.
vids, refectively.
mot SO old by two full years" re
turned Miss Tame, taking another smart
pinch of snuff, as though it touched the
empty spot in her heart and did it good
" But you amt looking out for opportu
mites yet, suppose.
Mrs. Davids sighed evasively. I'VE
can't tell what is before us. There il
more than one man in want of wife"
As though to point her words. Cap
tain Ben Lundy came in sight on the
beech, his head a long way forward anC
his shambling feet trying in vain to keel
up.
Thirteen months and a half sine,
Lvddy was buried" continued Mrs. Da
vids, accepting this application to he
words, and there is Captain Ben taking
up with just what housekeeper he cal
get, and no housekeeper at all. Itwoult
be an excellent home for you, Persis
Captain Ben always had the name 0
making kind husband"
She sighed again, whether from regre
for the bereaved man, or for the multi
tude of women bereft of such a husband
By this time Captain Ben's head wa
at the door.
Morningl" said he, while his fee
we're coming up. "Quite an acciden
down here below the lighthouse las
night. Schooner ran ashore in the bloy
and broke all up into kindling-wood il
less than no time. Captain Tisdale's beel
out looking for dead bodies ever sine
daylight"
al knowed it, sighed Mrs. David;
al heard rushing sound some tim
about the break of day that walked m
out of sound sleep, and knowed the
there was a spirit leaving its body.
heard it the night Davids went, or | eS
pect / did. 1t must have been yer
nearly at that time.
"Well," guess it wasn't spirit, las