Litchfield enquirer., 1870-04-21
CAPTAIN BEN'S CHOICE.

CAPTAIN BEN'S CHOICE. A An old red house on rocky shore with fsherman's blue boat rocking on the bay and two white sails glistening far away ov; or the water. Above, the blue, shining sky; and below, the blue, shining sea. It seems clever to have pleasant day, ' said Mrs. Davids. signing.
 Mrs. Davids said everything with sigh, and now she wiped her eyes also on hel calico apron. She was woman with com plex:on like faded seaweed, who seemed always pitying herself. +t II tell them" said she. ''I have had real hard luck. My husband is buried away of in California, and my son died in the ar- my, and he is buried away down south Neither one of them is buried together" Then she sighed again. Twice, this time .-
 "And so," she contin ued taking out 8 pinch of bayberry snuff, ''I am left alone ! in the world Alone, say ! why, I've got daughter, but she is away out West She is married to an engineer man. And I've got two grandchildren. Mrs Davids took the pinch of bayberry and shook her head, looking as though that was the hardest luck of all.
 "Well, everybody has to have their pes ters, and you'll have to have yours," re. joined Miss Persis Tame, taking a pinch of snuf-the real Maccaboy-twice as large, with twice as fierce an action. '.1 don't know what it is to bury children, nor to lose husband; s'pose I don't; but know what it is to be damned around the world and not have a ruff to stick my head under. wish had all the money I ever spent travelling. and that's twelve dollars, ' she continued, respectfully.
 ''Why in the world don't you marry and have home of your own?" sighed Mrs. Davids. l
 "Well, don't expect to marry. I don't know as do at my time of life," respond ed the spinster. ''I rather guess my day for chances has gone by"
 "You aint such dreadful sight older than I am, though" replied Mrs. Davids, effectively. ..... .. ....
 ''Not so old by two full years, returned Miss Tame, taking smart pinch of snuff, as though it touched the empty spot in her heart and did it good. "Bnt you ain't looking out for opportunities yet, I sup pose.
 Mrs. Davids sighed evasively. "We can't tell what what is before us. There is more than one man in want of wife of wife. J
 As though to point her words Captain Ben Lundy came in sight on the beach: his head long way forward and his sham bling feet trying in vain to keep up.
 "Thirteen months and half since Lyd- dy was buried," continued Mrs Davids, accepting this application to her words, ''and there is Captain Ben taking up with just what housekeeper he can get, and no housekeeper at all. It would be an excel lent home for you, Persis. Captain Ben always had the name of making a kind husband"
 She sighed again, whether from regret fer the bereaved man, or for the multitude Q of women bereft of such husband.
 By this time Captain Bens head was at the door.
 "Morning!' said he, while his feet were coming up. "Quite an accident down below the lighthouse last night. Schoon- CT ran ashore in the blow and broke all up into kindling wood in less than no time. Captain Tisdale's been out looking for dead bodies ever since daylight" .-..
 II knowed it," sighed Mrs. Davids. sI heard rushing sound about the break of day that walked me out of sound sleep, and knowed then there was a spirit leaving its body. heard it the night Davids went or 1 expect did. It must have been very nearly at that time."
 'Wel], I guess it wasn mt 8 spirit. last night" said Captain Ben; for as I was go- ing on to to say, after searching back and Captain Tisdale came upon the folks. a man and boy, rolled up in their wet blankets asleep behind the life-boat house.
 70, then. it couldn't have been them was warned ofl' returned Mrs. Davids. looking as though she regretted it. ''It was right over my head, and I walked up just as the thing was rushing past. You haven't heard have you," she continued, "whether or no there was any other dam. age done by the gale?" T don't know whether you would call call it damage exactly," Captain Ben "but Loizah Mullers got SO scared she Jeff me and went home. She said she couldn't stay and run the chance of another of our coast blows, and off she trapsed." Mrs. Davids sighed like November s'So you have some hard luck as we'll as myself. I don't suppose you can get house. keeper to keep her long," said she dis mally.
 "Abel Grimes tells me it is enough sight easier getting wives than housekeepers, and I'm some of mind to try that tack, replied Captain Ben. smiling grimlv. Mrs. Davids put up her hand to feel o! her back hair, and smoothed down hel apron; while Miss Persis Tame blushec like withered rose, and turned her eye. modestly out of the window.
 'I am so. But the difficulty is who vii it be? There are so many to select from il is fairly bothersome," continued Captain Ben, winking fast and looking as thougl he was made'o of dry corn -cobs and hay. - Miss Persis Tame turned about abruptly '.The land alive" she calculated with sucl sudden emphasis that the dishes shook or their shelves and Captain Ben in his chair cit makes me mad as March hare to hea men go on as though all they'd got to d. was to throw down their handkerchers t, @ woman, and. no matter who, she'd sprin, and run to pick it up. It is always sWht will l marry?' and not Who will marr, me?'"
 "Why, there is twice the number of wid ders that there is of widderers here at tho Pint. That was what was in my mind, said Captain Ben, in tone of meek apolo gy. 'There is the Widow Keens, she tha was Azubah Muchmore. don't know bu what she would do; Liddy used to thinl everything of her, and she's first.rate O a housekeeper." 4
 Perhaps so," assented Mrs. Davids, du biously. "But she is troubled a sight witl hea6 coyn pla;nt. T enyroso vo,, bToxr sb,