Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1871-03-09


Fair and Forty asserting, we went.
FOR married man the next best thing to go-
ing sleigL-riding with his wife, Is going with
lie widow Of q deceased friend, and II his wife,
as haa mine, has left him in the lurch and gone
to Europe, why, pray, should not he 60 q sleigh
riding with widow-it he has the chance
I bis Is question which can only be anowered
In one way. Besides, In my case, Fair and
Forty was my wife's most intimate friend, and,
moreover, sbe bad ever SO long ago, been an old |
sweetheart Of nine. 1t was very natural and
proper, therefore, that should 60 sleigb-rid-
hg. ! had for years, ever since, In fact, my mar
mage, been accustomed 70 take my seigh-rldes I
whh lady beside me. | wouldn't have enjoy |
ed one alone, and so invited Fair aud Forty to |
join me.
srhis reminds me- said, as we glided swiftly |
along, of old times. What merry times they
were, TOO and how you and enjoyed them tos
gelher.'
The widow sighed.
'Oh, thare Is no use sigblng about IT, said,
we've lived our youth, and We can't go back to
II but Hre can live our age Just as merriy, and
e vii be our own fanlt IL we can't better that OF
our youth. You and l, Fair and Forty, are
good deal phmper than we were twenty odd
years ago, and we fill this seat more completely
than we then did. though don't know that we
ait any closer together than we uaed to In those
olden days.
This time the widow laughed wicked little
laugh, Emholdened by this, il added.
'Fair and Forty wondered how 1t would
eeesn to me, II ! should put my hand inside Of
your mutt, 40 used to-
'FrY it, she said, smiling, and laying her muff
down on the outside Of the buffalo robe.'
sab lit don't seem as It used to- said /; 'pel-
haps 1t 10 because there is no little hand in 1t for
mine to clasp.'
For shame = she exclaimed, frowning ;'what
would Mrs. Gray say, II should tell her Of this2'
u can't say, I'm aure,' answered, ,but re-
member 10 was only an experiment wished TO
make
sob yes, I forgot, 'sbe replied.
sWell, then, my dear Fair and Forty, l asked, ,
merely az an experiment as reviver of past
pleasures and rnemosies--don't ron think it
could be done p
The widow relenfsd. The sleigh speed along
past familiar localities, msde memorable By
- own suit, and ittrav R1lvsly oiie. TneFswas
ataocA Of ducks in the middle Of the road, and
merely bad time to remark, as went through
them, that their owner would probably have
roast ducks for dinner.
yes Isaid after spsuss, the experiment is a
auccess. 1t seems to be about the oldthiug and
as my friend Pike sings:
THE years live and the years die
And all they touch they sadden
But still the heart can time defy,
Hopes sill with purple dush our sky
And sober Friendships gladden.;
And well as we have loved before
In autumn we can love once more
For The old griefs die ard new joys are born
And after the midnight cometh NORM
sYou forget snid tive widow, WITHDRAWN
her hand from the mnG, shat you, MIR. Gray
ail bave wife,
sNct bit OF it, answered although con
Seas ! regard mysslg as a temporary wtdowen
and, being left In The lurch BY my loving vile
feel al liberty 70 revive old associations an
I, because my wife 10 enjoying herself !
Europe, 10 turn monk and tut on sack cloi
and tshes Shall shut myself up in my stud
and devote my entire time TO writing letters b
the partner OF my bosom. Shall allow the nat
rral impulses Of my heart--the one desire {
have my wife at home again--to control nay al
tons and turn me into q mlsanthrope.'
Certainly poe I exclaimed the widow hoIIc
stricken.
rNo, not by any manner OF means, | conttn
I'd /; .and therefore, 1t 10, my dear Fair and Fol
81, thai instead OF swing way 10 my feeingi
and buIytnR myself in the Obscurest corner
ny library, siQhing over this sad separation froI
my wife, am out sIeigh-riding with you.'
The widow bluAbed and said she telt c0mpll
mentsd but abe was, nevertheless afraid TIN
psople would talk about It,
sAs long "a you and ], Fair and Forty, sal
ARE contented, and my vile never hears OF
tbs People may go
] had no opportunity for finishing the GEL
tence, as Just then one runner of the sleigh dro
ped into ditch. the sleigh itself was oveIturne
and Fairly and Forty and myself found curse
Ves embedded In SNOW bank. To extract my
self was the work OF moment, but on lookII
around could discover nothing Of Fair ar
Forty. She Ia still In the sleigh,' ! said 10 ms
self, which, with horse on run, was goir
down bill before me, tossing from side to sid
Of the road at fearful rate.
IF any harm come to + air and Forty, thu spiT
Of my deceased friend, her husband, will / al
sure, return 10 earth to haunt me-
So picked up the whip which lay 10 Il
road, and httiBg up the buffalo robe Srom Ii
he eDow-trift and tboWing it over my shoulde
prepared TO hasten aiter The sleigh Atthat M
rnsnt, however, my eyes caught sight OF pair
natl 81 dainty number two and a-hslf boote
zticking out Of the spow and Hcking in an enc
getic fashion,
s0ood gracious exclaimed here are "a
Of live boots that looR like Fair and Forty's al
don't believe the owner can he far of Iw
iuvestigate.' ] fond that the boots were attac
I'd to pair OF we'll turned ankles, and at on
Concsuded that the rest OF FAB and Forty "
barred in the snows
1t tooK me q iorg while TO relieve the widr
from her imprisonment, and when at last l 9
bar upon her little feet, sha was IS pale a.
abset, her fses was sunken In Hpd her bach h
was missing.
'Fah and Fory,'I exciainsd how do >
Sesi..
She muttered somsthing which could 1
make ont, and turning FROM ne sank down
ne snoW.
Tsit % faint or q ct p aslped.
Sh3 muttered 500 ething alse, and pos
seszchinEly in The snow With the whip abe
Aassan from my land
Lost something, eh P'I asked Sic 1t "
watch, or your breast pin, or what lsit.' S
shook her head but did not speak.
-Conf1de in me Fair and Forty said 'let
assist you.'
Tho tears came into Der eyes, and soc ma
aged 10 atticuiAte, as abe threw herself, 10 I
despair OF my shoulder :'Ib blost mn' 'eese.4
Hood gtaciousp said sbockei beYond {
peesaioD, She has lost her reason, { rats s7tde
and 10 taking In the Hebrew tongue. Gal
yourself, my dear Far and Forty, beseech 20
and Try 70 speak Engish- What did you say
aaked.
'I'D hloss mu' 'oessP'
Good Heavens thought, what Will her
oaa1ed husband say 10 me, WHEN we meet r.
sFsir and Forty said, and paised heE ger
Ton the back, so that she could get breath, "
are both safe and unDjured as a member
the Young Mems Oh tian Association. Il
Joa we're safe and unipjured as sister Of u
Oorcss Benevolent Temperance and SEWN
aoa3ety, declare 10 you, on my honor, that Sc
cA@a out Of thai snow.hank light side mp. l.