The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-05-11
THE WIDOWS BEAU.

DerViC6 0dO COu1meuceu III Tie ND
little sanctuary which the inhabitants G
Paramount had consecrated to the Wol
ship of God. The minister had read TIL
Psalm and the Scripture lesson, and tn
first lines of the opening hymn. Th
eyes of the people were fixed intentl
upon him, for he was not only good
sound, eloquent preacher, but he was
good looking one. too, and thus enhanc
ed usually not only the attention of TIL
true bat the false worshipper. The hous
was stiIl-the clear, melodious tones o
the speaker were the only sounds tina
throbbed on the balmy, golden air, which
the mid summer Sabbath morn hat
breathed into that holy place. The frs
syllable Of the second line was trembling
on his lips, when a rustic at the doc
and the entrance of two personsr a lady
and gentleman, dissolved the charm
Tn second every eye turned from the
pulpit to the broad aisle, and watched
with more than ordinary eagerness the
Jug ordeal were they subjected to, an6
when they were fairly and quietly seated
in the front pew, Immediately before the
pulpit, what nudging Of elbows there
was, aye, and how many whispers too.
In vain sought the good, the sound, the
eloquent, the handsome Mr.. B. to seal
again the attention of his hearers. They
had eyes and thoughts for nobody but
Widow c., and widow C's. young and
dashing attendant.
How she had cheated them Hadn't
she said hundred times or more. that
her heart was In the grave of her bur-
led one, and that she would never mar
ry again2 Hadn't she refused always
to walk out or ride out with any of the
unappropriated gentlemen Of the village?
Hadn't she said she didn' feel as though
she could ever wear anything but mourn
ing? And in spite of al these protesta-
tons, hadn't she come out, all at once,
dressed all in white, ard walked into
church in broad daylight leaning on the
arm of a young gentleman
Yes, indeed she had. She would
have plead guilty to all these charges,
grave ones as they were, and to the last
two, bow many witnesses might have
subpoenaed. She was actually dressed
in white A beautiful robe of India
null, tucked to the waist, with an open
oorsage, displaying an deliberately wrought
chemisette, drapery sleeves trimmed
with the richest of Mechlin lace, under
sleeves of the same expensive material,
q white Grape shawl, white lace hat
with orange buds and flowers, white kid
gloves and flight CATERS, was the
description every lady had on her ton
CUES end to repeat oyer as soon as SER
vice closed And the genteman--he too
was dressed in style. Didn't he wear
white pants of the latest pattern, and
white vest, and coat of ''satin finish. !"
and white kids too and didn't he sport
a splendid pin and massive chain, and
didn't he gaze often and tenderly, and
lovingly, on the fair creature beside
him ? All, yes, he did so, and there
was no further room for doubt Widow
G.. had cheated them. She had won a
beau, laid aside her mourning, put on
bridal attire, and was going to be mar.
ried in the church. But who the beau
was, or whence he came, was more diff
cult to solve.
Service proceeded. The choir sang,
the minister prayed and preached, the
people wondered when the ceremony
would take place But to their utter as
constituent, they were left to wonder.
For when the benediction was pronounc-
ed, Widow Z. and the strange gentle
man walked with the rest of the congre-
cation quietly out of the church. When
they reached the pavement, he offered
his arm very gracefully, and she placed
her hand very eon6dingly on the beauti-
fully soft coat-sleeye, and they passed
on.
What incoming that was in Fair
mount / What world of eonjectures,
surmises, inquiries and doubts rolled over
and over in the brains of not only gossi-
ping ladies, but sober, matter of fact
gentlemen. The Ike of such a thing
had never occurred before in the annals
of the village. There was something
new under the sun-a lady had beau
and nobody knew of it. Widow G.
Didn' your ears, not only the right, but
the left, burn that day? All, we won
der they hadn't dropped off, surely they
must have been crisp and crimson.
The Rev. Mr.. b. preached to crowd
ed house that afternoon; no compliment
to him though. The magnet was in the
pew before him. Every one was sure
the wedding would take place then; but
everybody was again disappointed, and
IT tongues had run at railroad speed be.
fore, they travelled then on the electric
wires. The minister might have preach
ed In Greek that day, and his sermon
would have been quite as edifying. But
one subject engrossed the village mind.
The widows beau-that was the topic
1t actually seemed, too, as though the
lady tried to make all the talk she could
Aftertea, arm in arm, with the strange gen.
tleman, she walked the whole length Of
the village and away into the cemetery,
and never returned till the moon wa:
high.
a nice looking dress, I guess she hat
drawled out old Grandma W., as she
listened to the widow wanderings. Tn,