The weekly Arizona miner., 1872-07-27
MY WIDOW.


 fool of himself by matrimony.
 Tewksbery, a man who is notorious for never minding his own business, told me she had love affair with Harry Birmingham before she went South.
 Allen shook his head, and said Clara My CTS might be very pretty, but he liked some body maturer and settled. (N. B. He married his housekeeper the next week, and she is mature enough for Methuselah himself).
 Everybody thought was trying danger ous experiment; but didn't pretend to suit everybody, SO simply suited myself went quietly to church with Clara Myers, and mar ried her one glorious January morning, when the old St. Paul's was fringed with glitter ina icicIes, and tte brisk wind was freighted with the particles of flying snow, like bat talion of diamonds on double quick.
 She was nineteen, and was nine-and- thirty. She was as beautiful as rosebud i; Twas a rough old codge-, sound enough at heart, but, like winter apple, unpromising on the exterior.
 In short, we were as unlike as May and November and the goodnatured world shook its head and said, "No good could come of such an unequal match" But she said she loved me, and believed her. Nobody could look into Clara's blue eyes and not believe her, you sec
 The next day made will and bequeath cd all my property internationally to my wife.
 "Are you sure you are doing wise thing, Mir. Folliot 2" said Mir. Mardyn, the lawyer, pushing his blue spectacles up on his fore head, until he looked like an old bald gn0me with double pair of eyes. "You see she is very much younger than yourself, and"
 aPlease be so kind as to mind your own business !" said brusquely. Don't be offen- ded, Mardyn, but really people seem to sup pose I am not able to attend to my own affairs"
 "Just as you please" said Mardyn in rage. lam just mere tool in your hands,"
 "That's it, exactly" said I. So l signed tae will and went home to Clara.
 uO Paul you must not die" said Clara, with . scared look, when 1 told her what had done. "Nobody ever loved me as truly as you have done, and don't know what l should do. if you were taken away"
 "There was young Birmingham, if all reports are true" I mischievOusly began but the curl on Claras lip stopped me.
 "A mere butterfyw she sighed haughtily, "without either brains or principles. Paul Paul! have found shelter in your true, loving heart, and l mean to nestle there always!"
 And then she cried-this foolish, softheart- ed little wife of mine.
 Jones and Tewksbery might have called this policy. Farnum would have said it was acting But it was very pleasant, and I felt more than ever like man who has found some precious jewel and wears it like an amulet on his breast
 So things went on until the firm of which was managing partner needed to send some one to Calcutta to see after a turbaned scoundrel of an agent who had absconded with more money than we could we'll afford to lose. Morrison was old and feeble; Hewitt's wife lay very ill; so was the one to go. I kissed Clara goodbye as cheerfully as l could, fully expecting to be back in three months or so.
 I had to follow the agent up into the mountains of India. fell ill of one of those burning climate levers in the bungalow of an old native priest, and the months flew until it was more than year before 1 found my self on deck of the Blue-eyed Mary" steam ing into New York harbor.
 All this time Clara had not heard word from me. had written to her to prepare her for what seemed almost like my rising from the dead but had afterwards found my letters in the pocket of the neglectful native servant who had undertaken to deli yer the mail to the Calcutta office. "But it don't matter so much now," l thought "she will be more delighted, poor little girl" And then . cold chill seemed to creep through all my veins, like November's wind suddenly breathing across . bed of flowers. s'@
 Clara had heard nothing of me for nearly fifteen months What might have happened in that time2 All that Tewksbery and Jones and Allen, and all other prophetic ravens of my acquaintance had said, recurred to my mind like the burden of an uneasy dream. had been counting the hours and the very minutes, until we could touch port; but now that my feet rang once more upon the pave ment of my native city, actually dared not 70 home! I turned into downtown res taurant, where had been wont to go in the days of my batchelorhood, and slunk into that dark corner. The twilight was just falling, and I was sheltered by the partition. Hush! That was Tewksbery's voice-harsh and jarring as of old.
 "Just what might have been expected, y said Tewksbery. Pretty and young wid- ows don't go begging in this market!"
 "Folliot might have known it m growled old Faruum. "Poor Folliot! There were some good points about him, too. Sad thing that, very sad thingm
 "We must all die" said Tewksbery gnvely. ".a fs h~ss s.a'
 Yes, but fellow would na.u-.lly prefer dying in his bed to being carried off by an East Indian fever and buried in the jungles"
 shuddered. Had l come home to find my own funeral, as it were2
 sAnd she is going to marry young Birmiug- ham, after all!n added Farnnu.
 The paper dropped from my hand.
 "I oouid have told Folliot so when found out what confounded idiotic will be had msde.n said Tewksberry. 80 gold has fall en again. Just my luck, sold out to-day.r
 Istaid to hear no more, but staggered out into the darkness with one idea whirling through my dizzy brain-my Clara was mine no longer. EEn wEgE . sfTs7eF .s
 It ws questionable what Tewksbery had said. might have anticipated some such end. She was too young, tooiovely, forsuch arough fellow e was. " My widow v what curious sensation the words gave as men, tally pronounced them.
 &ho .h~,