The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-01-04

at the widow, who, pretending to be en-
tirely unconscious, hemmed away at her
dainty frills, or read small volumes in
red and gold, sending now end then an
electric ray of her blue eyes to keep up
the flames in the squire's heart.
"I think I'm in love-" said the squire
to himself. "I must be in love L
never saw such blue eyes in my life;
and as for lobster salad, they couldn't
get it up better at Delmonico's. Then
again widow has had experience-she's
not like one of those girls who know
nothing but the waltz and pack of
Italian songs. 1 dare say she could
make g delightful mustard plaster and
as for water-gruel and milk-punch, I
see 'em in her eyes Yes, I'm undoubt-
edly in love-"
The moon-a full harvest shield of
mellow silver-rose. The squire still
smoked his cigar and ruminetGd on the
delicious possibilities in store for him,
until the Widow Martins kerosene lamp
glowed into brightness on the table
Through the deoeitful screen of the hut-
tering muslin curtain he could see her
moving to and fro like fair vision of
dreaml
"I wish was good hand at poetry"
soliloquized the squire. Il know l
could get in something about star be-
hind a cloud. Crowd-proud-loud-
hang it, they don't hitch at all. Star
behind the cloud ) but it isn't midnight.
d-shroud-might as well say
skeleton at once and done with it.
Vowed-how could fellow lug in
vowed Star behind a midnight cloud,
to worship thee l have vowed'-some-
how that seems to go limpety-catch.
, Shades of the Nine muses.! l hadn't
any idea poetry put one into such q per-
spiration. l think perhaps l wasn't in
tended for poet; but that idea of the
star behind the cloud was pretty one,
if l could only have hit upon rhyme
that didn't hobble on three legs Halo !!
halo what's that she has in her arms Z"
For through the floating muslin dra-
perry which the squire's fancy had in
vested with the poetic fullness of a
| cloud, he could see the bewitching little
widow pacing up and down the floor,
her brown ringlets dropping above her
face, and her dulcet tones murmuring
some sweet lullaby.
"'Pon-my-word" !" circulated the
|
husband-unless he's smaller man
than the average; it must Be-a baby
Dgceitful euchantress false as fair does
she intend to pass herself off as possess
ing no incumbrance? Does she mean
to keep the existence OF her child Sc
cret !? Good Cupid, how fortunate 1 am
to have penetrated her treaohery before
before the fatal word was spoken
Fancy ME, Paul Popham, married to a
woman with baby! I'd rather live on
cold mustard-plasters and stewed hops
for the rest of my life! Hush-sh-sh! ! it
is asleep now what's that she is call
ing it Her precious darling, sweet
est petp = Aha little does she know
who listens to her honeyed accents
Now she's putting it in its crib-a
deuced unhealthy place to keep a
child, that unventilated closet; but
suppose it would be discovered anywhere
else. She must dose it with Duffy's
Elixir and Soothing Syrup all day, and
it comes out, like bat, at night
Heavens what cold -blooded heartless-
, ness Now she has gone out with q
, pitcher in her hand-the opportunity is
here; I'll investigate this thing, or my
name isn't Paul Popham! All, Melissa
{ Martin who could ever have dreamed
this of thee"
Squire Popham waited until the rus.
tie of the widows half-mourning mus.
Inns had died away in the hall, and then
/ crept softly across the threshold of hi:
own apartment, entering hers with
noiseless. slippered tread.
The light burned with soft, steady
flame on the table (; the dainty, half
, hemmed frilling lay beside it, with tiny
, pink Bohemian vase, in which Squire
| Popham recognized a bouquet of whit'
I roses he had that afternoon presented
: with Il pretty speech to the widow. Ant
\ close beside the big arm chair lay pai
a of tiny slippers, rosetted and buckled
' and white cambria peignoir, enough tt
: melt the heart of any bachelor int
r whose nature suspicion had not entered
g with its poisoned dart.
( But Paul Popham, being forewarned
was consequently forearmed. He paus
, ed not to llnger round the bewitchine
insignia of the female presence, but stol
on tiptoe, with hushed breath and lips
q apart, to the closet, where lay perdn tn,
secret of the Widow Martins inner life
| Well, there were dresses, and shawls
!, and round hats with saucy birds wing
/ in them, and crinolines, and snowy rust
o ling skirts, and even twin pair of In
4 dia rubber boots hanging to peg-bu
no criD.
! "Is there trap door through whicl
: the-the baby has vanishedt" the squir
Y asked himself, staring vaguely about tn
D closet. Halloo there comes the widow
j crinoline down on my head and by al
e the powers, I've kicked over a saucer o
milk A queer way she has of provis
o ioning her garrison, and"
: The squire uttered short, sharp ejac
: ulation in groping round the floor t
{ replace the overturned saucer, his han
n came in contact with something warn
# and soft-something decidedly alive!
: "It's the baby, by Jove" he exclaim
Q ed, making rush at it, but the next in
r slant short, shrill bark and the agon
: izing sensation of sharp teeth closing tc
: gether over his epidermis dispelled tn
brief dream of triumph, and plum
}, little poodle, abandoning the invade
Y fastness of the basket, rushed past hir
out of the room and down the stair
d bowling at the top of its voice.
= "Only puppy-dog !" reflected tn
i discomfted squire, rubbing his wounde
IS hand " but it is just the season for ny
It drophobia, and there's no knowing whs
" may happen. Serves me right for nc