The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-10-08

-'O, oho st'iu sno Olily nohoet iivtn GUY
riosity."
The deacon left the bank in deep thought.
He came to the conclusion that this "cu-
riosity' only yelled deeper motive. He
mo longer entertained a atdoubtthat the wild
ow had actually found apot of gold In the
cellar, and appearances Indicated that it's
probable value was at least five thousand
dollars,f The gold piece which she hadiex
changed at the bank appeared to confirm
the story.
s"I rather think said the deacon, COM
placently, l can see into a mill stone about
as far as most people, pa statement the
literal truth of which I deny any one to
question, though as to the prime fact of
peoples being able to see into milestone
at all, doubts have now and thon intruded
themselves onmy mind.
Next Sunday the Widow Wells appeared
at church in a new stylish bonnet, which
led to such remarks, as these, .f..e
"How much vanity some people have to
be sure p
How woman that has kept boarders
for q living can afford to dash out with
such bonnets is more than can tell l
should think she was old enough to know
better" r n.
This last remark was made by a young
lady just six months younger than the wild
ow, whose attempts to catch husband
hitherto proved utterly unavailing.
81 suppose she is trying to catch a sec
ond husband with her finery. Before
wonld condescend to such means I'd-Pd
drown myself"
In this amiable speech the young lady
unwittingly hit upon the true motive. The
widow was intent upon catching Deacon
Bancroft, and she INDUCED in costly bon
net, not because she supposed he would be
caught with finery, but because it would
strengthen in his mind the idea that she
had stumbled upon hidden wealth.
The widow calculated shrewdly, and the
display had the effect she anticipated.
Monday afternoon Deacon Bancroft found
an errand that called him over to the wild
ows. 1t CHANGED to be about tea-time. He
was importuned to stay to tea, and some
what to his own surprise, actually did.
The politic widow, who knew the dea-
cons weak point, brought out one of her
best mince-pies, piece of which her guest
partook with zest.
You'll take another piece, know, y
she said, persuasively.
Really, Pm ashamed" said the dea-
con, but he passed his plate. "The fact is
he said, apologetically, "your pies are SO
nice, don't know when to stop"
"Do you call these nice ?" said the wild :
ow modestly." rs'" 'N''
"I shouldn't want any better" said the
deacon, emphatically.
"Then hope if you like them you'll
drop in to tea often. We ought to be more
neighborly, Deacon Bancroft"
Deacon Bancroft assented, and he meant
what he said. The fact is, the deacon be-
gan to think the widow was very char
ming woman. She was comely, and then
she was such an excellent cook Besides,
he had no doubt in his mind that she was
worth a considerable amount of money.
What objection would there be to her be-
coming Mrs. Bancroft ? He brought the
question before her one evening. The wild
ow blushed-professed to be greatly sur
prised--in fact, she had never thought of
such thing in her life-but, on the whole,
she had always thought highly Of the dea-
con, and to cut short the matter, accepted
him. t""
Some weeks after the ceremony, the dea-
con ventured to inquire about the pot of
gold which she had found in her cellar. 90
spot of gold p' she exclaimed in sur
prise, I" know Of none"
q "But," said the deacon, disconnected,
"you know you asked me whether you could
claim it. i'ti iH'ilhH.' tht -
80, lor deacon, only asked for GU
iosity." ''NaN'Nl ''et.ah" 9 ''i
And was that the reason you made in
quiries at the bank ?" . tn' '''N7 ~
"Certainly. What else could it be?'' '
The deacon went out to the barn, and for
about half an hour sat in silent meditation.
At the end Of that time, he calculated as a
closing consideration. "After all, she
makes good mince-pies.N 0fd haon nee'
1t gives me pleasure to state that the
union between the deacon and the widow
proved very happy one, although to the
end of his life, he could never quite make
up his mind about "The Widows Strata