The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-05-03
MI j s c elan Gus
MY WIDOW.
BY ROCHESTER,.

Jones advised me not to marry her-he
said she was too young and pretty.
Farnum advised me to be an old bache-
lor-told me man past forty simply made
a fool of himself by matrimony.
Tewksbery-a man who is notorious for
never minding his own business-told me
she had made love affair with Harry
Birmingham, before he went South.
Allen shook his head, and said Clara
Myers might be very pretty but he liked
somebody maturer and settled. On. By
He married his housekeeper the next week
and she is mature enough for Methusaleh
himself)
Everybody thought was trying dan
gerous experiment; but l didn't pretend
to suit everybody--so simply suited my
self, went quietly to church with Clara
Myers, and married her one glorious Janu-
airy morning, when the old st. Paul's was
fringed with glittering icicles and the
brisk wind was freighted with the particles
of flying snow, like battalion of diamonds
on double quick.
She was nineteen and | was nine and
thirty. She was as beautiful as rose bud;
l was rough old codger, sound enough at
heart, but like winter apple, unpromising
on the exterior.
In short we were as unlike as May and
November, and the good natured world
shook its head, and said, mo good could
come of such an unequal match" But she
said she loved me, and believed her. No.
body could look into Clara's blue eyes and
not believe her, you see.
The next day l made a will and be-
queathed all my property uncondltionaly
to my wife.
care you sure you are doing a wise thing,
Mr.. Folliot ~ said Mr.. Mardyn, the law
yer, pushing his blue spectacles upon his
forehead, until he looked like an old oald
gnome, with double pair of eyes. "You
see she is very much younger than your
SELF and"
"Please to be so kind as to mind your
own business" said l brusquely. Don't
be offended Mardyn, but really people seem
to suppose l am not able to attend to my
own affairs"
Just as you please" said Mardyn, in a
rage. II am mere tool in your hands,"
THAT'S it exactly" said l. So / signed
the will and went home to Clara.
"Oh, Paul, you must not die !" said Clara,
with q scared look, when l told her what
l had done. Nobody ever loved me as
truly and generously as you have done, and
/ don't know what should do if you were
taken awaym
"rhere was young Birmingham, if all
reports are true" mischievously began,
but the curl on Clara's lip stopped me.
"a mere butterfly" she said haughtily,
without either brains or principle, Paul.
Paul have found shelter in your true,
loving heart, and l mean to nestle there
always !"
And then she cred--this foolish, soft
hearted 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
| felt more than ever like a man who has
found some precious jewel, and wears it
like an amulet on his breast.
So the things went on until the firm OF
which was managing partner needed to
send some one to Calcutta to see after a tur-
baned scoundrel of an agent, who had alb
seconded with more money than we could
well afford to lose. Morrison was old and
feeble Hewitt's wife lay very ill, so was
the one to go. kissed Clara goodbye as
cheerful as | could, fully expecting to be
back in three months or so.
l had to follow the agent up into the
mountains of India-I fell i'll of one of those
burning climate fevers in the bungalow of
an old native priest and the months flew by,
until it was more than a year before l found
myself on the deck of the "Blue eyed Mary
steaming into New York harbor
And all this time Clara had not heard q
word from me.
l 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 negectful ma
tive servant who had undertaken to deliver
the mail to the Calcutta office.
"But it don't matter so much !" l
thought, she will be the more delighted,
poor little girl
And then cold chill seemed to creep