The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-08


spend her money herself; that mourning
was extremely becoming to her; and
finally, that she considered herself young
enough to wait and choose, being, as she
affirmed, "between thirty and forty"
BY marrying again she would have de-
prived herself of consolation, and would
have been obliged to give up that bewitch-
ing widows cap. "And [ will never do
that, never!" Thus vowed Widow MBride
in her sorrow.
But Farmer Prindle was ignorant of
that vow, and in his ignorance he grew
wrathy as he thought of the pretty
widow, and as he passed her house that
night he silently called her by peculiar
name that would rhyme very well with
"evil' in poetry, but cannot be mention
ed in prose. Having thus relieved his
mind, and made room for pleasanter
thoughts, he paid tribute to his wife's
virtues, and remembered all she had cone,
without the least reference to what she
had left undone.
Yet, alas it must be confessed that dur
ing Mrs. Prindle's lifetime what she had
left undone had been uppermost in her
lords mind, and not in his mind only, but
also in his heart and in his speech. Hard
work, sour looks, unkind words, had been
her earthly portion, and she had carried
=" this world is vale of tears"
Mr.. Prindle was not bad man, and his
wife was the best of women" as he was
in the habit of saying. Why, then, had
they not been happy together? Because
Mr.. Prindle had made a great mistake :
not being himself the best of men, the
best of women had been too much for
him. Her meekness had made him hard,
her obedience had made him impatient,
and her tears had made him angry
" And if it was so with her, what would
it be with another?" he asked himself,
solemnly. " No, no! no Widow M'Bride
for mel" Perhaps he was right. But
why he so fervently objected to the widow
remains an open question; for he met her
but seldom, and on these occasions she
did not pay the least attention to him, nor
had she at any time annoyed or molested
him by her smiles.
1t so happened that, the very next day,
Mrs. Crane. wishing to make griddle-
cakes for supper, went to Mrs. M'Bride's
to borrow some buttermilk, ''if so be she
had any to spare"
1t so was that Mrs. M'Bride could spare
some, and welcome. Then Mrs. Crane sat
down to have talk, thing which most
women can always "spare'-and welcome
too.
Having mentioned this, that, and the
other, they finally alighted upon Mr..
Prindle's devoted head.
"How would you like him for a hus-
band?" asked Mrs. Crane.
me? that old mani" laughed Widow
M'Brde.
"He amt so old, either; he amt turned
fifty yet; and he has got nice place, and
no children, nor nothing to bother"
"That's true; but somehow | don't
fancy him: he is hard man. And then
there's so much work to be done on a
farm
81 guess there's no more work any,
where than a woman has mind to do.
You would know how to manage him.
and get along with him. All men are
hard enough, for that matter; yet it is
kind of nice to have one in the house."
"But, my dear Mrs. Crane, don't want
man in my house. | hate menw
maggie NJ Bride! And you a-flirting
like mad"
81 never flirt," said the widow, with
awful dignity. "You know | don't; and
| ia my weeds yet! And as for Mr.. Prin-
dle-I wouldn't have him for his weight
"Them's the very words he said about
you no later than last night" said Mrs.
Crane, throwing prudence to the winds.
"'Widow M'Briden said he, wouldn't
have her for her weight in gold Them's
his very words, as true as | live"
"Good land! Did [ ever?" exclaimed
the widow. "No, never did hear the
like of that. Not want me! Did you
ever Well, don't want him-wouldn't
touch him with pair of tongs! so we
are even, you see."
Mrs. Crane departed, not entirely in
peace. 81 wish | hadn't said it," she
thought. But she had said it, and It must
remain said forever.
So thought Widow M'Bride, as she
watched Mrs. Cranes retreating form.
You horrid creature. You won't come
here again in hurry. And as for that
old mani declare!'' Then suddenly a
smile shone in her black eyes, and spread
all over her face, till she laughed aloud.
Yes, will do it-see if | don't!" she
said, shaking her plump little fist in the
direction of Farmer Prindle's "place."
The next day, about noon, Mrs. M Bride
went to the bank with tifty-dollar bill in
her pocket. "Will you have the kind
ness to change this bill for me?" she ask.
ed Mr.. Plum, in the most business-like
manner.
With the greatest pleasure" answer
ed Mr.. Plum. "How will you have it p
I" In fives and tens, if you please" AnC
as she said so, the widow looked up a
him with a smile that was not at all busi
ness-like in itself, nor in its effect. Mr.
Plum grew slightly rosy about the cheeks
and decidedly sweet about the eyes.
"It is a pleasant day." he remarked
Then looking at the clock, and seeing tina
it wanted five minutes to twelve, he sud
denly remembered that his landlady wish
ed him to be punctual. I" believe L an
going your way" he added, taking up hi
hat hurriedly, "and if you will ALLOW
me-"
Certainly" said Mrs. Mcbride. Sh
knew as well as he did that Elm stree
and Pine street were as far apart as tw'
streets can well be; nevertheless Mr
Plum's remark was perfectly true-he wa
going her way.
As good luck would have it, whom
should they meet at the corner of Elr
street but that odious Mr.. Prindle! A
that moment Mrs. M'Bride was so deepl,
interested in Mr.. Plum's conversation tina
she did not see Mr.. Prindle. This mad
the farmer angry, for he had prepared hi
shortest nod and his sourest look for he
special delectation, and he felt that he wa
defeated. Mrs. M'Bride felt that she wa
victorious so far, for she had prepared tn
meeting.
Arrived at her own gate, the wido'
said, gratefully, 81 will not ask you
come in now, but am always at HON
in the evening, and glad to see m
friends"
Mr.. Plum looked delighted, said h
would be very happy, and actually too
off his hat when he bowed himself ava
an act of politeness seldom performe
in Appletown, the creed of the ,Appl