Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-05-03
THE BEwITCHING WIDOW.
BY MATTE DYER BRITTs.

uct bClOiC VAIN Uut tNtuluS. lOul
Courtena came into the little Office
where Frank Worthington kept his
dusty law books and helped himself
to a chair and a cigar, with a
quiet make-yourself-a f-at-home sort of
GOODNESS which showed him no strang-
er to the premises.
well, Frank" said he, I'VE got
through the last case to-day, and IN
ready to be off home tomorrow. You
promised togo with me, remember"
No needto remind me Of it old
fellow" laughed Frank, i've endur-
ed the horrors of boarding house
too long not to jump at the chance of
trying country living awhile"
You can be ready by morning?"
"Oh, yes! 1t won't take long to
pack my kit. haven't any Saratoga
trunk to fill with. founces and furble-
lows.
All right, then. We shall have a
cousin Of my mothers to go down with
us.
The duce we shall! Tom, if its a
girl | wont go, by George! l got
enough of travelling with girls last sum-
mer.
You will gol I'll never forgive
you if you don't. /"
'' Is the cousin of the femeine pur-
suasion p
Yes, but she's not girl. She is a
sedade widow lady, who goes down to
make an annual visit to US every
Christmas.
Oh, that alters the,case! One of
those motherly, middle aged ladies
who makes fellow look respectable,
as if he was travelling with his moth
err'
Tom represented an inclination to
laugh, and replied, soberly:
Yes; no doubt Mrs. Cameron will
appear like mother to both of us"
Mrs. Cameron. A good, old, res
pectable name" repeated Frank
Has she money, Tom ?"
Well-yes, fair little fortune"
And you may stand a chance in
her will"
Possibly
Yes. Well, my boy, you are quite
right to be attentive to your mothers
elderlyrelations. No doubt Mrs. Cam
eron will be an addition to our jour
ney."
Decidedly" said Tom, feeling it
about time for him to get out of that
Office, where he could indulge in the
laugh he had reasons for wanting, and
rising as he spoke. You'll meet us
at the depot at seven in the morning?"
Il will"
Sharp seven remember
" Yes. And time and railroad cars
wait for no man or woman either de-
pend on me Tom, and just look after
that elderly cousin"
8 I'll do it. Good night, then"
Good night, old fellow"
And as Tom went out, Frank arose
and began to put his office in order,
and make some preparations for his
Christmas journey
He meant to be very early next
morning, but oversight himself, and
reached the depot only FIVE minutes
before train-time. He went hastily
into the ladies' room supposing Tom
would be there with Mrs. Cameron.
The room however, had but one
occupant, a bright-faced lady, in
stylish black-and-white travelling suit,
with long white plume dropping over
a coquetish black hat She turned a
pair of saucy brown eyes upon Frank
as he entered, glanced around and beat
a hasty retreat
"Whew what pretty girl, glad |
don't have her to dangle after. and
wait on, though, " thought he. Where
the dickens is Tom?"
He hunted through the crowd and
just as the train was about starting.
found Tom ON the platform.
oh, here youare. Be quick, nowl
hailed Tom. 81 1 thought you were
about to give me the slip, after all"
" No danger; slept late, that IS all"
They went in the car, and the pom
derous wheels rolled off, and as they
opened the door, Frank got glimpse
of the pretty girl with white plume,
seated inside
Did your cousin Gomez" he asked
of Tom. lE.sy
1eS; L ii introduce you.
Tom marched straight down the
narrow a sic to that very girls seat,
and, as she rose, with a bewitching
smile, Tom introduced
Mrs Cameron, this is my friend,
Mr.. Worthington; My cousin Kate
Cameron, Frank" )"
Poor Frank you might have knock
ed him down with a knitting needle.
But he was gentleman enough to STAN
mer some response to the beautiful
ladys courteous greeting, and try to
recover from his confusion as best he
might. .I-t..lt
Half an hour later, he and Tom
stood together on the car platform.
and then his wrath had vent:
p" Tom Courtena, Ill never forgive
you'll o.a Lrr rTr +
"You will I had to deceive you,
so that you wouldn't act like a fool,
and disappoint me of your visit But
Kate will neither eat you up nor fail
in love with you, so you needn't be
scared" ~
9 Don't expect me to pay attentions
to her. a
Hold on, there! She hasn't given
you chance yet. Hates quite a belle
in city society, and awful particular in
her company. Sad dogs like you and
|, wouldn t stand a ghost of a chance =
Humph | don't know that she
could do better!" growled Frank, in-
stantly, with mans usual contrariness
taking the opposite track.
She might think so. I'm going to
the smoking-car, Frank. Come along"
No; [ don't care about smoking
now"
"All right. just look after Kate till
| come back-that's a good fellow y
Now Frank had not the least inten-
ton of looking after Kate, but when
he approached her seat, she looked up
with such frank pleasant smile and
moved her shawl from the opposite
seat, to make room for him, with such
a cordial air, that he could not resist
the temptation to sit down and enjoy
her society.
Not much of it did he get, however,
for, after that first pleasant reception,
Mrs. Kate betook herself to her book
again, and never even looked at him.
By way of revenging himself, Frank
looked at her, and the prettier she
grew.
"She widow" he thought" She's
not day over one and twenty. if she
that. | wonder if she is Toms 5
sweetheart?
And strange to say. this reflection