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

WIN regard 10 young men, Une 1alr
widow considered herself in the light of a
benevolent institution. In the evening
her house was open to as many of them
as chose to come to it, and she welcomed
them cheerfully. 1t was one of her hos
pitable ways that, precisely at nine
o'clock, tea was brought in, accompanied
by golden waters, brown crullers, and
red-cheeked apples, which were partaken
of in the most unceremonious manner.
While they tasted the cup that cheers,
stories, riddles, and witty anecdotes
abounded and how well the widow lis
tened how prettily she laughed!
Some of Mrs. M'Bride's female friends
had remonstrated-as female friends will
but she had smiled at their wisdom.
"Dear boys they know l don't intend
to marry them, and they feel perfectly
safe. 1t only keeps them out of mischief. !"
And that was why she called herself "the
providence of young men,"
Hitherto she had neglected Mr.. Plum.
He had lately come from large town to
fill the position of cashier in the Apple
town bank, and it was said that she didn't
think much of country folks" To BASH
full young men Mrs. M'Bride was as ten
der as mother; but pride was not to her
taste, and she had been rather cool to Mr..
Plum. However, at the beginning of her
campaign he seemed to be exactly the
man she needed to carry war into the
enemy's camp.
Mr.. Plum was in everything the oppo-
site of Farmer Prindle. He was "city
man," with city manners and language /;
he was handsome, too, with black eyes,
black hair, and the blackest moustache in
Appletown. 1t was not the style of beau-
ty that Mrs. M'Bride admired; but then,
as she said to herself, "that horrid old
thing will thiAk he is an Apollo"
Mrs. M'Bride was right there. The
''horrid old thing" Peter Prindle by
name, did think that Mr.. Plum was "a
handsome puppy-all hair and no brains.'
Mr.. Prindle was rather bald, and prided
himself on his brains and Immediately
after that meeting on Elm street he began
to-despise Mr.. Plum.
In large town far away there lived a
sweet little girl who honestly believed
that Mr.. Plum was ''too good for this
world" certainly too good for her yet
he had vowed that he loved her. But
they were poor, and they must wait.
While he waited Mr.. Plum led very en-
durable life, and once week he wrote to
his love, telling her how lonely he was
without her. Mrs. M'Bride knew moth
ing of the little girl, but had she known,
it would have made no difference in her
plans, for she considered Mr.. Plum much
too young to fall in love with her.
This little war of the "weight in gold"
began in May, and during the following
summer Mr.. Plum's devotion to Widow
M'Bride was the general topic of CONVEX
sation. "Did you ever! !" said the women,
forgetting what they had seen before.
"Shes hooked him!'' said the men, with
a knowing wink.
AS for Mr.. Prindle, he spent nearly all
his evenings at Mrs. Cranes, smoking his
pipe by the side of Mr.. Crane, and freely
expressing his disapprobation of Mrs
M'Brides behavior. at is a shame. and
she that's old enough to be his mother! 1t
is her money he is AFTER
He had said this so often that Mrs
Crane got tired of it at last; and as she
had made up her liLtle quarrel with the
widow. she determined to stand up for heI
friend.
"And why should it be for her money!
she asked. "She is good enough for any
man; and as long as you don't want hel
yourself, why don't you let her aloneT
''Of course / don't want her." growlet
the farmer.
"Oh, you needn't be afraid; she
wouldn't have you if you wanted her
When | told her what you said aboutit-'
Then Farmer Prindle got up, and stand
ing in the middle of the room, he forgo
! his mothers teachings, and-uttered pro
fane language after which he went away
without saying goodnight, and did not re
turn for several weeks.
''And he was as mad as mad can be y
said Mrs. Crane to the widow, when sh
related that little incident to her.
''Men are so foolish" said Mrs. M'Bride
complacently.
Accidents will happen, and an acciden
happened to Mr.. Prindle: he was invited
to tea-party.
81 won't go,'' he said to himself. eyes
/ will, too. Why shouldn't L? l aim
afraid of her. if she does know. 1 mean
what ] said, every word of 1t! J"
So Mr.. Prindle adorned himself ant
went. He looked very well in his blacl
coat and clean shirt, but he did not know
it. In-the matter of good looks men ar
either too vain or too modest, and Mr.
Prindle was a too modest man.
| Widow M'Bride was there in her-pret
test ''weeds," looking like a full-blowr
rose in bed of autumn flowers, for thi
was middle-aged tea-party, and she wa
the youngest woman in the room. Sh,
had made herself agreeable to the ladies
as she always did; but when the gentle
men came in she felt relieved, and soOl
proposed walk in the garden.
The proposition was accepted, and, b,
some fateful chance, Mr.. Prindle fount
himself walking by the Widows side. A
first he felt rather sheepish. Although
he had meant what he had said, sever,
word of it," he could not help wishing h
had not said it. Was she angry? he won
dered.
Angry? No summer sky could be NOR
softly serene than the widows fair brow
crowned by the little white cloud sh
called her "widow's cap" 81 suppos
you have great many flowers in you
garden" she said, mildly.
"No; l don't care much for flowers,
said Mr.. Prindle.
"Don't you? l love them; L couldn
live in the country if it was not for flower
and trees and birds.''
"Farm-work wouldn't suit your tast,
| guess"
! "Not at all; l should hate it so!
r would make my hands so hard an
t brown" And she gazed at two whit
, hands, on which dimples had taken tn
J place of "knuckles."
: Mr.. Prindle looked at the hands to-
J SIT would be pity to spoil them by us,
! full work, wouldn't it ?" he said, not ami
, bly,.
II think it would. A lady must hay
' white hands, you know"
} Sand yet," said Mr.. Prindle, speakin
g almost angrily, 81 knew woman, tt
7 best of women, who was as good as al
lady in the land, if she did milk the Gov
e and make her own butter and cheese. 81
( didn't think of her hands!"
Y "She must have been saint" said Il
4 widow, softly. 81 hope she got her I
: ward in this werld. l am not like her.
4 n Q 4