Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-05-10

ioo hO iCie IotLcT snctplSn. AlUnOugl
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.
J Angryp 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.
J mo; don't care much for flowers, ,
said Mr.. Prindle.
Don't you? love- them; 1 couldn'
live in the country if it was not for flower,
and trees and birds"
"Farm-work wouldn't suit your taste
L guess"
"Not at all; 1 should hate it so! II
would make my hands so hard anG
brown" And she gaZed at two white
hands, on which dimples had taken the
place Of 'knuckles."
Mr.. Prindle looked at the hands too
ut would be pity to spoil them by use.
fql work, wouldn't it ?" he said, not amia.
bly,.
II think it would. A lady must have
white hands, you know"
"And yet," said Mr.. Prindle, speaking
almost angrily, 81 knew a woman, the
best OF women, who was as good as any
lady in the land, if she did milk the cows
and make her own butter and cheese. She
didn't think of her hands!'
'She must have been a saint" said the
widow, softly. 81 hope she got her re-
ward in this werld. am not like her."
"No, l shouldn't think you was Farm
life wouldn't suit you, would it?" said
Mr.. Prindle, revengefully.
No ipdaad hoI obn:oo
would live in New York, or Paris, or Lon.
don," said Mrs. M'Brlde, trying to re-
member which was the largest city in the
world.
Well, l think you have had your
choice, as far as a city man goes. Allow
me to congratulate you, Mrs. M'Bride."
Congratulate me! Upon what Mr..
Prindle?''
"People say Mr.. Plum is to be the hap
py man."
The happy man! Oh, 1 see what you
mean! hope he will be happy, but not
as people say"
"And why not? If may ask"
"Oh, yes, you may ask 1t is no secret.
Because, Mr.. Prindle, never intend to
marry again. Never! Not If the Empe-
ror of China himself should ask me -
We all nurse an ideal of some sort. II
appears that Mrs. M'Bride's ideal was the
Emperor of China; and considering how
impossible it was for that gentleman ever
70 fall in love with her, she might have
been pardoned for confessipg her weak
ness.
But Mr.. Prindle was not in forgiving
mood. You would make fine empress,
wouldn't you?' he said, scornfully.
Fortunately tea was ready. The guests
were called in, and Mr.. Prindle was di-
rected to sit next to Mrs. M'Bride. He
tried to think that he disliked that ar
rangement, and yet he felt that he liked it
better than any other.
Mrs. M'Bride was as gracious as an en-
press. and strictly agricultural in her con-
versation. She was fond of apples-of
brown russets especially-and her apple
trees were not doing well she was think
ing of having some of them grated. Did
Mr.. Prindle know how it was to be done ?
Mr.. Prindle kindly told her all he knew
about grating, and still more kindly Of
fered to come and look at the trees.
When it was time to 60 home, Mr..
Prindle, to his profound astonishment,
heard himself offering to escort Mrs.
M'Bride. The lady was so used to being
escorted that she was not astonished in
the least, but having to" hold up her
DRESS" she declined Mr.. Prindle's arm,
and trotted independently by his side,
chatting merrily as she went.
"What cheerful little thing she Is 7"
thought Mr.. Prindle, "and so pretty too
She amt so old, either-not near so old as
my" Then he stopped, and called him
self "a fool" and Mrs. Crane an old
something else.
The next day he came to look at Mrs.
M'Bride's apple-trees, and was politely
received, but not asked into the house, the
widow having met him at the gate. But
the trees must have been very Interesting
trees, for he came several times to look at
them. At the end of month his perse-
verence was rewarded by a general invi-
tation to ''come in any time" And re-
membering that Mrs. M'Bride was one of
his neighbors, Mr.. Prindle called upon
seemed to be the only neighbor he had.
never grumbled while he was there so it
must have improved his temper.
One thing amused and puzzled the
widow-so she said-and that was that
brown russets rained anonymously into
her house. "And they are so nice! /
wonder who sends them" Whoever sent
them would have been rewarded by seeing
the widows white teeth bite into them.
Don't eat too many Of them, boys" she
would say; "the red apples are Just as
good. These are mine, you know"
The merry month of May had returned.
Looking out of her window one afternoon,
Mrs. M Bride beheld Farmer Prindie COM
ing toward her house, dressed in his very
best black suit. And she looked, she
blushed, and her eyes sparkled.
The blush and the sparkle had both dis
appeared, however, when she greeted Mr..
Prindle and invited him to sit down..
"No, thank you, standing will do as
well. will come to the point at once:
Mrs. M Bride, will YOU have met"
" Dear me! No, indeed; won't have
anybody"
"Don't say no without thinking. am
dreadfully in earnest about it-as you
would know If you knew ALL"
"Then, Mr.. Prindle, am very sorry,
butt won't have you"
"Why not? Because of what said ?"
sob no, didn't mind that in the least.
But there are reasons"
what reasons? Tell me-"
g In the first place, you don't love me-"
"Don't I?'
1. Il