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

: 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 widow
said, gratefully, 81 will not ask you t,
come in now, but am always at hom
in the evening, and glad to see IN,
friends"
Mr.. Plum looked delighted, said ht
would be very happy, and actually tool
of his hat when he bowed himself away
AN act of politeness seldom performed
in Appletown, the creed of the Apple
townians in this matter being that ga mar
is as good as a woman any day, and wha
was the use of bowing and scraping, any
way? Why, it would wear out hat il
no time J" And when truth, reason anC
economy combine to make things easy and
comfortable, who would dare to com
plain?
Let no one take wrong view of Widow
M'Bride. AS she had told Mrs Crane, she
never flirted-hot consciously. Never in
her life had she thrown broadside glance
at man, or smiled at him too encOurag.
ingly. Occurring is mans work." she
used to say. And there was something
about her that helped men to do that
work willingly, if not successfully.
With regard to young men, the fair
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" I"
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 tlack eyes,
black hair, and the blacklist 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 think he is an Apollo"
"horrid old thing" Peter Prindle by
name, did think that Mr.. Plum was ga
handsome puppy-all hair and no brains.n
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.
"She's hooked him!" said the men, with
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'Bride's behavior. at is 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 little quarrel with the
widow, she determined to stand up for her
friend.
Sand why should it be for her money!"
she asked. "She is good enough for any
man; and as long as you don't want her
yourself, why don't you let her alone?'
''Of course 1 don't want her." growled
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 forgot
his mothers teachings, and-uttered pro-
fame language! after which he went away
without saying goodnight, and did not re-
turn for several weeks.
Sand he was as mad as mad can be -
said Mrs. Crane to the widow, when sh.
related that little incident to her.
'tMen areso foolish" said Mrs. M'Bride,
complacently.
Accidents will happen, and an accident
happened to Mr.. Prindle: he was invited
to tea-party.
81 won't CO." he said to himself. "Yes,
1 will, too. Why shouldn't L? 1 amt
afraid of her. if she does know. / meant
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