Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-10-10
THE BEWITCHlNG WIDOW,
BY MATTE DYER BRITTS.

Just before dark one evening, Tom
Courtcna came into the little office
where Frank Worthington kept his
dusty law books and helped himself to
a chair and a cigar, with n make-your-
self-at-lOIe sort of cOolneSs which
showed him no stranger to the
premises.
''Well, Frank said he, I'VE got
through the last case to-day, and I'm
ready to be of homo tomorrow. You
promised to go home with me, remem-
ber"
mo need to remind me of it old
fellow" laughed Frank. I've endured
the horrors OF q boarding house too
long not to Jump AZ the chance of try
ing country living awhile"
You can b. ready by morning?'
"Oh, yes. 1t won't take long to
pack my kit. l haven't any Saratoga
trunk to fill with tiounces and furbe-
lows"
"All right then. We shall have a
cousin OF my 1a',thcr's to so down with
u.s. ;"
''The deuce We shall! Tom. if its a
girl / wont go, 10y George, I got
enough Of travelling with girls last
summer,
You will go! III never forgive
you if you don't
SIS the cousin of the feminine p7Ir-
slasion?
Yes, but shes not girl. She is
a sedatc widow lady who goes down to
make an annual visit to us cycry
Christmas.
l,Dt / =
those motherly, middle-agcd ladies
who make a fellow look respectable, as
If he was travelling with his mother!"
Tom represscd an inclination to
laugh, and replied sobcrly:
Yes no doubt Mrs. Cameron viii
appear like Il mother to both Of us.
Mrs. Cameron. y good, old, re-
! specialize name" repeated Frank.
"Has she money, ToH 2"
! ''Wcll-ycs, /; fair little fortune"
| ''And you may stand chance l. her
will"
"Possibly.'
Yes. Well, my boy, you arc quite
right to be attentive to your mothers
| elderly relations. No doubt Mrs Cam
| cron will be an addition 10 our jour
ney;"
DCcIiCtiN, Stii LON, 1cGi10S II
| about time for him to get out of that
office where he could indulge in tho
| laugh he had reasons for wanting, and
rising as he spoke You'll meet us al
| the depot at seven il the morning =
81 will.
SHARP seven, remember -
eyes. And time and railroad cars
wait for no man or woman citlcr, de.
pend on me Tom, and just look after
that elderly cousin"
IN do ii. Good night, then"
Good night, o,d fellow"
And as Tom went cut, Frank arose
and began to put his Office i'll order to
| make some preparations for his Christ
mas journey.
He mean: to be very carry next
morning, but oversight himself, and
reached the depot only five minutes
before train time. He enthastiIy in
to the ladiess room, supposing Tom
| would he there with Mrs. Cameron.
The room, however. had Dut one occn-
pant-a hright-faccd lady. in II stylish
black and W.ite travelling suit, with Il
long white plum, drooping over u co
qGetisk black hat. She turned a pair
ct sailry brown eyes Hpon Frank. rs
| he entered, Gilnr d arOrn.i and heat n
hast retreat.
Nhcw what Il pretty c.ri. clad [
don't have to damgIc after. and wait
on, though" p" tlIou"ht lie. '.Whrre the
dickens is Tom p
He hunted through the crowd and
Just as til" tram WIS about starting.
fonr,I Tom OH the platform.
"Oil, here y"u are. br quick. nnw!''
hailed Tom II thought yom we're
about TO give me tle slip, alter all. "
NO danger; / slept hate. that's all. -
They went III the car, aud the pom
dcrouS wheels rolled oil. and rs they
opened the door Frank got a glimpse
! of the pretty girl with white plume
seated inside
Did Your c"usiu ccme 2" he asked
of Tora
Yes I'll introduce yon.
Tom marched straight down the nar-
row aisle 10 that very girls seat, and,
rs. sle rose. with a hnwitching smile,
Tom introduced
Mrs. Cameron, this is my friend,
Mr. Worthington. Ny cousin, Kate
| Cameron. Frank.
| Poor Frank 80" might have knocked
| hI1n down with Il knitting needle. But
! he was gentleman enough to stammel
some response to the beautiful lady's
| courteous gre citing, and try TO recover
! from his confusion rs best he might
Half an iiorr later he and Tom stood
! together on the car platform, and Il FL
! his wrath began
'>T"m Courtena, I'll never forgive
you -
"You will. [ had to deceive you SC
that you wouldn't act like a fool, ;nt
disappoint me of your visit. But
Kate will neither eat You up nor fall il
love with you, SO you needn't bC
scared.
"Don't expect me to pay attention t.
her
"Jold on, there A, She hasn't giveI
You chance YET. Hates quite belle
in city society, and awful particular il
her company Sad dogs like you and
[ wuuldn't stand ghost Of a chance.
"Iumph ] don't know that sh,
could do better - growlcd Frank, III
stantly, with mans usual contrarIncs!
taking the opposite track.
'Shc might think 50. [ aha going
to the smoking car, Frank. Come
along -
"Nn. 1 don't care ;.bou: smoking
now"
"AlI right Just lock after Kate til
[ come b"ck-that's 5 good fellow =
Now, Frank Lal not The least intcn
ton of ''lo"king after katc," bu5 whcl
he approached her scat she looked III
with such Il frank, pleasant smile, am'
moved her SHAWL from the opposite sea
TO make room for him with such cor
dial air, that he could net resist tin
temptation to sit down and enjoy he
society.
Fot much of it did lie get, however
for. after that first pleasant rec option
Mrs. Kate bctouk herself tt her bool
again and never even looked at him.
BY way of 1cvenSing himself, Franl
looked at her and the prcttier sh'
grew.
''She widow he thought. She
not IL day over one and twenty, II she
that. | wonder if she is Tom S sweet
heart %