The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-08
"The happy mani Oh, I see what vo


And why not? If may ask"
"Oh, yes, you may ask it is no secret.
Because, Mr.. Prindle, / never intend to
marry again. Never! Not if the Empe-
ror of China himself should ask me J"
We all nurse an ideal of some sort. 1t
appears that Mrs. M'Bride's ideal was the
Emperor of China; and considering how
impossible it was for that gentleman ever
TO fall in love with her, she might have
been pardoned for confessing her weak
ness.
But Mr.. Prindle was not in forgiving
mood. " You would make a fine empress,
wouldn't your" 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. lie
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 a cheerful little thing she is ~
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 ga 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
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. NJ Bride was one of
his neighbors, Mr.. Prindle called upon
her once in a while. Gradually she
seemed to be the only neighbor he had,
for he came almost every evening, and
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. NJ Bride beheld Farmer Prinde 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.
mo, thank you, standing will do as
, well. | will coriIe to tlrU point al once
: Mrs. NJ Bride, will you have mel"
"Dear me No, indeed; 1 won't have
anybody"
: "Don't say no without thinking. l am
: dreadfully in earnest about it-as you
would know if you knew all"
"Then, Mr.. Prindle, L am very sorry
butt won't have you"
3 "Why not? Because of what said p
"Oh 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?'
GU ulull say 81.
"No, nor | won't say it, because yor
know it,"
THAT is not the way, Mr.. Prindle."
} 6 1t is my way and can't change it
Will you think about 2"
+, "No; it would be of no use. | canno
give up my weeds"
t Weeds? What weeds ?"
i 81 mean my widows cap. 1 will wea'
it till l die."
, "Not if you are my wife, 1 can tel
t you"
t "But 1 don't want to be your wife
Good-by, Mr.. Prindle."
1 "Good-by. But | don't give it up
< will ask you again." said Mr.. Prindle
v And he may not have been far from tn
e truth when he had called himself fool.
. Precisely a week from that day Mr.
Prindle came again. You may wea
the cap if you like" he said, meekly.
l "Thank you. But you are wasting
your time. Please don't think any NOR
5 about it,
e Another week passed. "Will he come p
!, wondered the widow.
: He came. Nov, Maggie, this is tn
a last time. Three times and OUT yoI
know. What shall it be-yes or no?'
Y "No, most decidedly" said the obduI
= ate widow.
: "Not i'll say love you, as | didn't thin
n ! | could love?"
J "Not if you say anything. won't do il
e There!"
/ "Then must leave replace. couldn't
live here after this"
e Sand what would the farm do withou
:, your"
e 81 will sell it. don't mind that"
G "Take my advice, Mr.. Prindle, and don
T do anything foolish. Go away for lit
;, while, if you like, then come back and |
friends"
But Mr.. Prindle wouldn't take I'll
U Widows advice, and he would do som
5 thing foolish. So he went away, and ft
whole month no one knew what had b
3 come of him.
=. Mrs. M'Bride spent that time in sever
u frames of mind. She was glad, and 81
a was sorry it was great pity, and yet
.e was very silly. She really missed NJ
le Prindle, and she felt sorry for him. "Bl
then couldn't do 1.-THE idea !"
D. About this time another idea dawn,
E. upon the Widows mind, and that idea w
d. Mr.. Plum. She had been so accustom,
to deal with young men on philanthropy
'e principles that she was slow to admit Il
possibility of ''such dreadful thing" Y
. if mans eyes mean anything when th'
ne look unutterable things, then MIR. Plum
y eyes meant precisely "such dreadf
US thing"
ne Mrs. M'Bride felt that an evil day W
coming, and Gfgt she was powerless
ne ward it off. C9oness did not cool M
e. Plum, and she certainly could not "spe
first" Then came the bitter thought, 8