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

dreamed of comparing herself to his Liz
zle. Had she done 80, the compariso
would have been entirely to her own aG
vantage. Mrs. Prlndle was tall, thin, SAD
and meek almost to insanity. Mrs
M'Brlde was short, plump, and jolly, al
most 10 !evity, and had, besides, yer,
pretty will of her own. She had been
widow ten years, and during this perio,
she had allowed several devoted suitors +
console her and to lead her almost to tn
brink of matrimOny. But having reach
ed that point, she had always retreated
remembering, just in time, that she
heart was buried in the grave of Jobl
M'Bride."
The literal truth of this assertion neet
not be discussed here; a strict adherenc,
to facts will be sufficient. And the fact
were, that Mrs. M'Bride liked to be con
soled; that she was rich, and liked t.
spend her money herself; that mourning
was extremely becoming to her; anG
nnally, that she considered herself young
enough to wait and choose, being, as she
affirmed, between thirty and forty"
BY marrying again she would have de
prived herself of consolation, and would
have been obliged to give up that bewitch.
ing widows cap. "And will never dc
.iiaO, ho'ci' luuS foWeu w luOW M Drlut
| in her sorrow.
But Farmer Prindle was ignorant OF
that vow, and in his ignorance he grew
wrathy as he thought of the pretty
widow, and as he passed her house that
night he silently called her by aSpeculiar
name that would rhyme very well with
"eviP' in poetry, but cannot be mention
ed in prose. Having thus relieved his
mind, and made room for pleaeanter
thoughts, he paid tribute to his wife's
virtues, and remembered all she had done,
without the least reference to what she
had left undone.
Yet, alas it must be confessed that dur
ing Mrs. Prindle's lifetime what she had
left undone had been uppermost in her
lords mind, and not in his mind only, but
also In his heart and in his speech. Hard
work, sour looks, unkind words, had been
her earthly portion, and she had carried
into practice her husbands theory that
" this world is vale of tears"
Mr.Prindle was not bad man, and his
wife was ''the best of women" as he was
in the habit of saying. Why, then, had
they not been happy together? Because
Mr.. Prindle had made great mistake
not being himself the best of men, the
best of women had been too much for
him. Her meekness had made him hard,
her obedience had made him impatient,
and her tears had made him angry.
:" And if it was so with her, what would
it be with another?" he asked himself,
solemnly. " No, no! no Widow M Bride
for mel" Perhaps he was right. But
why he so fervently objected to the widow
remains an open question for he met her
but seldom, and on these occasions she
a1aoc fotf f>h
had she at any time annoyed or molested
him by her smiles.
1t so happened that, the very next day,
Mrs. Crane, wishing to make griddle-
cakes for supper, went to Mrs. M'Bride's
to borrow some buttermilk, {" if so be she
had any to spare"
1t so was that Mrs. M'Bride could spare
some, and welcome. Then Mrs. Crane sat
down to have talk, thing which most
women can always "spare''-and welcome
too.
Having mentioned this, that, and the
other, they finally alighted upon Mr..
Prindle's devoted head.
"How would you like him for hus-
band?" asked Mrs. Crane.
Me? that old man!' laughed Widow
M'Bride.
'He amt so old, either; he amt turned
fifty yet and he has got nice place, and
no children, nor nothing to bother"
That's true; but somehow don't
fancy him; he is hard man. And then
there's so much work to be done on a
farm
- guess there's no more work any,
where than woman has a mind to do.
You would know how to manage him.
and get along with him. All men are
hard enough, for that matter yet it is
kind of nice to have one in the house."
But, my dear Mrs. Crane, don't want
a man in my house. L hate menr'
Maggie M'Bride! And you a-f1irting
like mad ~
81 never fiirt," said the widow, with
awful dignity. "You know don't; and
| in my weeds yet, And as for Mr.. Prin-
wouldn't have him for his weight
in gold"
Them's the very words he said about
you no later than last night" said Mrs.
Crane, throwing prudence to the winds.
Widow M'Bride' said he, 1 wouldn't
have her for her weight in gold Them's
his very words, as true as live."
"Good land! Did ever?" exclaimed
the widow. "NO, never did hear the
like of that. Not want me! Did you
ever! Well, don't want him-wouldn't
touch him with pair of tongs! SO we
are even, you see."
Mrs. Crane departed, not entirely in
peace. 81 wish l hadn't said it's she
thought. But she had said it, and it must
remain said forever.
So thought Widow MBride. as she
Mrs. Cranes retreating form.
Sc You horrid creature. You won't come
here again in hurry. And as for that
old mani declare!'' Then suddenly
smile shone in her black eyes, and spread
all over her face, till she laughed aloud.
Sc Y es, will do it-see if 1 don't!" she
said, shaking her plump little fist in the
of Farmer Prindle's "place."
The next day, about noon, Mrs. M Bride
went to the bank with fifty-dollar bill in
her pocket. "Will you have the kind
ness to change this bill for me?" she ask
ed Mr.. Plum, in the most business-like |
With the greatest pleasure" answer
ed MIR. Plum. How will you have it?"
" In fives and tens, if you please" And |
Is she said so, the widow looked up at |
him with smile that was not at all bust |
less-like i'm itself, nor in its effect. Mr.. |
pIum orew eli ~hfIv roav ohouf tho obaoIo |