Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1876-01-20
THE WIDOW BARLOW.
BY MARY DALLAS.

z Peter Buskirk was very fond of money;
not so fond that he quite starved himself
to keep it, or hid it up the chimney or
refused himself fire or lights or pillow;
but yet so very fond of it as to be or the
verge of miserhOod without having quite
fallen over. Beggars reaped no harvast
from his purse or kitchen, and match
makers could make no impression on his
bachelor heart. Peter Buskirk saw thro'
the latter as well as the former and but
toned up his pockets as hastily in the pres
ence of the bewitching crinoline as in that
of a seeCly gentleman with a folded docu-
ment in his breast-pOcket. The men want
ed to rob him, the women to marry him.
The last was the worst. Not that Peter
hated women on the contrary, even at f1f-
ty he was susceptible; bright eye put
him in a flutter. But the fact was, wo-
men, as wives and daughters, were ex-
pensiVe. They needed clothes, and were
fond of dainties. They were proverbial-
ly extravagant. Should he marry one,
she would spend his money while he lived
and squander it after he was dead. And,
with this awful terror before him, Peter
steered clear of the shoals of matrimony.
There was one inconvenience in this
bachelorhood, however. That was the
housekeeping; for it Involved servant
some one to make the beds, wash dishes,
cook and iron. In short, the servant-of-
L
life-eating and drinking in a manner
which kept the master of the house in a
continual ferment; wasting butter and
fuel and each change in the Kitchens in
cumbrance being followed by the myster-
ious disappearance of towels and napkins
and such small ware. There was no rest
for good Mr.. Buskirk. He tried Betty
and Dinah and Mary and Ann, and then,
in despair, flew to a certain Mr.. Brown,
the giver of tea-parties innumerable, for
advice.
''Servants are sad plagues,' - she said.
''Eat you out of house and hOme,'' said
Peter.
''Not to be relied upon for honesty .
said Mrs. Brown.
s'Thieves, madam, thieves !" said Peter
"Ah," said Mrs. Brown, ga gentleman
has no time to watch them. Now I should
advise marrying, Mr. Buskirk."
marrying ~
eyes, sir; wife can manage sucf
things so much better. Besides, if yOU
choose a smart, capable woman, she viii
keep an eye on the servant. It would bt
much more economical to marry
Economical ~ yelled Peter; my goot
lady Eco-I-O, goodness! Feathers
and flowers, laces and silks, and rings anC
l-and ice cream and things-econoneica
How many yards do you take for dress
ma amp
''Well, sir, twelve or thirteen-some
times, when it's silk, you know, it take
eighteen
eighteen yards, at five shillings or S,
a yard, and not one dress, but twenty
My good lady, it would be enough to ruiz
a man."
Mrs. Brown reflected.
EBut if you could find an economical WO
man, Mr.. Buskirk."
FEAh if could find a mermaid.''
Gone who never wasted penny
F'She does not exist, ma'am.''
sEWho lives on next to nothing. Th
fact is, Mr., Buskirk, have such lad
in my eye. She's a widOw-quite youn
One-Mrs. Barlow, and I'll have her q
Peach House next week.
Peter Buskirk grinned sarcastically.
Economy in hoops and bonnets,'' h
said to himself. 'EThey want to MARI
me and spend my money"
And he went home wrOth.
However, economy forbade him to n
fuse an invitation to dinner; and when,
week after, Mrs. Brown sent cher con
pliments,' ~ ETC., Mr.. Buskirk donned h
h Sunday suit and went over to the PeaC
e House at five precisely. The parlor w:
: with crinolines and f1ounces. Most
them, Mr.. Buskirk knew well, and
looked in vain for Il stranger. Mr.
Browns note had said:
FtMrs. Barlow will be with u.s.
But which was that economical widow
i Probably the lady in the green silk nei
IS the piano. He could not remember h
n n face.
@ Suddenly Mr. Buskirk's doubts were S
at rest. Mrs. Brown calculated, E'De
me where is Cousin Betsy? Mr.. Buslzir
: you must be introduced to Mrs. Barlow
and at these words something small al
fiat emerged from between two port
danes, and stood before him. 1t was
very short and slender little woman, wi
a remarkably pretty face. She wore
hoops, and her dress cleared her ankle
The sleeves were close, and the skirt h
perhaps three bredths in it. The DIRE
+, itself was of very plain brown meriI
and she wore neither broach'nOr bow, o
ly white linen collar. Peter look
: approval. Several of the ladies exchan
ed glances, and a faint giggle was hear
and, as though by common consent,
T, two were left tete-a-tete in a corner.
pheasant day." said Peter, to co
mence the conversation. pleasant di
but cold.'
o ''Ah, yes: but dislike cold weather
,d said the lady.
r ''Don't agree with you, ma'am ?''
= go, that's not it. I am never i'll;
cold weather is so expensive. Lights e
ly and coal's dear, " proceeded the lady
n 'Money slips through ones fingers; a
" never waste things"
F'My case exactly said Buskirk, ''I
h. astonishing how things cost. Now, th'
t. t. is butter-say pound a fortnight
1g go, I never eat butter; it costs
he be much, - said the lady.
* s'Ah! and sugar and tea and coffee. "
Of eff you indulge in such luxuries, WI