Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-03-09
Thy YOUNG WIDOWS Story.

When we came out of the church
Paul and THE church where we had
beep married so quietly, that no obser-
verIknew that wedding was going Oh
ths9e, but merely saw four young peo-
pie go in at the porch, doubtless to look
at the old place aud come through 1t
again in an hours time, looking per
haps little graver-though two OF
them at least were very much happier.
know-not even little girl paused to
gaze at us, nor did any old woman
whisper
''There goes bride.
We had put our white gloves on in
side, and taken them off then, and for
the rest, our dress was no gayer than
that OF the ordinary pedestrians. Had
not gray silk and you brown,
Rosine And you had red roses in your
hat against your black hair.
How well they looked. And /
well, there were lilies OF the valley IN
mine, and the hat was blue-blue as
my eyes, Panl said.
Sixteen year-old eyes, with child
mods sunshine in item yet, and wo-
man earliest dream behind to make
th+an brighter. No, no one knew that
we had been married, my Paul aud l,
that re could Tell.
Yet there was an old woman slit ing
on the STEPS. Suo, poor old soul, Sc
bent, no wrinkled, sosad, with crush
ed black bonnet, ana faded black
shawl and patched dirt color gown
and such pair of shoes. She sat dou-
rbled up on the steps Of that old moss
gown church, with the ivy creeping
over the deep windows, aud festooning
the door, and her ru,ty Grape veil made
her face look SO white and OLD, and
said 10 myself:
'She is widow"
And l thought, yes, oven then,
thought, Rosine, what If were ever te
be widow; and in my haprineas,
pitied her sorrow SO much, and slip
ped my hand through Paul's arn, and
went up to her and bent over h,s,, an q
slipped into her hand more than most
peoplessgive in charity to a stranger.
Indeed, never told any one now
much 1t was my own to give, aud
you know how rich that tiny legacy o1
my grandmother's had made me feel.
She looked at it with a strange, scared
look, l thought, and caught at my fin
gers.
81 was not begging" she said, shut
I'll take it, I'll take it. You gave it to
me because you felt sorry for me, l
know. You said Poor soul! she so
poor and sad, so rich and happy.
Eth You need not answer. | saw it in
your face. God bless you l was
married there, myself Twenty-no
nearly thirty years ago"
So she knew. | gave her a smile
and returned to Paul. We went back
to our little inn-the quaint place we
thought SO pretty. When the laudlady
served our supper, she said:
"a poor old woman has been here,
asking about madam. She said madam
had been kind, and she desired to pray
for her, the English lady with the little
lilies in her hat, and the gold brown
hair, who was Just married
The night l remembered her also in
my happy prayers, though | did not
know her name Rosine, we parted very
soon You never saw Paul again, aud
l wonder that yon knew me but am
so glad Aud you are just the same,
only older-a rose and not bud.
Your husband and your children are
about you; you have had no sorrow.
Why should years change you out OF
knowledge But for me-. alb! the gray
is III ny hair before its time; pot only
in my hair, but IN my heart. You re-
TUNED to England and We remained in
the little town in Germany. We lived
in thai little town, ani idle, happy life.
We sketched its old ruins, we heard
i.s exquisite n.uslc.
The quaint concert room, where the
ladies sat listening to the music with
knitting ii tlleis industrious hands, AMI
whssv men aud i o.4.-l. ooyls sllsaisk beer