The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-05-04
srriss uKrTrR DAYS

The widow Minlon had seen bette
daya. How far bach wssut cxscil!
certified bat she had seen them. Bette
dags hung modify about her ike thi
dcbocd thrtds Of antiqaated embroid
cry
The sturdy gofsips Of The seaside VII
laee who wen, shout with their skirt
tucked np and their brown arms ready
aBd able for any work, looked askanee q
the widow Minion, with her pltiin
meGgernrss Of aspect, her pickering black
eye, aud her trailing old gown. They
nudged each other, and said, Better days
Lord save us
But ibe widow did no, trouble the
neighbors much, nor they her a body
who couldn't do a heartsome hands
stirring was best left alone to her brood
ing, and the widows smoky little cabin,
soitarily apart on the sea-shore, was
left pretty much TO herself aud her boy
Tom.
Tom was Ia sturdy, brown-fsced lad /,
who picked up living by doing odd jobs
for the bos,men, and now and then TAX
ing a day for fishing Tom had probably
never seen .betterl days, The widow
shook her head over him--so stupidly
content, poor Tom so beaming and good
uatured over beggsrllness and hopeless
ness. A tall,' well-grown fellow, with
bare feet, torn straw hat, and red
shirt, Tom took the world easily, looking
with reyerent eyes on hs mothers by
gone gentility, but by no means seeming
TO eovet il for himself.
The widow deemed ii due to her past
respectability to be seen at church of q
Sunday evening, and YOU could see the
two al twilight walking alonglthe sands
together, she with her clean pocket hand
kerchief folded over her old hymn-book
and a certain doubtful hesitancy of gait,
as II heaven itself might be looking down
critically on her shabby black gown aud
rusty bonnet. AS for Tom, patient Tom,
be went plodding slowly after her, with
his smilingi face, whistllng TO himself as
be went. always patient, always plod-
ding, poor Tom! Patiently falling
asleep during the sermon, and patiently
listening, open-mouthed, to the closing
hymn, bis careless bright face, contrast
ing SO oddly with.his mothers querulous
and tsarworn visage, won for him the
soubriquet of Widow Minton's rainbow.
The minister Of the parish, mistaken
soul, deemedlit incumbent to make a call
on the widow; and, on charity bent, it is
said he unwariIy offered to employ her
services in his household for season. -
lie deemed 1t his duty to rouse the old
woman TO activity.
He did rouse her; and il is averred
that he never found time to call at the
cabin again. Did he take her for com
mon household drudge, or a low-born
field hand? She thanked God she had
too much spirit left yet TO put herself un-
der anybody's feet. lie hadn't far to 90 |
to find scores of drudges and diggers, but
he might go further before be knew
lady when he saw her.
II might have been the afternoon after
the good mans visit that the widow sat
idly brooding at her cabin door. Her
eyes had wandering, far-away look and
her face was keener and thinner than
ever. Beyond the bluff which sheltered |
her cabin, stretched far line of sea-coast
the white sand cleaning silvery in the
sun. Far off group of batbers, in bright
dresses, frolicked between shore aud wat
er. They came from the great hotel
down beyond; she could almost catch |
the sound Of their voices as she sat slowly
rocking in her doorway. II was quiet
afternoon; the air was soft and soothing,
aud the WIDOWS heart SO full of bitter
ness, felt itself sweeten and soften in |
the stiffness. This part of the shore,
sheltered by it's overhanging rock, was
seldom disturbed by intruders, but pres.
entity the watchers eye caught sight of
young girl splashing aad froicking in
the water just beyond the rocks. 1t was
a pretty sight, the rounded arms, the
curving shoulders, the swaying, floating
figure. And perhaps the old woman re-
called with sigh the time when she was
young and blithe too, aud had as CHEEKY
a voice as that with which the fair young
swimmer hailed her companions in the
distance.
Gazing sbsently on the smiling scene,
a reyerie fell upon her, aud when che
looked again, the young water-nymph
had disappeared. She had probably
swum ashore behind the rocks. The
widow turned away, hugged her thin
shawl over her shoulders, and thought
that the sea.wind was chilly. Hark l.
What was that? Surely che heard a cry.
No merry shout or ringing laugh this; il
might be the cry Of wild bird on Its
way to its mate.
She couldn't have got beyond her
depth, that young creature, sarelyl But,
lAi what Of il IL she had7 Dying young
a body gets quit Of deal Of trouble
And-Yes, surely, that was 3 scream.
The widow looked sharply out. Would
Tom never GOMEZ The tide was rising,
aud-and something certainly was the
tamFtnr Sic raftaA aEa kartapad fran
tically to the bstbers beyond---they seem
ed both blind aud deaf.
No ore, not one soul, at hand, and tha,
young thing 10 peril OF life! A minute
she stood still, lis,ening-a feeble old
woman with a haggAri, scared face. 10