The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-10-28
The Young Widow.

Certainly, Mrs. Locksley," said she
"What is it 2"
"It's about the rent for those rooms
Mrs. Dale" said the landlady, drawing
herself up with little jerk. 1.-Two goot
months you've occupied 'em, and it stand
toreason, ma'am as hard working widow
woman, as has only herself to look to
wants to see the color of your money
Not as l would have hurried you. ma'am,
with a half relenting glance toward,
Theodora's mourning garments, "whilt
the poor dear major lay i'll, nor yet while
he was being buried, but"
Theodore looked panied.
The deep scarlet dyed her cheeks.
IL am sorry to have Inconvenience
you, Mrs. Locksley," she said, "but
was Of course obliged to settle the under.
takers bill at once and that has taken oil
the ready money which I had at command
l have written to my husbands relatives
however, and expect remittances. very
shortly, which"-
"I've heard that same thing from my
lodgers before, ma'am," said she. "All
l can say is that would very much like
to have the bill paid as soon as possible. +"
at shall be paid tonight, Mrs. Locks.
Icy, without fail" said Theodore, her
cheeks becoming hotter than before.
And the instant the door closed upon
the stout figure OF the andlady she let
her head fall upon her clasped hands and
burst into tears. Tears that we're almost
like distilled fire, SO scalding aud bitter
were they.
Theodore Dale had been married only
three months.
She had been school girl at Nine.
Bonmerci's establishment, when Major
Lionel Dale saw and admired her.
He made some careless inquiries about
the young beauty with the gazelle like
eyes, scarlet lips and blue-blaok hair that
clustered so low upon her forehead, and
learned in an incidental sort of way that
she was an orphan, training at the ex.
pense of Nine. Bonmerci, herself, for
governess.
"Hang it," said Major Dale. "she is
too pretty for that. l will marry her,"
Little Theodore Mayder, who had
scarcely left of playing with dolls, and
was heartily sick Of Mime. Bonmerci's exac-
tions on the one side and tho unconscious
tyranny Of the children on the other, was
half frightened, and half pleased, when
the handsome, middle-aged major propos.
ed matrimony to her.
"But l am so young" she pleaded, the
carnation and lilies succeeding each
other on her cheeks.
"You arc the prettiest little half.bloom
rosebud in the world" the major answer.
cd, gallantlY.
Nine. Bonmerci spoke word or so of
warning to her.
"My child" said she, beware of what
you are about. He is three times your
age, and CANDLES. 1t is true that your
life is hard one now, is q very hard
one, but"
III shall marry him." retorted Theo.
dora.
And she did.
At the end of three months Major
Dale's favorite horse ran away with him
and killed him and Theodore was
widow.
Naturally enough she wrote to her
husbands relatives, whom she had never
seen, and now upon this October evening
sho was expecting an answer to her let.
ter.
The color mounted to her face as the
postman paused beneath her window.
She caught the letter eagerly from his
hand and tore it eagerly open.
1t contained nothing but her own letter
returned to her with these words penciled
across the envelope:
"Mr. Chandos Dale's compliments to
the young lady who beguiled his brother
into secret marriage, and he is conf
dently Of opinion that her talents 10 the
husband hunting line need NO assistance. "
And this cutting taunt, this gratuitous
insult, was all.
Theodore sat pale and silent.
She knew that her husband did not
care to refer to his relatives much, gen.
orally avoided the subject when she
brosched it, but she never dreamed that
no had allowed them to think her mere
adventures, who had contrivcd to entrap
him into disadvantageous marriage.
She had long ere this discovered that
Lionel was very selfish man. but she
never before dreamed how selfish.
But the blow, sharp and sudden as it
was. nerved her to further exertions.
She put on her hat and went out to tho
nearest jeweler, and sold her watch and
chain = Lionel's wedding present-for
probably about one-third Of its worth.
With this she paid her bill at Mrs.
Looksley's.
Begging your pardon. ma'am," said
the old odging house keeper, "but what
are you going to do now?"
81 am going to give music lessons"
said Theodore.
She had a full. fresh voice, like q
lark's, and she knew that she could lake
this one gift Of Gods bread winner.
"lt will be life of drudgery," she
told herself, but would starve sooner
than again apply to the Dales for assist
ance."
And the years crept by and the seven.
teen.year.old widow who stormed the
citadel of fortune SO bravely won the day.
"Signora Theodore DALI. No, l have
not heard her yet," said Mr.. Chandos
Dale, indifferently. "But they say, she
is the best Marguerite we have yet had,
and l have sent to secure box to.mor.
row night"
Signora DALI was in her best voice
that night, when Chandos Dale, her
brother.in law, sat with folded arms in
the proscenium bov.
And the half blown bud Of five years
m had rinanad hx, kh;a Ain a :.ko FL