Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-01-05
NO. s..
Gales and Sketehes.
THAT LITTLE WIDOW.

lue WOrlu-aIWays smlllng, always fresh
plump and deep in her forties-one of the
kind who smooth their aprons down while
they talk 10 you. Then the little cigar
shop at the corner, which she kept, and
where she ratified on about different brands
OF tobacco, and talked of the weather to
her customers. and the kindness which
any tale OF sorrow told by vagrants called
forth from her-the many times her fat lit
tie hand went into the drawer for change
to be bestowed on some charitable plea
all went to make up the best-tempered.
the most motherly and the incest little
woman you would ever chance to meet.
SO thought DR.. Ash, who lived next
door, and who went in for little snuff.
you know, but who invariably settled his
wig more rakishly before popping into the
shop. lie used to say to her, N.Y. YOU
must be lonely here. Widow Thorn -
~, not at all, sir, thanking you - she
would reply.
wonder you never married second
time, Widow Thorn! -
"Well. it is wonder, isn't it. doctor
But you see I'm such queer old body that
| guess not many could fancy me-
Madam, there you must stop can
not hear the divine sex disparaged." re-
turned the doctor. He was, as they sav.
OF the old school. She laughed.
Cant a woman speak against herself?"
she asked
mo! She never speaks against herself
unless she means to flatter herself by con
Trajectory disparagement when some one
is by
''Sir, you are too plain
"Widow Thorn. [ was always called
plain, and the wigs too big Tor me-
Then she laughed at him; and what
promised TO be quarrel ended in mer-
ry Good by"
! Then there was the baker at the corner.
lie was widower, and he used to come
IN OF an evening for chat and a cheap
cigar.
Said he, "This lonely state is miserable.
isn't it?'
''Do you speak from experience asked
she.
Yes; my Marias been dead fourteen
years, >" said he.
II shouldn't think it would take SO long
Time Tor you men to forget anything
she said.
"Ah, ma am man is a wonderful being
the most wonderful of Gods creatures"
Except woman" said She
You're right, widow And that's the
should have a wife and every woman a
husband, just to make them equal. So |
think you and must have new partners"
"Now, look here, Mr.. Johns! You've
had your partner, and I've had mine, and
death has dissolved the partnerships
Now, we're both bankrupt, and we can't
carry on a joint business so we must 90
on pleasantly" she said. and, laughly
bade him Good night" He had to
laugh, too, because she seemed to expect
him to do nothing else.
Then there was the old bachelor over
the way, who was learning the bassoon
lie used TO come to his window of summer
evenings. when the widow was standing
at her door for breath of fresh air, and
he would blow away at the 1.-The Last
Link is Broken" till il was a wonder he
did not rupture something and die. He
did not smoke, nor drink, nor chew. But
"A brilliant idea struck him one day. and
over he went.
DO you keep paper collars, ma'am ?n
he asked, trembingly.
"les, SIR she answered. smoothing
her apron down.
Give me some" he said vaguely.
"What size ?''
80, any size | don't care"
She looked at him.
Don't you know YOUR number? p She
asked.
mo, ma'am p But don't care much.n
"Lud" she calculated Here, sir.
Just take your collar off and let me meas
ure it ?"
So she did, and handed him another.
"Thall fit you sir, she said
Then he tried to put it on, and his hand
trembled SO that he broke one of the but
ton holes.
Now it's done, sir said she.
"I'm afraid am" said he.
''Sirr =
81 mean I'm afraid it is -
Then he took up another, and out of
compassion, she said
"Let me button it for you. All men
are death on buttons and button-holes-I
know my poor Thorn
Then she fitted on the collar, and the
bachelor was ecstatic. As she handed him
his change, she said:
you're the gentleman that plays such
sweet. dreamy tunes on the horn, aren't
you?'
"Yes, play a little. But it's dreadful
lonely playing all by myself
Isn't there any one with YOU ?" >he
,ked.
"NO, I'm cur>ed-l'm bachelor -
"Deary me that is bad; Id ASK you
over here to play, sir -"
"O.N he interrupted
But I'm afraid the doctor next door
would come in and ask # any body was
hurt" she continued.
or he said again, in quite different
tone, and left. Five minutes alter he was
moaning out The Last Link is Broken"
as if that link had in its soundness held
heaven and earth together The doctor
needed lot of snuff; the baker was
clearly smoking himself into the grave
with his Maria and The bachelor used so
many paper collars that the little widow
ordered as many boxes OF his as she did
of all the other sizes put together. But
at last, one night, came the maid servant
from the next door, pounding up the Wild
ow Thorn, telling her to come in for the
doctor was i'll and didn't know anybody.