The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-01-11
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THAT LITTLE WIDOW.

She was ust the neatest little woman in
the world always smiling, always fresh,
plump and deep in her forties-one of the
kind who smooth their aprons down while
they talk to you, Then the little cigar shop
at the corner, which she kept, and where
she ratified on about different brands OF to-
bacco, and talked of the weather to her Gus
toners, and the kindness which any tale of
sorrow told by vagrants called forth from her
the many times her fat little hand went
into the drawer for change to be bestowed on
some charitable pl,a-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 often went in for little snuff, you
know. but who invariably settled his wig
| ,n''~ ''''' '-r'~o NonninC into the shon
lie used to say to her, "My you must be
lonely here, Widow Thorn"
20, not at all, sir, thanking You = she
would reply.
4 wonder you never married seconC
time, Widow Thorn ?
well, it is a wonder, isn't it doctor Bu
you see Pm such a queer old body that
guess not many could fancy me
Madam, there you must stop canno
hear the divine sex disparaged," returned
the doctor He was as they say, of the ole
school. She laughed
Cant woman speak against herself?' sh
asked.
No She never speaks against herself un
less she means to hatter herself by contra
dictory d'sparagement when some one
by
Sir, you are too plain
Widow Thorn, was always called plai
and the wigs too big for me-
Then she laughed at him, and what prom
ised to be a quarrel ended in merry Coco
bye
Then there was the baker at the corne
He was widower, and he used to come
of an evening for chat and cheap ci!
ar.
said he This lonely state is miserabl
t isn't it%
DO you speak from experience p aske
she.
Yes my Maria's been dead fourtee
years, said he.
= i shouldn't think it would take 20 long
time for you men to forget anything 81
said
'Ah, ma'am man is wonderful being
the most wonderful of Gods creatures
Except woman,' said she.
n You re right, widow And that's Il
~ reason theLord meant that every man shou
lie have wife and every woman husban
just to make them equal. So | think yC
and must have new partners
Now, look here, Mr. Johnsl You've hi
your partner, and I've had mine, and dea
has dissolved the partnerships Now, we
botn bankrupt, and we can't carry on Il joi
business so We must go on pleasantly 8
said, and laughingly bade him Goo
n night
He had to laugh, to, because she seem
a to expect him to do nothing else.
i. Then there was the old bachelor over &
ID way, who was learning the bassoon. /
used to come 10 his window on summer eve
~ ings, when the widow was standing at h
door for breath OF fresh air, and he wou
Es blow away at The Last Link is Broken t
C. il was wonder he did not rupture son
'' thing and die. He did not smoke,nOr dri
nor chew. But brilliant idea struck h
one day, and over he went.
S 'Do you keep paper collars, ma'am?
a-ked tremblingly.
re- Yes, sir she answered, smoothing |
apron down.
Give me some he said vaguely,
What size p
IL 80, any size don't care
ny She looked at him.
N Don't you know your number p I
%TTi asked.
,sl- NO, ma'am But don't care much
Lpd ? she calculated, Here, sir. j
you take your collar of and let me meas
II, itY
nd So she did aud she handed him anotl
Ig %, 80.
III, That II fit you, sir, she said,
in Then he tried to put it on, and his hi
ION tr, mblod So that he broke one of the bat
holes.
Now, It's done, SIR said she.
Tm afraid am, said he.
SIR
u IassI LIN afraid it ISL