The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-02-16
THE LITTLE WIDOW.

She was just the ueatest little woman in tho
wOrld--aways smiling always fresh, plum
and deep in the fOrticS-Onc of the kind who
smooth their aprons down while they talk Il
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 kind
ness which any tale Of sorrow told by Migrants
called forth from her-the many times her fat
little hand went down into the drawer for
change to be bestowed on some charitable plea
all went to make up the best tempered the
most mOtherly and incest little woman you
would ever chance to meet.
So thought DR.. Ash, who lived next door
and who often went in for a little snuff, you
know, but who invariably settled his wig more
rakishly before popping into the shop.
He used to say TO her, MY, you must be
lonely here Widow Thorn!"
"Oh, not ataIl, sir, thanking you," she would
reply
II 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 disparagcd,' replied the
doctor. He was, as they say, Of the old school.
She laughed
Cant woman speak against hcrsclf?" she
asked
mo! She never speaks against herself I'M.
less she means to ilatter herself by contradic-
tory diSparagcmcnts when some one is by"
"Sir, you are too plain"
widow Thorn, | was always called plain,
and the wigs too big for me-
Then She laughed at him, and what prom.
ised to be quarrel ended in "a merry good
bye"
Then there was the baker at the corner. He
was a wdowcr, and he used to come in of an
evening for chat and cheap cigar
Said he, This lonely state is very miserable,
isn't it?"
ado you speak from experiences" asked she.
"les my Maras been dead fourteen years"
said he
81 shouldn't think it would take so long a
time for you men 10 forget anything" she said
"Ah, maam, man is n wonderful being
the most wonderful of Gods creatures"
Except woman" said she.
You're right, widow! And that's the rca-
son that the Lord meant that every man should
have a wife, and every woman husband, Just
10 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 hlNrplNfd lnt ANpNs w n
both bankrupt, and we can't carry on a joint
business; 80 we must 80 on pleasantly she
said, and laushingly babe him good night"
He had 10 laugh, too, because she seemed tC
expect him "a do nothing else
Then there was the old bachelor over the
way, who was learning the bassOon. lie uscd
70 come 10 his window of summer evenings
when the widow was standing at her door fOl
a breath Of fresh air. and lac would blow away
at The Last Link is Broken" till il was
wonder that lac did not rupture something and
die. lie did not smoke nor drink. nor chew
But brilliant idea struck him one day, and
over he went
DO you keep paper collars, ma'ams" he
asked trcmbiingly.
AYES, sir" She answered. smoothing her
spron DOM.
Give me some," nc said, vaguely
~What siZey"
20, any size, / don't care"
She looked al him.
"DOn't you know your number she asked
mo ma'am, but I don't care much"
AUDI she calculated "lierc. sir, lust take
of your collar and let me measure IT,"
So she measured his collar and handed him
another one.
~That1l III you, sir" she said.
Then he tried to put IL on, and his hand