The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-06-25
don't ask me what that il! No doubt
you already know very WELL"

|
i because a woman has Tilted them. u
Here was long pause, and Mr.. Cobb's
pipe emitted short puffs with surprising
rapidity. A guilty conscience needs nc
accuser. and the widows cheek wa;
dyed with bushes as she thought of the
absent Sam.
II wonder how women manage when
they get served in the same way" said
the stranger, musingly. You never
meet them roaming about in that style. y
"No," said Mrs. Cobb, with some
spirit; off women is in trouble she
must stay at home and bear it in the
best way she can. And there's moie
women bearing such things than we
know of, / dare say"
"Like enough. We never know
whose hands get pinched in the trap un-
less they scream. And women are too
shy, or too sensitive, which you choose,
for that"
"Did you ever, in all your wanderings,
meet any one by the name of Samuel
Payson?" asked the widow, uncon-
cernedly.
The stranger looked toward her-she
was rummaging her drawer for the knit
ting-work, and did not notice him.
When it was found and her needles in
motion, he answered her.
"Payson? Sam Payson? What! He
was my most intimate friend! Do you
know him?"
"a little--that is, / used to when |
was a girl. Where did you meet him?"
He went out with me on the whaling
voyage that / told you of, and after.
wards to California W. had a tent to-
gether, and some other fellows with US,
and we dug in the same claim for more
than six months"
~ suppose he was quite well?"
Strong as an OK, my lady,"
"And-and happy?" said the woman
bending closely over her knitting.
Hum-the less said about that the
better-perhaps But he seemed to en-
Joy life after q fashion Of his own. And
he got rich out there, or rather, | will
say-very we'll off.
Mrs. Cobb did not pay much attention
to that part of the story. Evidently she
had not finished asking questions. At
last she brought it out beautifully.
"Was his wife with him in Califor-
MAJ"
The stranger looked at her with twink
ling eyes. W.,
he hain't got one!"
"No, / thought mean l heard p
here the little widow remembered the
fate of Ananias and Sapphire, and stop
ped before she told such tremendous fib.
Whatsoever you heard of his marry
ing was all nonsense, can assure you.
l know him well, and he had no thought
of the kind about him. Some of the
boys used to tease him about it-but he
very soon made them stop"
Howl"
He told them frankly that the only
woman he had ever lover had Tilted him
years before, and married another man.
After that no one ever mentioned the
subject to him again except me-"
Mrs. Cobb laid her knitting aside and
looked thoughtfully into the fire.
He was another specimen of the
class of men l was speaking of. 1 have
seen him face death score of times as
quietly as l face the fire. 1T matters
very little what takes me off he used to
say. I've nothing to live for, and
there's no one to shed tear for me
when Pm gone It's sad thought fol
man to have, isn't it7"
Mrs. Cobb sighed as she said she
thought it was.
But did he ever tell you the name Of
the lady who Tilted him?''
I know her first name."
"What was it,"
"Maria."
The plump little widow almost started
out of her chair, the name was Spoken
SO exactly as Sam would have said it.
Did you know herr" he asked, look
ing keenly at her.
Eyes"
Intimately"
"sYes."
"And where is she now? Still happy
with her husband, suppose, and nevel
giving thought to the poor fellow sh'
drove out into the world"
No." said Mrs. Cobb, shading he
face with her hands, and speaking un
steadily. 'sNo, her husband is dead"
But still she never thinks of Sam"
There was dead silence.
"Does sl,e?"
Chow can l tell?"
!" Are Are you still friends?"
"Then you ought to know, and do
Tell me-"
! 81 arm sure don't know why should
i But if | do, you must promise me, Oh
! your honor, never to tell him if yo,
ever meet with him again"
j Madam, what you say to me shall
never be repeated to any mortal man
upon my honor"
/, "Well, then, she does remember him
But how"
4 As kindly, I think, ashe could wish.
ain glad to hear it for his sake
You and l are the friends of both par
| ties; we can rejoice with each other.'
!, He drew his chair nearer hers, an,
took her hand. One moment she re
sisted, but it was magic touch; tn
rosy palm lay very quietly on his, an,
the dark beard bent so low that it nearl
touched her shoulder, 1t did not matte
much. Was he not Samuel Payson'
dear friend? II he was not the rose
had he not dwelt very near it for a long
long time?
g Il was a very foolish quarrel tina
parted them," said the stranger, softly
I" Did he tell you about it?"
" Yes, on board the whaler.'
"Did he blame her mueh??n
Not so muci, as himself. He sal,
that his jealousy and ill-temper drov
her to break off the match; but b
, thought sometimes if he had only gon
| back and spoken kindly to her she woul,
have married him oftnr oil Che MO