The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1878-12-12
WINNING A WIDOW.

Good eVenin to you, Mr.. Costello,
answered the widow.
"It's fine weather we're havin, ma'am, "
continued Dir. Costello.
at is that, thank God" replied Mrs.
Cummiskey, ebut the winters comm at
last, and it comes to all both great and
small"
"Ahp' said Mr.. Costello, ''but for all
that it doesn't come to us all alike. Now,
4 here are you, uaa'anl, fat, rosy, am good
l0okin', equally swate as SIMMER green
/ in, a fall pippin or a winter russell
"Arrah, hould yer whist, nOw," inter.
rupted the fair widow, laughing. "Much
an old bachelor like you knows about
! apples or women. But come in, Mr..
] Costello, an take cup O tay with me,
/ forI was only standin' be the dOore, look
in at the people passin', for company
sake, like, and Pm sure the Kettle must
have sung itself hoarse."
Mr.. Costello needed no second invita-
ton, and he followed his hostess into her
snug back room. There was a bright fire
/ burning In the little Franklin stove, the
tea table was sending forth a cloud of
steam that took ruddy glow from the
fre-ligflt, the shaded lamp on the table
gave a mellow and subdued light to the
room, and it was all very suggestive of
comfort.
cts very. cosy ye are here, Mrs. Cum
miskey," said Mr. Costello, casting look
1 of appreciation around the apartment.
''Yes,7 replied the widow, as she laid
the supper, sit is that, Whin I do be hay
in company"
"Ah,n said Mr.. Costello, it must be
lonesome for you with only the cat and
yer cup o. tay." =
"Sure It isl answered the widow. siBut
take a safe and set down, Mr.. Costello
Help yerselfto this fish an don't forget
the purtaties. Look at them they re
spIittin' their sides with laughin'. =
Mr.. Costello helped himself and paus-
ed. He looked at the plump widow,
with her arm in that graceful position
assumed in the pouring out of tea, and
remarked, I'm sinsible of the comforts
of a home, Mrs. Cummiskey, though I've
none meself. Mind, now, the difference
between the tastes o. tay made and
sarVed that a way and the tay they gives
you in an 'ating house"
"Sure," said the widow, there's moth
in like a little home O. yer own. ! Won
der yer never got marrit Mr.. Costello"
4
in reference to yerself, ma'am," answered
Mr.. Costello.
God keep us, exclaimed Mrs. Cum
miskey, "aren't a widder woman this
seven Year,
"Ah," reioihed Mr.. Costello, "but it's
thinBin' was why ye- didn't get marTit
again" ...
"WeH, its sure I am" said the widow,
err11 gaffTuCr Hnvr-r1 nor
and raising her hand by way of empha-
sis, ''there never was a better husband
to any woman than him that's dead and
gone, heaven save an rest his sowl. He
was that Rsy a child could do anythin'
with him, and he was as handsome as a
monkey. You favor him very much,
Mr.. Costello. He was aboutyour height,
and Completed like you" :,
"Ah D exclaimed Mr.. Costello. l. =
"Ee often used to say to me in his BAN
therin' way, Sure, Nora, what's the wor-
rIld to a man Whin his wife is Widder,'
manin', you know, that all the timpta-
tiOns an luXuries of this life can never
folly man beyant the grave. Sure,
Nora says he WHAT'S the worruld to a
man when his Wife's widderP All,
poor JOhnP
at was a sensible sayin', that" re-
marked Mr.. Costello, as he helped him
self to more fish.
Il mind the day John died, contin-
ued the widow. "He knew everything
to the last, and about four in the after
noon-it was seventeen minutes past five
exactly be the clock that he died-he
says to me, Nora says he, you've beena
good wife, says he, and I've been a good
husband says he, and there's no love
lost between US, says he, and could
give ye a good CaraCkthUr any place, says
he, AN I wish you could do the same
for me where Pm gOin',' says he, 'butit's
case equal, says he, every dog has his
day, and some has a day and a-half,'
says he; an, says be, I'll know more in a
bit than Father COrrigan himself says
he, but I'll say now, says he, that I've
always been a true son of the church.
says ne, so Pll not bother my brains
about it, and he says, says he, 4 leave
you in good hands, Nora, for l leave you
in your own hands, says he, and if at
any time ye see any wan ye like better
nor me, marry him. says he. 'Ah, Nora
says he, for the first time speaking it
solemn like, 'Ah, Nora, what is the wor-
rUld to a man when his wife is widow?
And says he, Z lave $50 for masses, and
the rest I lave tOyouTself,' said he, and
l needn't tell ye to be good mother TO
the children says he, for well we know
there are none. All, poor John. VIII
ye have another cup of tay, Mr.. COstelloF'
at must have been very hard onye,"
said Mr. Costello. 'Thank ye ma'am no
more"
at was hard" said Mrs. Cummiskey
"but time will tell. Imust cast about me
for our own livin'; an so I got intilI this
place, and here 1 am to day"
"Ah!" said Mr.. Costello, as they rose
from the table and seated themselves be-
fore the fire, "and here we are both of US
this eVenin'."
Here weare, sure enough" reioined
the widow.
can so I mind ye of-of him, do IP
asked Mr.. Costello, after a pause, during
which he had gazed contemplatively in
TO the fire.
"That We do" answered the widow.
aye favor him greatly. Dark complect-
ed and the same pleasant smile"
"Now with me sittin' here and you sit
tin there feminist me, ye might almost
think ye were maTrit again" said Mr..
Costello, insinuatingly.
"Ah, 60 away now for a taze that We
are" exclaimed the widow, mussing her
clean apron by rolling the corners of it.
'I disremember what it was he said
about seein' amy man you liked betther
nor him, said Mr. Costello, moving his
chair a little nearer to that of the widow.
"He said, said he," answered the wild
ow, smoothing her apron over her knees !
with her plump white hands, ''Norah,'' p
said he, "if amy time ye see amy man
ye like betther nor me, marry him" says
he.
"Did he say anything about amy wan
ye liked as good as him" asked Mr.. Cos
tellO.
q don't mind that he did," answered |
the widow, rehectiyely, folding her hands
in her lap. $3.50
q suppose he left that to yerself?" /
pursued Mr.. Costello.
Faith an I don't know, thin" an