The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-04-17
"Does she ?"
"lIow can | tell -
"Are you still friends ?'

Does she
"How can | tell -
"Are you still friends?"
Yes"
Then you ought to know and do.
Tell me ?n
"I'm sure | don't know why |
should. But if do yeu must prom
ise me, on your honor, never to tell
him If you eser meet with him
again"
Madam, what you say to me
shall never be repeated to any NOR
tal man."
"Well. then, she does remember
him."
"But how ?"
"As kindly, l think. as he could
wish"
'i'm glad to hear of it for his sake.
You and | are the friends of both
parties, we can rejoice with each
other"
lie drew his chair nearer hers, and
took her hand. One moment she re-
sisted; but it was a magic touch.
The rosy palm lay very quietly on
his, and the dark beard bent so low
that it nearly touched her shoulder
1t did not matter much. Was be
not Samuel Payson's dear friend ? Ii
he was not the rose, had he not
dwelt very near it for a long, long
time ?"
1T was a very foolish quarrel that
parted them," said the stranger, soft
ly"
'Did be tell you about it,"
iYes, on board the whaler."
did he blame her much ?"
Not so much as himself. He
said that his jealousy and ill-temper
drove her to break off the match /;
but he thought sometimes if he had
ouly gone back and spoken kindly to
her she would have married him sf-
ter ALL"
"She was not happy, then, with
another ?"
Mr., that is to say, her hus-
band-wss very good and kind, T"
said the little woman, thinking Of
the lonely grave on the hillside rath-
er penitentIv, "and they lived very
together. There never
was harsh word between them
"Still-might she not have been
happier with Sam ? Be honest and
say just what you think"
Yes"
Bravo. That is what | wanted to
come at And now | have a secret
to tell you. and you must break it to
her,"
Mrs. Cobb looked rather scared.
What is it ?"
II want you to go and see her,
wherever she may be, and say TO her
what makes you stare
SO 2"
"NothinG--only you speak iso like
scme one | used to know, once in
awhile"
"Do we'll, take the rest Of the
Tell her that Sam loved
her through the whole that when
he heard that she was free. be began
to work hard at making a fortune; he
has got it, and is coming to share it
with her, if she will let him. VIII
you tell her this ?"
The widow did not. answer. She
had freed her hand from his and COW
cred her face with il. By and by she
looked up. He was waiting pa
tiently.
"Wellfn
81 will tell her."
lie rose from mis- seat aud walked
up and down the room. Then he
came back, and, leaning on the man
tel piece, stroked the yellow hide Of
Bowse with his slipper.
Make her quite understand that
he wants her for his wife She may
live where she likes. aud how she
likes, only it must be with him."
II will tell her.
Say he has grown old, but not
cold; that be loves her now perhaps
better than be did twenty years ago;
that be has been faithful to ber
through life, and be will be faithful
till he dies
The Californian broke off suddenly.
The widow answered still
II viii tell herr
And what DO you think she will
say ~ be asked, in an altered tone
What can she say but-COME !"
"Hurrah ~
The stranger caught her out of her
chair as if she had been a child, and
kissed her.
"Don't-oh, don't 7" she cried out.
| am Sans Maria"
Well am Maria's Sam ~
OFF went the dark wig and the
black whiskers-there smiled the
dear face she had never forgotten. /
leave you to imagine the tableau-
even the cat got up to look, Bowse
sat on bis stump of a tail, and won
dered whether be was on his heels or
his head. The little widow gave
one scream. and then said:
But stop Quiet people like you
and me, dear reader, who have got
over all these follies, and can DC
nothing but turn up our nose al
them, have no business here. / will
Only add that two hearts we're very
happy that Bowse concluded aftel
awhile that all was right, and so laid
down to sleep again-and that not
great while afterwards there was 8
wedding at the house that made the
neighboring farmers stare. Widow
Cobb had married ter first lover
AParaiIel Case