The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-04-23

~ HOW ur6aului IO0u MI. OODD uSSu w
be of these gratis. He never will eat
any more of them, poor fellow, for L
don't suppose they have apples where
he's gone to. Heigho 1 remember very
well how 1 used to throw apple parings
over my head when was girl, to see
who 1 was going to marry"
Mrs. Cobb stopped short and blushed.
In those days she did not know Mr..
Cobb, and was always looking eargerly
to see if the peel had formed capital S.
Her meditations took a new turn.
How handsome Sam Payson was,
and how much used to care for him.
Jerusha says he went away from our
village just after did, and no one has
heard of him since. And what q silly
thing that quarrel was If it had not
been for that"
Here came long pause, during which
the widow looked very steadfastly at the
empty chair of Mr.. Levi Cobb, deceased.
Her fingers played carelessly with the
apple-paring; she drew it safely toward
her, and looked around the room.
upon my word it is very ridiculous,
and don't know what the neighbors
would say if they saw me-"
Still the plump fingers drew the peel
nearer.
But they can't see me-that's COM
fort-and the cat and old Bowse will
never know what it means. OF course 1
don't believe anything about it.''
The pairing hung gracefully from her
hand.
But still 1 should like to try; it
would seem like old times, and"
Over head it went, and curled up
quietly on the floor at q little distance !;
old Bowse, who always slept with one
eye open, saw it fall, and marched de-
liberately up to smell it.
" Bowse, Bowse don't touch it !" cried
his mistress and bending over it with
a beating heart she turned as red as fire.
There was as handsome capital S as
one could wish to see.
A loud knock came suddenly at the
door. The dog growled, and the widow
screamed and snatched up the apple par
ing.
" It's Mr.. Cobb; it's his spirit come
back again because 1 tried that silly
trick" she thought fearfully to her
self.
Another knock, louder than the first,
and mans voice exclaimed:
Hillo, the house -
"Who is it ?" asked the widow, some
what relieved to find that the departed
Levi was still safe in his grave up on the
hill side. 3R,
"A stranger" said the voice.
"What do you want ?n
To get lodgings here for the night
The widow deliberated.
''Cant't you go on? There's a house
half mile further on, if you keep to the
right hand side of the road, and turn to
the left after you get by"
"It's raining cats and dogs, and I'm
very delicate, - said the stranger cough
ing. "I'm wet to the skin. Don't you
think you can accommodate me don I
mind sleeping on the floor"
Raining, is It'll 1 didn't know that, -
and the kind hearted little woman un-
barred the door very quickly. "Come
in, whoever you may be. / only asked
you to go on because am lone woman
with only one servant in the house"
The stranger entered, shaking himself
like Newfoundland dog upon the step,
and scattering little shower of drops
over his hostess and her nicely swept
floor.p
"Ah, that looks comfortable after a
man has been out for hours in a storm, -
he said as he caught sight of the fire, and
striding along toward the hearth, fol-
lowed by Bowse, who snuffed suspicious
ly at his heels, he stationed himself in
the arm chair-AIr. Cobb's arm chair
which had been sacred to his memory
for seven years"
The widow was Mortified, but herguest
was so weary and wornout that she
could not ask him to move, but busted
herself in stirring up the blaze, that he
might the sooner dry his dripping gar
ments. A new thought struck her.
Cobb had worn a comfortable dressing
gown during his illness, which still
hung in the closet at her right. She
could not let this poor man catch his
death by sitting in that wet coat If he
was in Mr.. Cobb's chair why should he