The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-02-09
The widow Brlxon,s strategy.
breakfast Tablet

Dwell, I'll never put my faith in any
man again as long as / live" said the
Widow Brixon to Mrs. Sanders on Fri
day evening, when the latter dropped in
to return the fat-irons borrowed few
days previous.
"What's the matter rowT' inquired
the neighbor. "Didn't you manage to
get Porevisky to ask you to marry him p
"No; and what's more / wouldn't
have him now if he was to get down on
his knees and beg. He's a blockhead,
and stupid fool-that's just what he
is" said the widow, breaking into tears,
and wiping her nose with her apron.
Why-why; well, do declare" re-
marked Mrs. Sanders, supporting herself
against the edge of the table, this
sounds like a dream-book. What's the
trouble, anyway? Tell me all about it. "
"Well," said the fearful widow, "you
know told you was about tired of his
shilly-shallying around, and the next
time he come | was going to have a cry
ing spell, and talk about how lonely
was, and all that, and if he really had
any thoughts of marrying me I'd make
him say So"
Yes, / know that's what you said
but how did you get along with til
Wouldn'tit work?'
"Nop exclaimed the widow, with the
fire almost swapping from her eyes
i" Not a bit of it, That man amt got
the sense of spoiled oyster, and | was
ten times bigger fool than he is to ever
waste thought on him, to say nothing
about the provisions he's carried of"
Dwell, how was it? that's what | want
to know" said the neighbor, very much
interested.
Dwell, last Sunday afternoon he came
moping in here while the children was
at Sunday-school, knowing, / suppose,
that I'd be having dinner ready after a
bit, and I'd like as not have something
extra on that day, which generally did
on Sundays-more fool was-seeing as
he was likely to be along. Well, in he
come, and | said, howdy-do,' kind O.
sad-like, and set out chair for him.
He sat down, and said it was kind of a
slushy day. / said yes it was, but that
didn't bother me much, for had good
many worse troubles to worry about
90 You don't tell me the hydrants
froze up AGAIN. he said. Seems as
thought 'twasn't cold enough for that,
quite ...
NO, it amt that, said ], dropping
into a chair and crying like a boy with
a sore toe.
He looked kind O scared for min
ute, and hemmed and hawed, and then
says he
"Won't the chimbley draw? or did
they souse a tough chicken on to you
again 2 for did have chicken on the
stove and he could smell it boiling, for
the door wasn't closed tight.
"'Oh, no. said |, letting the tears
stream down my face. It's not any
thing like that. Pm so unhappy
"This kept him so still for minute
or SO | could hear his watch tick, and
then, with kind of yawn, he said:
Then you're afeard Beecher amt
right about it, are you"s
"'Oh, dear, no; that don't trouble me
at all, | said, and then / made great
parade with my handkerchief, and said
| was the most miserable woman in the
world, and that / was oh, so lonely; but
what did the stupid idiot do but set
there stock still like a craven image, and
drawl out in his lazy, sleepy, shiftless
way
4" Well, you Just ought to live where
John Hackenseimef does. They'd make
it lively enough for you there There's
four families besides his on the same
floor, and two of the women get as drunk
as fiddlers every day, and fuss and fight
every minute while they're awake. An
other of 'em has crazy spells, and hollers
and carries on terrible, and in the other
family the man ticks his wife. | tell
you now it's music. And then there's
not less than seventeen children, alto
gether, among 'em, and John says there
amt blessed hour in the day that some
of 'em amt tumblin' down stairs and
maxim the old sheebang howl from top
to bottom. You wouldn't get lonely
around there very much; now dye
s'pose you would|
81 felt like choking the ninny for
being so thick-skulled, but | didn't give
up just yet. l had put little cayenne
pepper on my handkerchief, and tears
come easy to me. Rubbing little more
into my eyes | started fresh cataract,
and moaned out -
"Oh, you do not-you can not under
stand me. You can have no idea what
a sense of desolation there is to woman
who is alone in the world with family
of little children-no matter how BRIG hit
and handsome they may be-and they
almost worship you, too, every one Of
,em--they dote on you, and nearly
break my heart by talking about you
the livelong day
Is that rally SOP he wanted to
know.
60 1t is-it is, indeed l exclaimed
with a little glad cry of hope. had
found the weak point in his armor at
last, thought ....'
60 Well said the horrid monster, as
cool as an ice-box, 1 suppose that's be-
cause | got Philip Alonzo the drum,
and Mary Angelina doll, and little
John Rufus lot O candy, but then |
got the things most dog-gone cheap
drawed 'em at the fair you see, and |
didn't know what else to do with 'en. -"
!" Why didn't you smash his head ?o
said Mrs Sanders.
oh, | could a. done it with a good
Tree Will, butt didn't. / restrained my
self as much as l could, but | tell YOU
bounced him out of doors in hurry. I
gave him tongue-lashing that | guess
he won't be likely to forget soon, and
one that he could understand, and then
| showed him the door, and told him if
he ever darkened it again he'd find a
boiling tea-kettle ready to receive him
on the inside. He went out looking
mighty wild and uneasy, now tell YOU
and carried an empty stomach away with