Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-08

All, poor john!
cit was a sensible sayin', that"
remarked Mr.. Costello, as he helped
himself to more fish.
81 mind the day John died"
continued the widow. "He knew
everything to the last, and about 4
in the afternoon-it was seven min
utes past exactly, be the clock,
that he died-he says to me, mo
ra, says he, you've been good
wife to me, says he, 'an' Pve been
geod husband, says he, and SO
there's no love lost betune us, says
he, am / could give ye a good
char-ak-thur to any place, says he,
AN l wish ye could do the same
for me where | am goin',' says he,
but it's case equal says he, every
dog has his day, and some has a
day and a half, says he; and says
he, I'll know more in n bit than
Father Corrigan himsel says he,
'but I'll say now,' says ho that I've
always been a trur son O. the
church, says he, so ! i not bother
my brains about it, and he says,
says he, 4 lave you in good hands,
Nora, for / lave you in your own
hands, says he, AN if at amy time
ye see amy wan ye like betther
than me, marry him, saws he. 'Ah,
Nora, what is the worruld to a
man when his wife is a widder?'
And says he, 4 lave $50 for masses
and the rest 1 lave TO yerself,' says
he, 'an' needn't tell ye to be a
good mother to the children, says
he, for we'll we know there are
none.' All! poor John. Will yt
have another cup o tay, Mr.. Cos
tello2"
cit must have been very hard
on ye," said Mr.. Costello. "ThanE
ye, nam, no more"
cit was hard" said Mrs. Gum
miskey; "but time will tell. mus
cast about me for me own livin' an
SO l got Until this place, an here
l am to-day"
"Ahl" said Mr.. Costello, as they
rose from the table and seated
themselves before the fire, can
here we are both of US this even
in'."
"Here we are sure enough" re,
Joined the widow.
"An' so l mind ye of-of him
do I?" asked Mr.. Costello, after {
pause, during which he had gazeC
contemplatively into the fire.
"That We do" answered thu
widow. "Ye favor him greatly
Dark completed an the same pills
int smile"
"Now with me sittin' here, anC
you sittin' there feminist me, Y,
might almost think ye were marri
again." said Mr. Costello, insinu
atingly.
"Ah 90 way now for a taze tina
ye are" exclaimed the widow, muss
ing her clean apron by rolling u
the corners of it.
81 disremember what it was h,
said about seein' amy man yol
liked better nor him" said Mr.. Cos
tello moving his chair a little neare
to that of the widow.
"He said, said he" answered tn
widow, smoothing her apron owe
her knees with her plump whit
hands. "'Nora,' said he, 'if am
time ye see amy man ye like bet
ther nor me, marry him. said he
'sDid he say anything about any
man yeliked as well as shim?" asked
Mr.. Costello.
81 don't mind that he did," an
swered the widow refectively, fold
ing her hands in her lap.
Il suppose he left that to yersilf?'
pursued Mr.. Costello.
"Faith, an don't know, thin,'
answered Mrs. Cummiskey.
"Div ye think ys like me as vel
as ye did him?" asked Mr.. Costello
pursuasively, leaning forward tolook
into the widows eyes, which wer
cast down.
Alb, go way now, for a taze," ex
claimed the widow, Strengthening
herself, and playfully slapping Mr.
Costello in the face.
He moved his chair still nearei
and stole his arm around her waist
"Niyver you think I'm tickle
some, Mr.. Costello" said tht
widow, looking boldly at him.
eTell me-" he insisted, "div "
like me as well as ye did him?"
"I-I most-I most disremembel
now how much / liked him." an
swered the widow, naturally embar
rassed at such a question.
swell, then," asked Mr. Costello
enforcing his question by gentle
squeezes of the widows round
waist, "did ye like me we'll enough
as meeself?"
HHear the man" exclaimed Mrs