Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-01
WIDOW COBB.

a decrepit yellow dog lying full in the reflec-
ton OF the blaze, wrinkled his black nose ap-
prOviBgly, and turned his hind feet where his
fore feet had been.
over the chimney hung several fine hams
and pieces of dried beef. Apples were feS-
tOOned along the ceiling, and crooked neck
squaSheS We'd with red peppers and slips of
dried pumpkins in garniShing each window
frame. There were plants, too, on the win
dow ledgeS-hOrse-shOe geraniumS, and dew
plants, and monthly rose just budding, to
say nothing of pots of yiOletS that perfumed
the whOe place whenever they took it into
IL cir pu pie heads to bloom.
The floor was carefully Swept-the chairs
had not a sprck of dust upon leg or round the
long settee near the fireplace ShOne a1 it had
its white face newly washed, and seemed to
tick The louder for it.. Two arm-chairs were
drawn up at a coy distance from the hearth
and each "theT:a candle, newspaper, a pair
of SpectacleS, a dish of red checked apples and
a pitcher of cider, filled a little table between
them.
In one of these chairs sat a comfortable
looking woman of about -, with cheeks as
red as the apples, and eyes as dark and bright
the table, and looking very tholSlTfuly into
the fire. This WIS Widow CObb-'reict' of
Deacon Levi Cobb, who had been moidaring
into dust in the Bytown churchyIrt for more
than seven years. She WAS thinking of her
dead huSl and, possibly becauSe-al her work
being done. and the servant gone To bed-Che
sight of his empty chair at the other side of
the table, and The silence OF the room. nude
her lit lonely.
"Seyen years. so the widows revere ran.
1T seems as if it were m IRE than ffty-lnI
yet don't look so very old, either. Perhaps
It's not having any children to bother my life
out, as other people have. They may say VIII 1t
they like-children are more plague than
prOht-tbai ; my opinion Look a. my sister
JeruSha. with her six boys. She's worn to
shadow, and | am sure they have done it,
though she will never Ownit."
The widow took an apple from the dish and
began To peel it,
"HOw dreadful fond Mr. Cobb used to be of
these CRAFTS. He never will eat any more of
them, poor fellow, for l don't suppose they
Lave apples where he has gone to. HeighO,
remember very we'll how | used to throw ap-
pc paTingS over my head when was a girl, to
see who was going to marry"
Mrs Cobb stopped short and bluShed. For
III those day SHE did not know Mr.. Cobb. and
was Away looking eagerly TO see ii the peel
had formed capl:al So Her meditatiOnS
took a new turn.
How handsome Sam Physon was. and
how much used TO care about him. Won
der what has become of him? JeruSha says
he went away from our village Just after |
did, and no one has ever heard of him since
AND wi at silly thing that quarrel was! If
1t had no been for that"
Here came long pause, during which the
WIDOW looked very SteadfaStly at the empty
fingers played carelessly with the apple par
ing; she drew it safely toward her, and
looked around the room.
Upon my word it is very ridiculous, and |
they saw me-"
Sill the plump fingers drew the red peel
nearer.
But then they can't see me, that's a COM
fort, and the cat IN old B0wse never will know
what it means or course don't believe any
thing about it,
The pairing hung very gracefully from her
hand.
But still / should ike to try it; it would
seem like old times, and
Over her heal ii went and curled up very
Nr.Atlx tt...A
Bowse, who always slept with one eye open.
saw 1t fall and marched deliberately up to
smell of it.
Observation-Disclosures touch it,'' cried his
mistress, and bending over it with beating
heart, she turned as red as fire. This was as
handsome acapltal 81 as any one could wish
to see.
A great knock came suddenly at the door,
BOwSe grOwled, and the widow screamed and
snatched up the apple pairing.
Its Mr. CObb-its his spirit come back
again, because | tried that silly trick" she
Thought fearfully TO herself.
Another knOck-lOuder than the first, and a
mans voice exclaimed:
HillO the house,"
sWhO is it?'' asked the widow, somewhat
relieved to find that the departed Levi was
still safe in his grave upon the hillside.
stranger, said the voice.
what do you want?'
To get lodging for the night
The widow deliberated.
Cant you go On-there's a house half a
side of the road and turn TO your left after
you get by"
It's raining eats and dogs, and I'm very
delicate, said the stranger, coughing, /" I'm
wet to the skin-don't you think you Can ac-
commOdate me? l don't mind sleeping on
the floor"
:" Raining, is it? didn't know that" AMI
the kind hearted little woman unbarred the
door very quickly. Come in, whoever Won
may be. | only asked yOn TO go on because
am lone woman with only one servant in the
house.
The stranger entered-shaking himself ike
a Newfoundland dog upon the step, and seat
tering little shower Of drops over the
hostess and her nicely swept floor
"Oh-that looks comfortable after a man
has been out for hours in storm" he said, as
he caught sight of the fire, and striding along
toward the hearth, followed by BOwSe, who
smiled suspiciOuSly at his heels, he stationed
himself in the arm-chair-Mr. CObb'S arm
chair, which had been kept sacred to his
memory for seven years. The widow was
hOrrihed, but her guest looked so weary and
WORKOUT that she could not ask him to move,
but, busted herself in stirring up the blaze
that he might the sooner dry his dripping
clothes: A new thought struck her; Mr..
during his Illness, which stlll hung in the
closet at the right. She could not let this poor
man eaten a. n his death by sitting in that wet
should he not be in Mr. CObbs wrapper? she
went nimbly 10 the closet, took il down, fshed
out pair Of slippers from boat rack below,
II think you had better take of your coat
and boots you will have the rheumatic fever
or something like il il you don't. Hare are
ONE things for you 70 wear while they are
drying. And You must be hungry, too; l will
% into the pantry and get you something to
eat"
She hustled away, ION hospitable thoughts
intent, and the stranger made the exchange.
He was tail, wellformed man, with bold
but handsome face, Sunburned and heavily
bearded and looking anything but delicate %
though his blue eyes glanced out from under a
forehead white as snow. He looked around
the kitchen and stretched out his feet before
him, decorated with the deacon's slippers.
Then he leaned forward and StrOked the cat
and her brood and patted old Browse upon the
head. The widow, bringing in sundry good
dumb friends.
Its a wonder Bowse does not growl: he
generally does II strangers touch him. Dear
me how stupid"
The last remark was neither addressed to
the stranger nor the dog but to herself She
nad forgotten that the little stand was moi
Things she held.
On III manage it, said the guest. gather
Ing up paper, candle, apples and speetacIes-
tlI was not without little Dang that abe 90 u
them In his hand, for they had been the 5aa
cons and were placed each niSht WSa "a
armchair, beside herl-and deposite5 the sh )
on the settee. 'io.i
GIVE me the table cloth. MIAMI nor
spread it as well as any woman: I've learn
that along With scores Of other things In m,