Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-12-22
BUTLER WEDNESDAY. DECEMB iR 90 $780,

t, me to do, Miudwell Pm full old to be
lessoned, seems t. me. AS for you anC
the children, don't feel no great dis
tress. Love runs down, not up, folks
say, and l don't believe you'll any Of
We pine long SPELL
This weak and petulent outburst dis
mayed Mindwell, who had never seen
her mother otherwise than gentle and
pleasant but, with the tact of great
heart, she said nothing, only put her
arms around the elder woman's neck
and kissed her over and over. At this
Mrs. Gold began to cry, and in sooth-
ing her distress Mindwell forgot to ask
any further questions, but set herself
to divert both the minds from this brief
and bitter outburst by inquiring what
preparation her mother meant to make
in the fortnight.
Il don't look to no great preparation,
sighed the widow. Il have always had
good clothes enough, and there's a
piece of linen I wove before we come
here, that'll do for all l want / sup
pose | had ought to hev new gown
to be married in. When | was mar
ried to Ethan | had white dimty
gown and blue levantine petticoat
and if he didn't fetch me big bunch
of sand violets-they was blossoming
then-for to match my eyes and my
skirt. he said but that's past and gone
as the hymn-book says. do want to
have one good gcwn, Mindwell; and
now Pm little along in years, | guess
I'll have a dark one T'other night
when he was up to Squire Barnes to
tea, Miss Bs-nes was telling about a
piece of plum-colored paduasoy Mr.
Battle bought in Hartford for Lecty's
weddin' gown, and she wouldn't hev
it. She said 'twasn't lively enough,
and 80 she's set her mind on piece of
blue laventine but l should think the
plum-color would become me real
WE'LL
So the plum colored silk was bought.
and arrayed in its simple folds, with a
new worked collar and white satin
bow, the widow Gold was dressed for
her second wedding.
Did she think as she looked into her
oval mirror that morning, what diff
ferent vision was this quiet, elderly,
sober woman in decent but not festal
garments, from the smiling, blushing
blue eyed creature, i'll her spotless di-
minity gown opening over blue pet
ticoat, and clasped at the throat with a
bunch of still bluer violets !? What
does a woman think who is married
the second time? A man is satisfied
that now his house will be kept once
more, his clothes mended, his whims
humored, his table spread to his taste
and his children looked after If it is
needful be can marry six wives, one
after the other They are domestic
necessity. The Lord himself says it
is not good for man to be alone; but it
is quite another thing for the woman,
Such relation is not movable feast
to her; it is once for all and if circum-
stance or pique betray her into this
faithlessness, what does she think of
herself when it becomes inevitable?
The widow Gold did not tell. She
was paler when she turned from the
glass than when she first looked into
it, and she trembled as she went down
stairs to sign the papers before Parson
Roberts should arrive
The best parlor was opened to-day.
The high-back d chairs with old bro
cade cushions that had belonged to
Sam Pratt's grandmother were ranged
along the wall like a row of stiff ghosts;
the corner cupboards were set open to
display the old china and glass that
filled them; there was "bow-pot" of
great red peonies, abundant and riotous
with color and fatness, set under the
chimney in the well-whitened fireplace;
and few late roses glowed in blue
china jar on the high mantel-piece. On
square table with a leaf lay legal
paper that Sam was reading, with his
hands supporting his head, as if it was
hard to understand the document.
The deacon, in his Sunday garments,
was looking at him askance; and Mind
well, with the little girls. Eide and Syl-
via, clinging to her gown, was staring
out of the window, down the road
staring but not seeing, for the splendid
summer day that lavished its bloom
and verdure and odor on these gaunt
New England hills, and hid their rude
poverty with its royal mantle, was all
a dim blur to the heart rung woman
Mother said Sam Pratt. raising his
head, do you know what's the sum
and substance of these here papers and
do you agree to't?'
The widow glanced aside at Deacon
Flint and caught his married eye,' ear
ly as it was to use that ocular weapon.
why, yes, Sam? l don't know
but what | do she said, slowly and
rather timidly.
Well said Sam, rising and push
ing the paper away, if you do, why,
then you're goin' right into't, and it's
right, s'pose but, by Jinks | think
it's the d"
Mindwell's touch on his arm arrest
ed the sentence. "There's Parson
Roberts, Sam; you just help him out
of the gig, will you? He's quite lame
| see.'
Sam Pratt went with the half finish
ed sentence on his lips He was glad
his wife had stopped him, on many ac-
counts, but did long to give Deacon
Flint his own opinion Of that prelimi-
nary contract.
He INDUCED himself to this depriva-
tion after the stiff and somewhat mel
oncholy wedding was over, and the
staid couple had departed for Bassett
in the Deacon's wagon, by freeing his
mind to his wife
Miss Pratt, was some riled to hav
you stop me when | was a-goin' to tell
the deacon that | thought about that
there contrac! but don't never stay
riled with you, marm, as you'd ought
RI knOu hu thiS ftno' and Sam pm-