Morris tribune., 1880-08-19
THE WIDOWS MITE.

The WIDOW'S MITE. .
1t was about week after Mr.. Ferdl-
nand Brooks had been accepted by the
lovely Mrs. March that, in one of their
hours of atfectionate cOmpanionship
along the sands of Windgate Beach, the
fair widow showed HIM letter she had
received flom her little son WIitred who
was spending the summer with his grand
mamma. Ferdinand was we'll aware OF
the boy s existence. Mrs. March was in
the habit of making frequent illusions to
her offspring, and never failed to invest
him with shining qualities; from the
portrait she drew oshim he appeared TO-
his future papa's imagination as one of
Rachel's c&erubs. The letter ran thus
"MoUNT AIRY, august 16, 1877.
my DEAR Neutrality-suspicious. SAYS
II is time l should write to you. I
hope you are we'll. I am we'll Grand
ma is well. Grandpa says he is putty
old. How old is he You know am
nine. was nine last Tuesday. Thank
you for the book Iwish it was a Dislckel
When am ten years old 7 want blSickle
had lot of presents. Down at the
stables the coachman's dog had five pup
pys. Grandpa took me riding one day
on the bay. He says am very brave.
Grandma was scared. She is putty cross
when go near her, but she will let John
takeu the puppys. He says may have
the one with the wlggIy tale. May /
have the one with the wlggly tail to
take home with me. He says you will
he afraid ct hid I can't remember wha,
the word is but it means you can't drink
water and 90 mad and snap auu growl at
people. Bat his tail is so cuunin ! am
sure you would like him l eat pairs
every day. Grandma says am not to
touch them until dinner, but pick them
up in the garden. had IS ia my peck
etat once yesterday and l ate them all
before had lunch. l wish | had picked
mp more for when I went THAR after
lunch the gardner had carried them of
in basket. like pairs. l wish you
would have pairs at hoam. Now 1 have
written you long letter and am
"YOur afectionate son, 60
''WINFRID MARCH.
''P. S.-When I go home may l take
the puppy with the wiggiy tale. l viii
put him in basket and feed him all the
way with bottle of milk
Now isn't that-a wonderful letter 70,
boy of nine to writer said the fonG
mother. 81 am sure, Ferdinand, that 70,
will be fond of INN. He Is most charm
ing child.n 4.s-.
Ale mixes things up delightfully."-" re
sponded Ferdinand. II can't exactl'
tell whether it is the old dog Or the younI
fellows grandmamma who defends tn
puppies.
81 am sure It is perfectly clear, retort
ed Mrs March. "It is not grandmamm
but the mother-dog who will not let hin
take up the puppies
"Of course responded the lover, gal
lantly waving the question Of incohel
ence. 'And shall vou let him have tn
puppy with the 'wiggIy tale'?''
"Oh, yes, how could l refuse the poo
dear child anything now2''
The fair widow leaned back agaIns
FPrdinand's shoulder, and looked up Int
his face.
When think" she said, with an elc
quent glance, "that l am thus giving mi
self up to new thoughts and feelings,
feel as if l was robbing and despoilin
Hly poor boy"
What less can Ferdinand do than I
assure her that Wilfred should gain
father instead of losing his worshlppin
mamma. He felt. indeed, actaated by
warm paterRal Instihct for the little fe
low. and regarded their future relatio
with complacency and hope. He ha
been hopelessly bachelor until he ha
become infatuated with the charms {
this, handsome widow, but now discover
ed that he had talent for the domesti,
The far widow was the kind to subir
gatera any man. She was tail, With ter
der, animated face, clustering brown ba
and bros n eyes; her figure was of luxu
ious proportions, her movements full {
grace, and she had the sweetest voice
the world. Her husband had been dea
three years, and although surrounded b
lovers she had never lacked discretion
Ferdinand Brooks felt that he had game
treasure. It ministered to his self-lov
to reflect that such splendid woma
was to belong to him. Since he was
marry he could not do better. He ha
now reached the age of forty one, viii
Mis-. March was tbirty-t~o. He WI
small. well made, always dressed wit
tastidious nicely, bearing himself vii
an air OF elegance. From the moment
had rendered his hand to the fair wido
and been accepted, he had carried in
his courtship sort of ideal perfectiC
Of behavior. He made study of the a
of pleasing, and by asort ofinspired d
vlnatian discovered the wishes of
mistress before she formulated them
herself.
1t thus fell out that he undertook
20 to-S---to meet little Wilfred and
bring him to the seaside. Old Mr.. al
Mrs. March were TO set out on. ascerta
day for Newport, and it was airdng
that they should convey the boy to s.
andythere entrust him to some respon
bic bersen who should conduct him
his mother. In order to do this, ]
Ferdinand Brooks was Obliged to rise
halt past five in the morning. and lea
Windgate at six; travel FIVE hours W,
three quarters of an hour. at S.; me
the boy: then at II AS set out on his j
turn, Nothing could well be more fl
eignf 10 ms habits and inclInations th
this sort Of enterprise: but since be b
fallen in love he had undertaken all t
duties Of mis- position under sealed /
deYs, as it were, counting himself rath
fortunate than otherwise If they CO