The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-05-13
A GAY WIDOW.

The first time l ever saw her was
from the window of my room in the
hotel. She was walking across the
plateau, and raised her fine eyes just as
she passed. A really striking face,
something not exactly bold, but cou-
rageous and intrepid, about it, and a
very high co,or. Her step was quick
and firm, and her figure perfection.
Was Il little taken" and, hastily
seizing my hat, ran down the steps and
followed her, straight to the spring
where and my icilOw-guests were in
the habit of drink ng those horrid
waters every morning. The widow
intuition told me she was a widow, and
/ drank several glasses OF the wretched
stuff, looking at one another without
exchanging a word, and so in few
minutes parted again.
For the two or three following morn.
ings it was the same, and we always
met at meals, and in the evening on the
veranda or in the parlors, On these
waggish, knowing look, designed to
abIy stared haughtily back in return,
her brilliant color deepening to scarlet.
Her name was Mrs Powder, widow OF
thu late lamented General Powder, who
lost his legs and life leading an Alabama
regiment at Malvern Hill. So l was
told by the colo; ed walters.
Well, the little romance proceeded,
and in few days whenever | saw the
plump and pretty widow / even ven-
tured upon a faint smile, which, how.
ever, am bound to say, she invariably
rebuked. Several of my friends asked
me who she was, and | told them a very
gay widow from Selma" very gay,'
I added, with wink of somewhat
rakish character. And thus it got
about, ,and thus deliberately and idiot
cally entangled mysel in fix of a most
complicated and distressing character
For, two days afJerward, while enjoy.
ing my after-dinner cigar, and mentally
concluding that the flies were about as
troublesome and The weather as hot al
White Sulphur as at any place l hat
ever visited, | received this note:
"SIR-I have just learned your name
and | write at once to inform you tina
/ have heard Of the manner in which
you have spo en- of me among the peopl
summering at this hotel. | do not know
what you have seen in my conduct t.
justify the Interpretation you appear T.
have put upon my character; but L cal
wrong. Although alone in the world,
am a woman perfectly capable of takin
care of herself in every way, and at til
very tirst opportunity | intend TO max
you understand tn" ftct.
"BESSIE SoUTHGATE POWDER"
Inow saw clearly what a fool | ha
been. The lady had not given my i'm
pertinence the least announcement, an
Ia h,A h. 81 IS
coxcomb and very impudent fellow.
was fright-ned-the letter was thor
oughly characteristic, and expressed n
more Than would be carried out. Their
was, in fLct, a painfully strong sugges
tion of horsewhip about it.
own frankly that 1 never was NOR
frightened in my life. A duel | shoul
not have cared so much about; but th
other thinI-a public chastisement a
the hands OF a woman, at so public
place as the White Sulphur Springs
was indeed appalling to contemplate.
sat down and wrote Mrs. Powder
letter-an apology in the most abjet
terms, and, while the messenger ws
gone with it, / stood at my windo
looking at the clouds in the distanC
moving like armies preparing for battl
There was a thunderstorm coming U
dismal omen. | whistled and drumme
nervously on the ledge of the windoy
awaiting to hear the returning footstt
of the darkey; and at last | did hear i
He brought back my letter unopenC
the lady had declined to read it, !
said, with Il grin. lsuppose he thougl
IT WAS a proposal.
What was to be done? l walked Il
floor in agony long after darkness ha
fallen and the sounding of the gong f
tea. l was, in fact, afraid to go dow
to tea.
Suddenly a thought occurred to me-
would go upstairs and confide Il
whole thing TO old Governor Aydslot
of Georgia, who was a lawyer, al
might get me out of the diff Guilty if al
man could. And so very quietly / sto
away to his room on the floor aboy
and fortunately found him alone.
He was sitting in one Of the tall wi
dowa leading unOn Il short balcony M