Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-12-15
Widow Jones's Cow.

Goodman Jones died at the age of fifty.
and was gathered to his fathers, leaving a
widow about his own age. About the
same time Aunt Smith died, too; and her
case was parallel to Goodman Jones's in
all except her sex; We presume that she
was gathered to her mothers. She lef.
disconsoiate wi1ower, over whose head
just as many years had rolled. as the wild
ow Jones had counted. This was allowed
on all hands TO be an astonishing coinci-
dence
ALI the women pitied widOwer Smith,
poor man, and all the men cOmmiserated
with widow Jones, poor woman Widow
Jones had large farm; so had the widow
er Smith. Widow Jones had large adiry;
so had the widower Smith As 10 the
acres of moOring, tillage, and wood land,
each had an equal share; and in children
Providence had blessed both alike. ''What
upon airth" could either do with these vast
possessions alone, the old women declared
they could not tell. This difficulty sug-
gested ready remedy, and gossips did not
let the defunct man and woman get cold in
their graves before they made up their
minds the relicts should be yOked together,
and the estates, hereditaments and proper
ty, personal and real, be held in JOINT pro-
prietorship. Matches, they said, were
made in Heaven; and that this was there
made, they considered the essential prepa-
ration OF widowhOod, in each case, positive
proof.
Widow Jones and neighbor Smith were
not long in hearing what gossip was astir;
and it had even been insinuated that each
had arrived at the CONCLUSION above named
before anybody thought of them. 1t Is
certain that when each requested the pray
ers of the congregation that the bsreava-
ment might be sanctified widOwer Smith
looked pretty steadily over the rail of his
pew at the seat of widow Jones; and then
widow Jones moved her handkerchief from
her eyes just long enough TO how her COM
panion in bereavement supported himself.
After church they walked beside each other
so far as the roads lay together, and once
during the next week widOwer Smith paid
widow Jones short visit of coincidence.
So far so good-but visits of coincidence
go on, OF date, like almanacs, and cannot
be used as pretext after certain season.
Some other arrangement must be trumped
up anu niuOWCA oAuAhn was Aob III
finding it. His wagon stopped one morn
ing before widow Jones's door, and he gave
usual country signal that he wanted to see
somebody in the house, by dropping the
reins and sitting double, with his elbows
on his knees.
Out tIpped the widow, lively as a crick-
ct, with tremendous black nbbon on her
snow-wnite cap. Good morning was said
on both sides, and the widow waited for
what was further to be said.
''Well, Madam Jones, perhaps you don't
want to sell one of your cows, nOhOw, for
nothing, anyway, do you:'
''Wer, here, Mister Smith, you couldn't
have spoken my mind better. \ poor lone
woman like me does not know what 10 do
with so many creeturs, and / shall be glad
to trade, If We can fix it."
So they adjourned to the meadow. Far
mer Smith looked at Roan-then at the
the widow; at Brindle-then at the widow;
at the Downing cow-and then at the wild
ow again; and so on through :he whole
forty.
The same call was made every day for
week, but Farmer Smith could not decide
which cow he wanted. At length, on
Saturday, when widow Jones was in a
hurry TO get through her baking for sun
day, and had ever 50 much 10 do IN the
house-as all farmers wives and widows
have on Saturday-she was little impa-
uent. Farmer Smith was as irresOlute as
ever.
"That ere Downing COW is pretty fair
creetur, but
lie stopped TO look at the widows face,
and then walked around heT-n0t the wild
ow, but the cow.
''That ere shorthorn Durham is not
bad-looking beast, but | dunno
Another look at the widow.
''The Downing COW knew long before
the late Mr.. Jones bought her.
Here he sighed at the allusion 10 the late
Mr.. Jones; she sighed, and both looked at
each other. 1t was very interesting mo-
ment.
''Old Roam is faithful old mich, and so
is Brlnole-but | have known better
4 long stare succeeded this speech; the
pause was getting awkward, and at last
widow Jones broke out:
''Lord, Mr.. Smith! II Tn, the COW you
want, do say SOL"
The intentions of widOwer Smith and
widow Jones were duly published the next
day, as is the law and custom in Massachu-
sets, and as soon as they were ''out pub
lished' they were married.