South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-02-13
Tho Widows Beau.

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Fairmount had consecrated to the wor-
ship OF God. The minister had read
the Psalm aud the Scripture lesson, aud
the frat lines OF the opening hymn
The eyes Of his people were fixed in
tuntly upon him. for he was no, only
good, sound. eloquent preacher, but he
was hne-looking one. too. and thus
enchaincd usually not only the attention
Of the true but the false worshiper. The
house was very still-the clear, melodi-
Gus tones Of the speaker were the only
sounds that throbbcd on the balmy, gol-
den air which tue midsummer Sabbath
morn had hreathed into that holy place.
The first syllable of the second line was
trembling on his lips, when "A rustic at
the door, and the entrance of two per-
sons, lady and gentleman, dissolved
the charm. In secou6, every eye
turned FROM the pulpit to the broad aisle.
and watched with more tian ordinary
eagerncss the progress Of the couple
A most searching ordeal were they SUBJ
jected to; and when they were fairly
and quietly seated in the front pew.
Immediately before the pulpit, what a
nudging OF elbows there was. ay, and
how many whispers. too. In vain
sought the good, the sound, the eloquent.
the handsome Mr.. d. to seal again the
attention OF his hearers. They had eyes
and thoughts for nobody but Widow c.,
and Widow C.'s young and dashing-
looking attendant.
How she bad cheated them! Hadn't
she said an hundred times or more that
her heart was in the grave Of her burr
ed one-that she would never marry a
gain? Hadn't she refused always 10
walk out or ride out with any OF the
unappropriated gentlemen Of the viii
lager Hadn't she said she didn't feel
"a though she could ever wear anything
but mourning? And in spite of oil these
protestatioi.s, hadn't sue como out. all
al. once, dressed all in white, an! walk
ed into church In broad daylight, lean
ing on the arm Of II young gentleman?
Yes. indeed, she had. She would
have pleaded guilty tn all these charges,
grave ones as they were, and TO the
last two how many witnesses might
have been suppGne She was actual.
~ dressed in white. a beautiful robe
of India null, tucked To the waist. with
an open corsage, displaying an elabo-
ra;ely wrou.h chemi settle. drapery
sleeves trimmed Will! the richest of
Mechlin lace, undcrsieeves OF the same
expensive material, - white Grape shawl.
white lace hat with orange buds and
flowers. white kid gloves and light gai-
ters-such was the description every Ia
dy had ON her tongues end TO rel IT
over Is soon as service Was closed. -
Aud the sentleman-he, too, was dress,
ed III Style. D;dn'i he wear white pants
OF the latest pattern. and q " bite vest.
ard coat OF satin finish and white
kids, too; and didn't he sport a splen-
did pin and u massive chain, and didn't
lie gag often, and tenderly, and loving
ly, on he fair creature beside him? All,
yes. he did so, and there was no further
room TO doubt. Widow c. had cheat
ed them She had won beau, laii a
side har mourning. put on bridal attire,
AMI was going to be married in church
But who :he beau was, and whence he
came, was more difficult to solve,
Service proceeded. The choir SANG :;
the minister prayed AMI preached; the
people wondered when the ceremony
would take place. But. to their utter
establishment, they were lett TO wonder.
For. when the benedio!ion was pronoun.
ced, Widow &. and the strange gentle
man walked with the rest Of the congre-
CATION quietly out Of tue church. When
they reached the pavement he offered
his arm very gracefully, and she placed
her hand very confdingiy OIL the beau
tIfuliy soft coat sleeve, and they pass
od on
" lat incoming that was in Fair
mount What world OF conjcctu res,
surmises. inquiries and doubts rolled ov
CT and over in the brains OF not only
gossiping ladies'. but sober, meter Of
fact gentlemen.
The like of such thing had never
occurred before in the annals of the
village. There was something n.w un-
der the sun-a lady had had beau,
and nobody knew of il,
Widow C.. didn't your cars, not only
the right. but the left, bnrn that day?
All VIC wonder they halt dropped Off
surely, they must have bocn crisp ind
crimson.
The Rev. Mr.. G.. preached to a crowd
ed house that arternoon--no oompli-
ment to him though. The magnet was
in the pew before him. Every one was
sure the Wedding would take place then;
but everybody was again sadly djsap-
pointed. and, IL tongues had run at
railroad speed before, they travelled then
on the electric wires.
The minister might have preached in
Greek that day, aud his sermon would
have leen quite as edifyi But one
subject cngrosscd the village mind
The widows beau-that was the topic.
II actually seemed. too, as though the
lady tried ~ make oil tho talk she
could. After tea, arm in arm with the
strange gentleman. she walked the whole
length OF the village aud away out into
the cemetery, and never returned till
the moon was high.
a niee-looking dress I guess she
had drasled out old Grandma W., as
she listened 10 the widows wanderinus