Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-26
THE BEAUTIFUL WIDOW.
BY L. W.

Pelham. It had been for three genera
items in the family, and at the bottom
of his heart he had fondness for it.
It was not fondness, however, whish
led him to make Improvements upon It.
During the period when he hao been
sowing his wild oats it had heen left to
run down, till, at the time of his MARI
age and return to it, it was in decld-
edly neglected condition. He simply
moved into the house and commenced
housekeeping with as little preparatory
stir as possible.
The Pelhamites were a highly moral
and steady going set, and Hugh Barham
had never been popular among them.
He was aware of this, and repaid the feel
ing IN kind; so that it was lonely and
cherries life to which young Mrs. Bar
ham was destined.
But she bore it uncomplainingly, and,
as the years went by, the hearts of the
villagers insensibly warmed towards her.
Then people called on her. The rector
and his wife, of course went in due state,
and were stately received.
"She IS very beautiful said Mrs. Ash
burnham, sand her manners are as sweet
and guileless as possible. She Is accom-
plished. too. He addressed her in French,
and she answered very readily, and she
seemed quite familiar with the language
and before we lett ne made her play for
us. She declined to sing, and I thought
he did not quite like 1t. The servants
say she has a wonderful voice. But l
doubt if she has seen much Of good soci-
ETY.; she has no air at all"
"Most likely said Mrs. Sinclair,
"she is some poor singing girl.'
"No," said Mrs. Ashburnham, II don t
exactly think that. It seemed to me
that she was Of good blood. should
say rather that she was of some decayed
family, whose poverty has kept them
aloof from society,"
"Of course said Miss Sinclair, some
what acidly, "she married him Tor his
name. l don't see how any true woman
could make such sacrifice as that"
The years went by, and gradually the
circle OF Mrs. Barham's acquaintance in
creased by one and another of the ladies
calling and inviting her to tea; but on
the whole the young creature lived a
most secluded and unsocial life.
That she was devoted to her husband,
in a quiet, daughter-like fashion, every
one could see. They came quite regular
~ to church in the great, old-fashioned
carnage, into which he always assisted
her with the air of cavalier; and when
she took his arm, it was always with the
most winning and afeetlonate confden nee.
People puzzled themselves over the mat
ter until they grew tired, and then they
at last gave up conjecture and quietly
accepted things as they stood.
But at last, in the third year after his
marriage news came that Hugh Barham
was very Ill, and upon the heels of that,
that he was dying, Mr.. Ashburnham
was sent for In haste, the elder of the vii
lage calls with offers of assistance, and
everybody felt an interest in the poor
young thing likely to be left SO soon a
widow.
The church bell tolled out its solemn
tidings at length, and pretty Mrs. Bar
ham was widow. It is said that she
was overwhelmed with grief, and would
see no one but the rector; but of course
she must have mourning, and by that
means Miss Needles, the village dress
maker, got admitted. When she re-
turned from that sad errand it seemed as
though every lady in the town had need
of something in her establishment. Miss
Sinclair was one of the first to drop in.
$50 you saw the widow, she said. How
does she bear her losss I suppose she is
almost in hystericsP'
"Nothing of the kind" said Miss Nee
dies. Her eyes were little red, and
she was paler than usual; but on the
whole, she was very quiet. She knew
perfectly we'll what she wanted, and gave
her orders with the utmost calmness.
must say thought more OF her than
I ever did before"
The mourning is so handsome, l sup
posea'
sBe-eau. tifulp' said Miss Needles,
growing enthusiastic when the subject
OF her vocation was approached. "Eve.
rything is to be of the best and plenty of
it, but plain. And widows caps are so
becoming to her."
Did you find out b ow the will read?'
"Oh, yes. Jarvis clerk was there. /
met him as I was coming down the aven-
lie, and he said Jarvis had let on to him
that the widow is to have everything.
She'll be immensely rich.
Miss Needles had orders for all the
mourning, and she felt as if she was
called upon to set matters in a strong
light.
'She won't stay in Pelham long, then, you
may depend" said Mrs. Arthur who had
just dropped In. young and pretty as
She is, with fortune of ten thousand
pounds or SO, she II seek her fortune else
where, you may depend
"Ten thousand!'' shrieked Miss Nee
dies; sswhy that amt circumstance to
what she's got. Jarvis clerk told me
there was at least twenty thousand. be-
sides the place."
A profound silence reigned for nearly
minute. At last Miss Sinclair said.
with rather more than her accustomed
acidity:
''she'u hold her head high enough tc
be sure. If she is only discreet, Pelham