The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-01-06

But after the tilling and growing, the sheaf;
Soil for the root but the sun for the leaf
And God keepeth watch forever.
A NEW YEARS CALLER.
THE WIDOW.
1t was one bright, crisp day, the 1st of
January, 1875. The wind was from the
northwest but not in the least boisterous.
The sky was blue and the sun shone very
brightly, causing the snow, which had
fallen the night before to 4 sufficient
depth to render sleighing On the avenue
possible, to sparkle brightly, and make
weak eyed people wink when they look
out of doors. A merry jingle Of sleigh
bells gave cheerful sound in the air, and
everybody said "happy New Year, to ev-
erybody else, with hearty zest thar very
plainly indicated sincerity and enjoy
ment.
Every house on the magnificent avenue,
except here and there one where small
basket hung by black ribbon on the
door bell, was open to callers, and inside
were bright groups of pleasant ladies
waiting amicably to receive the compli-
ments of the season from the gentlemen
Of their acquaintance. But nowhere in
the whole city could a prettier picture lie
seen Of New York lite on New Years
day than in the parlor Of Window Dusen-
berry, It was fine house, with brown
stone front and bay window, and it con.
tanned great many fine things beside
the fine lady herself, who, On this par
ticular occasion, was the only visible oc-
cupant of her richly decorated drawing
room. The widow had been fortunate in
marrying a member of an old Knicker-
booker family; she adopted all his an
cestors as her own, and furnished her
apartments with all the quaint old fur
ture that old families are popularity sup.
posed to leave to their descendants. Old
china, old clocks, dingy looking portraits,
in furnished gils frames. curious cabinets,
and queer glasses and falence dishes
abounded in all her rooms, which she
had bought at auctions; and, if the peo-
pie chose to imagine that they were heir
looms brought from Holland by her III.
cestors when they came over with Hen
drick Hudson in the "Half Moon," il
was none Of her business to correct their
mistake. But she by no means wanted
to be considered old herself. Quite the
contrary. Her hair was scant and grey
but she wore perfectly lovely dresses, Of
rich brog'n hue, which had once be-
longed TO peasant girl Of Brittany.
And, although it was many years since
her cheeks had been in the least sugges.
tive Of a demask rose, on this coca sion,
they were so skilltuly tinted by hcr
maid that no one would suspect the COM
p!exion was not her own-as, indeed, it
was. But if her complexion was not real,
her diamonds and laces were, and they
harmonized most admirably with her
dove-colored satin dress and her pearl
handled marabOut fan.
Notonly did the widows taste run IN
the direction OF old furniture and old
families, hut she preferred the old relig-
ious forms to the new, and she had one
of the high-priced pews in the church OF
st. Bonifacius, which was very high and
ritualistic, and she enjoyed the reredos,
the candles on the altar, the boy choir,
the purple chasuble Of Father Lansing,
the acolytes, the thuribie, and all the
other ornamental accessories of that
fashionable place of worship immensely.
She believed in a personal D., and
would not have yielded her faith on that
point for any consideration.
Like a good many other good people
who begin the new year with good reso-
lutions, the Widow Van Dusenbery had
resolved to turn over new leaf and IN
eugurate reform movement. She had
always been charitably inclined, and had
subscribed very generously to the Anti
Mendicity society; but, owing to the
failure Of the Rainbow Insurance COM
pany, she had been considerable loser,
and her income was diminished. to such
an extent that sho had been compelled
to sell her coach horses and to dismiss
two of her servants, and she was now try
Ing to rub along in quiet way, with
only three maid servants and one horse
cab, in which she did her shopping and
took her airings in the park. It was
rather humiliatlng condition to be
placed in. Her husband had cruelty left
her with the miserable income of only
$50, 900; out OF which she had to defray
her own enpenses and maintain her only
child, promising boy of 20, who was
then completing his education in Paris,
after having visited the Holy Land and
Egypt.
The name of this precious youth was
Balthazar. But she called him Bait, be.
cause that was the way they called his
uncle, after whom he was named, and
whose property he was expected to in.
herit. It was for his sake that she had
determined to turn over q new leaf. II
was time she began to save up something
against Balt's return; for the poor boV
had met with several little accidents
which required his overdrawinp the
sums he had allotted for his European ex.
penses.
Scarcely had she seated herself in he,
psrlor, with her feet resting upon a Per.
:;an rug, and glowing canal-coal fire
she had IN opportunity for putting into
practical shape her new resolution. There
was ring at the door-bcll, and the
widow wondered who her first calle,
would be, when Bridget entered the
parlor and pettishly exclaimed: 'It's
only beggar boy, who says he wants
something to eat.''
"Drive him away" said the widow,
with q look of disappointment. ats
too bad that people who live on the ave.
nue. should be so troubled with beggars.
We pay taxes enough 10 be protected
from beggars, and burglars, and book
agents, I am sure. Don't let one Of them
come into the hall door. They are the
plague of my lhe."
Another ring at the hall door, for it
was now noon, and the sound of bells and
carriages and merry voices were heard
commenced in earnest. Bridget came
into the parlor again, with small back.
age in her hand, addressed ITO the lady
OF the house.'1
This was something worth having, in
deed: What graceful and pleasant r..
mtnder it was, to b. sure, of tho good old
times! It was q long, slender flask. GOV.
cred with gilt labels Certifying to its be.
ing genuine product of the famous con
vent OF the Chartreuse; and attached to