Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-10
THE RELICT OF CAPTAIN PROS
SER.

where the dust Of all her kindred reposed,
Northport regarded the widow Prosser with
great Iavor.
She was so completely widow that she COM
manded the respect always shown, even in this
imperfect state Of existence, to thoroughness
From the crispness of her black Grape veil and
the doleful freshness of her black silk gloves to
the severe hem of her black bOmbazne dress
she radiated unmitigated affection.
And there was such an appropriateness in her
living next door to a cemetery! She might have
chosen new house i'm the midst of the village
as at her time of life, and with her means, many
a woman would have done, for she was little
more than forty, and it was generally under
stood that her husband, a sea-captain, had left
her very ''fOrehanded." 1t certainly showed an
edifying sense of the fitness of things for her to
live in that lonesome old house. with the per-
petually moaning sea on one side and the grave
yard on the other.
She had taken her husbands niece to live
with her-a young girl, sober and demure of
aspect and exhibiting in her garb a modified
grief. She wore her hair banged. and had red
cheeks. but otherwise she harmOniZed perfectly
with the widows establishments and such
slight imperfectiOns as having a husbands niece
with banged hair and red cheeks were, after ALL
but human. and seemed only. as it were. to
perfect proprety.
She chose as man-of-al-wOrk Uriah Peaseley,
an ancient mariner, who. having been stranded
on the reefs of rheumatism, had devoted hil.l-
self for several years generally to ''chOring."
ana especially to the office of sections assistant
being, as he described himself .handy at grave
dlggln. and genteel at calm off the mOurners."
An lrishwOman whom she had brought with
her from the distant town where her married
life had been spent and who yOuched for her
= hoe firnn xiI1 md
as dacnt one as liver stepped" completed the
widow PrOssers household, with the addition
of q sleek drab, sanctimOnOus parrot, and a
tabby that would have been venerable OF aspect
II some evil disposed person had not cut Off two
thlfds OF her tail, leaving funny little bob
which gave her a very cOmical and undignitied
appearance; but she was thus saved from I'M
becoming freshness, havingnO tail long enough
to chase.
The widow had her sitting-room in the back
part OF the house. with side windows overlook
ing the cemetery. AS she explained to all her
callers, ''she always had been one that enjoyed
passing, but she hadn't a heart to look at it
now"
AS there was but one house beyond hers on
tnat road. and that occupied by an old hermit.
VINO never had any visitors. and as the road went
nowhere IN particular. struggling along more
ard more grassily until it lost itself in marsh.
the widow could have had no great opportunity
to indulge in the dissipation of looking at s'pass-
still it was regarded proper and commend
able in her to retire to the back part of the
house.
1t was approvingly' noticed that she never
went to any social gatherings except those of a
religious character: but sewing circles and do
nation parties were regarded as belonging to
That class in NOrthpOrt. so the widows recrea-
tons were not so circumscribed as at first might
appear.
Il only came at the call of duty" she re-
marked to her nearest neighbOr at donation
party. "A poor heart-brOken widow has no
part pOr lot in merry -makin's.'
Land sakes! you don't call this merry
making" exclaimed the neighbor. who was Mis-
Deacon Wiswell pronounced Wizzle), in holy
horror. ITO me it's most solum and edifyin'
occasion; and never yet brought custard that
mad less n four eggs in it, and never SHALL let
other folks do what they will"
This declaration of uncOmpromising virtue
was delivered in very fOrcible manner. and
loud enough to reach the ears of meek little
woman who was the wife of Deacon Phillips. the
closest" man in NOrthpOrt.
Folks can't expect much of poor lonely
widow woman" said the widow PrOsser.
smoothing the Grape folds on her dress; ''but 1
am t scrmpn' of butter in my cake. nor don't
oegrud?se frOstin'. and my apple Jelly always
Jells splendid, If do say it. And Cap'n PrOsser
that had been all over the world, and asked to
DINNER by the Gar of RUOshy and the Emperor
OF Japan, couldn't eat any dOughnuts but
You don't say say so. But amt mite sur
prlsed says to Miss COpelin, when we was
a-fakin' the things out of the basket. saws [.
MISS PrOssers dOughnuts is enough to bring
tears to your eyes And ] was glad to see that
You had fetched some beautiful mince-pes, for
Mis- SherbOrn was just telling me how much the
minister set by them. She says he always writes
MS most fOrclble sermons, them that gives it to
sinners so powerful, and describes the bad place
so Clear and beautiful, after getting up in the
night and eatin' whole mince-pie. It's a
solemn and tOuchin' thought that you're a-prO-
vidin means of grace when your a-choppin'
meat, and a-weghin' out spices, and a-meas-
URN out mOlaSSeS''
Il hope they amt too sweet" said the widow.
Capn Prosser he liked em sweet and can't.
bear 10 make EN- any other way 1t ALWAYS
seems as If was maxim em for him."
Il suppose. from your mournin' him so. that
ne was beautiful man; that is. so to speak OF
course we're all sensible that poor human mater
amt never what it ought TO be-
The widow, with dOwncast ewes. nodded
assent either to one or both of these propo-
siti0ns.
ship that he sailed in never heard from
Well It terrible cOnsOlin' that he left you well
on. and no funeral expenses neither And the
second is very often likelier than the first"
The widow raised her head, and gave her a
haughty glance from pair of keen black eyes.
Il hope you amt one to take offence when
none is meant. young and handsome widow
IL dretIui apt TO take a second. more especially
If she's so situated as to be able to support
him."
The artful compliment was soothing to the
WIDOWS irritated feelings. but she replied,
proudly:
Not if she is the relict Of Captain Prosser"
hain't no doubt he was q terrible likely
man, and you do seem to feel your loss uncom-
mon, said Mis- Deacon Wiswell in conclia-
tory manner 81 hope his niece is a comfort to
you. CHANGING across the room at the bangs and
red cheeks.
The widow shook her head with gentle
sigh.
- Ann Olive means well, but she is young and
fighty, she said
You don't say So" exclaimed Mis- Deacon
WIsWei in low tone of intense interest, draw
ing her chair nearer to the widows. '.They do
say that Obed Welcome is a-tryn' to keep COM
pany with her. don't say but what Obed- is a
hkelyy0ung man: he parts his hair in the middle
ana scents himself up beautiful. and appears as
genteel as If he was schOOl-master; but he did
use TO put buttons in the contribution box when
he wasa boy, and his grandfather's haf-sster
eioped with tin pedder. and the tin pedder
got taken up for cheatin'. So he hain't what
you could call good blood"
He doesn't follow the sea. think a great
deal Of Ann Olive, and never could be willing
that she should marry ANYBODY but a sailor I