The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-12-28

MS 10 you. ladies, that ! tell The rscr,
Of the Widow Msgen.a, and 10 you that
confleniislly rernark. by way OF preface
tbs, Il Is quite bad enough 10 marry MAJ
obi eDossh 70 b yoar hshst aad spsn'
tie Summer Of your life IN fading s.sy y
q dsTkeaod sick room, having. for 81
am usemeni, the making of gruels and th
composition of soothing lies OF all sorts y
| keep the invalid ia tolersbly decent hum
! or; hat. TO ee lefi sf,ss seme hslf-do1s'
years thus spent, widow, with no for
tune bu. black eyes, rosy cheeks and
large supply Of mother Wit. Is worse
yes. il is 700 Aggrsvating even TO 'fhini
about; but that vas just what little Widow
Magent. said when the lawyers told hel
that old Magenta had left her nothing bu
the privilege Of paying his iebts.
II think they arc very senssble peopl'
in Indis or Turkey or whstsvss the name
Of the place is where the widows burn
themselves on their husbands funeral
pile. declared Mrs. Magenta, ripping
away energetically at seam she had
sswed wrong side out 10 her vexation 70
think OF making remarks about my veil. q
IL ones aiiiiction Was to be measured BY
The depth OF hem. Mrs. Jones may be
a widow herself one OF these days"
Aunt Keziah looked doubtful. but hay
ing nothing definite to urge against prob
ability. held her peace and vent on stitch.
ing.
Country places are little the meanest
in the gossipping way" went on the wild
ow. II suppose II ] should wear seal.
loped skirt, il would have to be talked ov-
er in the sewing circle. There how does
that look, Auntyy"
Aunty held up both hands in admira-
tion. 8
Well, declare, Susie, IL you amt the
beat Of all ever seen. Why. you'll set
all the old maids crazy. You'll be well
pulled to pieces after you are seen out in
that dress. can tell you"
The widow laughed-a little, oily
chuckle as she looked in the glass, for it
showed round, rosy face, roguish eyes
that said nothing about the long nights OF
watching and weeping by the bedside OF
old Magenta. smooth. low forehead, su'
perb black hair, and trim little figure,
wonderfully set off by grandmother Mar
tins old dress. remodeled, and looking 80
bright and new that Amt Keziah almost
doubted the evidence OF her senses.
"Let them talk, said the widow, COM
placently, smoothing down her skirt Il
shant tell them that you and l fished it
out OF that musty old chest in the attic,
and that you turned and sponged and
ironed it, and made it myself, and had
TO put on founces to hide where the skirt
is pieced. And now, Aunt. whero is your
old bachelor?' sos
'sMy Old bscheicrt' - s7s
"Certainly; yours. since you first discov.
cred him. by the law Of nations. mean
that fossil who lives on q hill somewhere
near, and has gone through sixty years OF
his life with half million and no wife
TO help him spend it. Mr.. Pettifogger, OF
Petit"
Obi Mr.. Pettibone. Why, Susie, what
ails you2 What are you going to do with
him?
"Marry him, il you will tell me where
to find him."
Mercy, child Why, your head is
turned. He can scarcely be civil tos wom-
an; and widow. he says, Is worse than
all the Egyptian plaques put together"
"Civil, that! l shall have TO teach him
And now, for the last time,
where does he live?"
"On the hill, just at the end Of Darcys
lane. But you amt going there IN ear
nest"
Eyes. / am; I'll bring him home to tea.
Susan Ma"
But the widow Was out OF the gate.
laughing saucily. and swinging her gard.
en- hat as she went in way that made the
birds stop singing to peer at her.
Look away, she said merrly. "You
are terrible gossips, but l don't care what
any one says Of me in Dutch, and your
language is not much better and just
then. spying vine training over huge
rock. she began clambering up 1t to get
wreath for her garden hat. Il
"Better let that alone, young woman,
said gruff voice behind her. THAT
ere's the poison IVY F
Widow Magenta turned quickly around,
and confronted tall. strongly built man.
dark, and not ugly in the face, but with
IN irascible pucker about the mouth, and
4 certain twitching Of the eyelids that said
10 the sharp little woman IS plainly as
hey could speak, '.Pettibones.
Thank you, sir" she said promptly.
Il am glad ! didn't touch it. though |
there is kind OF ivy that fear far more
Than this"
whats that2" asked the grnff man, ev-
identity curious. 4
''The Ivy Of selfshness. II springs out
Of wounds in some natures, and il fos-
tered grows till il wraps them all around
and makes OF them only crumbling ruins.
There is an example, | am told. living on
the hill Just beyond. One Mr.. Petit
Petit we'll. don't know what, only 1t
NJ he r,etficnsf hecaise be hates them