The Delaware ledger., 1883-08-25
A Young Widow.
A Story of Real Life.

"All's well that ends well. ."--oLD SAYING.
He was dead they told me, and / did
not believe it my noble, handsome
husband 1t could not be true, and !
laughed in the face of the physician
when he repeated the assertion.
Not twelve hours before l had kissed
Harold goodbye, and watched him ride
away over the prairie. 1t was lovely
day, but TO an experienced eye, the
clear-cut white clouds, showing so vi
wildly against the dark blue sky, were
the banners of the vanguard of storm.
But no one could have told that
terrible cyclone two hours later would
burst upon us, leaving ruin and death
behind il.
Yet so it was. Two hours after my
husband had said : " Goodbye, Madge
don't sit up for me" and passed from
my sight, black, funnel-shaped
cloud appeared in the southwest, and
half an hour later it broke over the
little village of Pearl.
Strangely enough, it swept only the
western edge of the place, leveling the
few houses in its path, passing on to
the town of Albion, where the destruc-
tion was fearful.
But Harold, my husband, was caught
on the plain right in the path of the
cyclone-nO shelter on either side
which he could reach in time. A par
ty of homecoming hunters found him
few hours after the storm had passed,
lying face downward on the prairie,
where the cyclone had dropped him af-
ter carrying him no one knows how far.
The horse he rode was found dead a
mile further back.
l had been glad that he was away
| from home out of reach of the storm,
never dreaming that he was right in its
way on the prairie and so when they
brought him in white and still, | would
allow myself to think of nothing only
that he had tainted. When the doctor
and others came to me saying "Try
and bear it, Mrs. Howard your hus'
band has been dead hours" said
1T is not so |" And then l grew an
cry that they should tell me 50 dread
full thing, and breaking away from
them threw myself down beside him
calling him all the old loving names
and pressing passionate kisses on hi
face.
But he was silent and cold-so colt
that the chill from his lips struck t
my heart. / could net see. though
was dying too, and was glad.
But lived. If grief killed womei
few of us would be living.
The gray clouds of November hum
over the earth when was strong enougl
to face life again. The necessity o
earning a living was brought sharply +
my remembrance when / found mysel
nearly penniless.
My girlhood's home had been in Al
bany. / had married Harold agains
my proud old fathers express command
l loved him, therefore it mattered littl
tc me that he was poor.
But father was exceedingly angr
' that his only daughter should thro'
herself away on penniless FORTUNE
q hunter, as he chose to call my husband
+ l knew that Harold was not fortun
' hunter, so | married him, and we can
/ to Kansas and settled in the little tow
Y of Pearl Our short year of marie
life had known no cloud. Now all W;
changed. / was a widow at twent
the daughter of rich man, therefor
, unused to the methods of earning n
:, living. could not appeal to my fathe
r. He had disowned me, and had inheI
y ted something of his own indomitab
will.
- What should do2 could not SCI
- There was music teaching, that infal
!, BILE resort of all broken down gent
~ ~ women, but that / could not do ; l "
- out of practice, and hated teaching
n An idea came to me like an inspiI
:. ton. had a natural genius for COG
ing. After my marriage did all I
own work, and my husband had oft
ne said that, being the daughter of m
"' of wealth, it was marvellous that col
~ cook like a FTenchwoman. l form
'V' my plans at once. What cared l
gu social positioD-I, whose life was da
'sO ened forever
uo | sold all the furniture, all the jt
elry l possessed except my wedd
ell ring, secured testimonials of charac
In from the leading citizens of Pearl, {
5he telling no one where was going, W
led to San Francisco. When arrived
Is had one trunk containing my clotl
ian and money enough to board me ches
fw for month,
The next day after my arrival