The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-08-18

widow, and whose attempts to catch q
second husband had hitherto proved
utterly unavailing.
ST suppose" continued the same
young lady, ''she is trying to catch q
first husband with her finery. Before
I'd condescend to such means, Id-I'd
drown myself"
In this last amiable speech the young
lady mad unwittingly hit upon the true
motive. The widow was intent upon
catching Elder Boyd. and she INDUCED
in costly bonnet, not because she sup
posed the elder would be caught with
finery. but because this would strength
en- in his mind the idea that she had
stumbled upon hidden wealth. The
| widow calculated shrewdly, and the dis
play had the effect she anticipated.
Monday afternoon, the elder found an
| errand that called him over to the Wild
| ow's. It chanced to be Just about tea
| time. He was importuned to stay to tea,
and, somewhat to his own surprise, ac-
tually did.
The polite widow, who knew the eld-
er's weak point, brought one of her best
mince pies, piece of which her guest
| partook of with zest.
"You1l take another piece, I know" !"
said she, persuasively.
| Really, / am ashamed" said the eld-
| er; but he passed his plate. "The fact
is" he said apologetically, ''your pies
are so nice don't know when to stop" ]"
''Do you call those nice?" said the
widow, modestiy. II call them COM
mon. can make good mince pies when
set out to. but this time I didn't have
as good luck as usual"
ST shouldn't want any better" said
the elder, emphatically.
'"Then hope, If you like them, you
will drop in to tea often. We ought to
be more neighborly, Elder Boyd"
Elder Boyd assented. and he meant
what he said. The fact is, the elder be-
gan to think that the widow was very
charming woman. She was very comely
and then she was such an excellent cook
Besides, he had no doubt In his own
mind that she was worth a considerable
sum of money. What objection could
there be to her becoming Mrs. Boyd?
He brought this question before her one
evening. The widow blushed, profess
ing to be greatly surprised. In fact, she
had never thought of such thing in
her life; but, on the whole, she had nj
ways thought highly of the elder, and,
to cut the matter short, she accepted
him. A month afterward she was in
stalled as mistress of the elders large
house, somewhat to the surprise of the
village people, who could not conceive
how she had brought him over. Some
weeks after the ceremony, the elder ven
tured to inquire about the pot of gold
which she had found in the cellar.
"Pot of goldr' she exclaimed, in sur.
prise; IT know of none."
But" said the elder, disconnected.
"you asked me about whether the Law
could claim it.
/ "Oh, Lor', elder, only asked for GU
riosity."
"And was that the reason you made
inquiries at the bank?"
Certainly! What elsa could it be?"
The elder wont out to the barn and fol
half an hour sat in silent meditation
At.the end Of that time he CALCULATED, as
q closing consideration:
"After all, she makes good mince
pies"
It gives me pleasure to state that the
union between the elder and the widow
proved very happy one, although tt
the end of his life he could never make
up his mind about the "Pot of Gold.'