Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-26
THE GRASS WIDOW.

whole army of grass widows to be found in
CAV and giddy Nynee Tai (the hill station
of the \. W. P. India) Naturally, as is
always the case in this merry world We
live in, being beautiful, attractive and
altogether charming, she won the hearts
and admiration of most of the stronger
sex, and the envy, hatred and malice of the
weaker. That was only to be expected
it is the way of the world, and it would
have been altogether out of the common if
it had been otherwise.
Admirers she had many, though it would
have been hard to pick out one among the
multitude unless one was behind the
scenes) who was more favored than the
rest. She distributed her attentions
equally among them all-at least so far as
the eve could see-and riding one after
noon with this one, rowing on the lake
with another or dancing with third, no.
BODY was quite able to fix on any one in
particular whom they could tell of as her
own distinctive "bow-wOw," and whom
tbey could set themselves to manufacture
stories and scandals about.
Five months of the Nynee Tai season
had now gone, and pretty Mrs. Cleather
had managed to pass unscathed through all
the fiery accusations of the host Of scandal
nlongers and gossipers OF that festive
Anglo-Indian community, until quite late
". when she had evinced a somewhat
greater partially for one of her staff, and
IL ,y,,r.,,oa ,roipey ar pnaa
Mind YOU" said Mrs. Allison to Mrs.
Barnard one afternoon, Give heard queer
stories about this young and innocent-look-
ing Mrs. Cleather; not that | believe
them still there is no smoke without fire,
you know
quite So" responds Mrs Barnard, in
her squeaky voice; "and Mrs. Dawson
tells me she saw two people very like Mrs
Cleather and Captain Fem on the lake
last night at II o'clockw
Dear me! And all this time her hus-
band shaving away in the plains"
Yes: and YOU know they've been very
much together of late; they say he is al
ways up at her house every morning about
10 or II, and remains there the best part
of the day"
"Ah. its a crying shame" says Mrs
Allison, for such scandals to be allowed
to 90 on in public like this; why does not
Mr.. Cleather come up and look after his
wife,
"Well, ! suppose, poor man, he can't get
away from his duties in the plains, but |
think some one ought TO warn him of the
way his young wife is going on"
Yes, and if only knew him bit bet
ter, I'd do 50 myself just out Of pure
Christian charity"
"But what could one tell him? You
see, there is as yet no direct evidence Of
anything exactly wrong"
No, true, my dear; but if this kind Of
thing goes on much longer there will be,
mark my word; the truth must come to
light some day"
Meanwhile pretty Mrs Cleather, the
pride of the bow-wows" and the envy Of
her sex, pursued the even tenor of her
ways, utterly callous of what people
thought or said about her; friend of
everybody who knew her well, and could
appreciate her pleasant manners and con-
versation, and the enemy, though not Of
her own making of Others who knew her
but slightly or not at all.
The season was on the wane at Nynee
Tai. The rains were over, and once more
the lake shone forth in all its former glory,
and the overhanging trees and rocks COW
cred with fern and moss with which its
banks were surrounded. made the whole
more like a picture in fairyland than a
reality in the hills of northern India.
Every one was making the most of the last
few weeks that were left of the season, and
dances, theatricals, picnics and designations
of all sorts crowded one on top Of the other
day after day. Mrs. Cleather was every
where, and the charm and spirit Of every
ball or picnic she went to. Certainly she
did give people a faint excuse for talking,
as Captain Fem latterly was never absent
from her side, and had these last few weeks
evidently taken his place as chief Of the
numerous staff Of her would-be admirers;
but then he was a personal friend of
Oeathers, the husband, and would not
that be sufficient in accounting for the de-
cided preference for him among the Others
by the young grass widow?
One Thursday afternoon, about the be-
ginning of October, Mrs. Allison, Mrs. Bar
nard and Mrs Dawson had a small and Sc
lect picnic of their own at that most de-
lightful of all resting-places namely, the
inn known as Rest by the Way, at Douglas
Dale, half way down the road to Ram
bagh. 1t Is picturesque little house, sit
uated in the middle of the valley, and sur
rounded bv the most beautiful of gardens,
redolent with the sweet odor of acacia and
orange trees, and planted out in the most
artistic style with palms, grasses trees and
bushes of all sorts, Western rs well As ORR
entail. The garden produces fruits Of all
kinds-cherries, apples, plantains, straw
berries, and. i'm fact, everything the thirsty
traveller could wish for, added to which
there are lovely walks under the cool shade
of the trees, and green arborS such aS are
seldom seen, where one may hle away
from the maddening crowd and be at rest,
lulled by the ripping Of the silver stream
near at hand and the singing of the birds
overhead Such place is Douglas Dale,
veritable Garden Of Eden, a second par
adiSe
The sun was beginning to set over the
purple hills to the north Is Mrs. Allison
was gradually collecting the remnants of
her army as they came in two by two from
their walks and talks in this paradise ON
earth. Mrs Allison, more staid than the
dear Col Nerriker so kindly remaining,
too. to take care of her-so kind and
thoughtful Of him but il was not the first
time this gallant officer had performed this
charitable task. Mrs. Allison herself was
n grass widow of somewhat doubtful char
acter, although according to her own ideas
prim and proper to a degree; still, she
had no real objection to one of the male
sex, other than her lawful spouse, being
tackled ON to her apron strings for the
time being, though the same arrangement
with Others was scandalou4 i'm her eyes to a
degree.
The party had now all arrived, and were
sitting in the far corner of the veranda,
slipping tea and chatting, previous to their
start up the Hill again for Nynee Tai, when
they were surprised by the clatter of pony