Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-02-08

C an rejoice with each other.'
H9 drew his chair much nearer hers
and took her hand. One moment the
widow resisted, but it was magnetic
touch, the rosy palm lay quietly in his.
and the dark beard bent so low that it
nearly touched her shoulder. 1t did not
matter much. Was he not Samuel's dear
friend? If he was not the rose, had
he not dwelt very near it, for a long
time?
1T was a foolish quarrel that parted
them," said the stranger, softly.
did he tell you about it ?"
Eyes. on board the Whaier"
"Did he blame her much ?''
mot so much as himself. He said that
his jealousy and ill-temper drove her to
break off the match; but he Thought some
times if he had only gone back and spoken
kindly to her. she would have married
h,ra after all.
II am sure she would" said the widow
piteously. ''She owned it to me more
than thousand times.''
"She was not happy, then, with anoth
err
"Mr.-that is to say, her husband-was
very good and kind" said the little wo-
mau, thinking of the grave out on the
hillside rather penitently, ''and they
lived very pleasantly together. There
was never harsh word between them. :"
'Still-might she not have been happl-
er with Sam? Be honest, now, and say
just what you Think
Eyes y
Bravo! that is just what wanted to
come at. And now have a secret to
tell you, and you must break it to her.
Mrs. Townsend looked rather scared.
'.What is it?"
II want you to go and see her, wherev-
er she may be, and say to her, maria, y
what makes you start so?''
Nothing; only you speak so like one
ued to know, once in awhile"
do 1? Well take the rest of the mes
sage, Tell her that Sam loved her through
the whole; that. when lie heard she was
free, he began to work hard at making a
fortune. He has got it; and he is coming
to share it with her, if she will let him.
viii you tell her this?"
The widow did not answer. She had
freed her hand from his, and covered her
face with it. By and by she looked up
again-ne was waiting patiently.
'sWell?"
II will tell her,
He rose from his seat, and walked up
and down the room. Then he came back
and leaning on the mantel-piece. stroked
the yellow hide of Rose with his slipper.
MAKE her quite understand that he
wants her for his wife. She may live
where she likes, and how she likes, only
it must be with him."
Il will tell her."
sSaY he has grown old, but not cold :;
that he loves her now perhaps better than
twenty years ago, that he has been faith
full to her all through his life, and that
he will be faithful till he dies
The Californian broke off suddenly.
The widow answered still, II will tell
her,
And what do you think she will say?'
he asked in an altered tone.
what can she, but-Come!'
"Hurrah ~
The stranger caught her out of her chair
as if she had been child, and kissed her
"Don'S-oh, don't - she cried out. II
am Sans Maria /"
"Well-I am Maria S Sam ~
Off went the dark wig and the black
whlskers-there smiled the dear face she
had never forgotten 1 leave you to i'm
agine the tableau; even the cat got up to
look, and Bose sat on his stump of tail,
and wondered if he was on his heels or his
head. The widow gave one little scream,
and then She
But, stop Quiet people like you and
me, dear reader, who ave got over all
these follies, and can do nothing but turn
up our nose at them, have no business
here. I will only add that two hearts
were very happy, that Bose concluded after
a while that all was right, and Sc laid
down to sleep again, and that a week af-
forwards there was a wedding at the
houses that made the neighbors stare. The
widow had N arred her First Love-
Sa0inton's Story Teller.