Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-07-04
4 Beautiful Widow.
CHAPTER /.


4 Beautiful Widow.
CHAPTER /.
The first appearance OF beautiful wo-
man at Il watering place, be 1t fashion
able or retired, never fails 70 create sem
sa.iou, 20. .. such places there are always
men who lock forward TO little else than
the social ripples which beauty ever
causes. When Mrs. Annie WhitlOw ar
rived 1T CalrS Head Springs, Arkansaw,
every little "squint" of fellow, which
means single men; every careless fellow,
which mcGns married men, and every
"blow," which means politician, was
eager to become acquainted with her. She
was 4 widow, young and thrillinSly
handsome. Aside from the charge OF
being 4 widow, young, and so thTilling!y
handsome, she was rich. Only few
years before she had married old Whit
low. o: course she did not love him, but
she was p child so lutiful that she mar
ried him to please her mother. She was
liberal with old Whitlow and spared 40
means In making his funeral success.
After seeing him comfortably buried, she
went abroad for n time. When sine re-
turned, her widow q weeds had blossomcd
into gsyest llowers. Why she should
have sought such an out-of-the-way place
as Calf's Head Springa, In the mountains
OF western Arkansaw, er how, for that
matter, she had ever learned that such
place existed, was Z question which none
of the "squints," careless fellows, nor
"biows" could answer. The ladies OF
Calls Head soon discovered that she was
an ''impudent thing but all the avail
able male material WAS soon ia love with
her. Even old man Dockery, who suffer-
ell with rheumatism and q wife, mainly
the latter, could scarcely keep away from
the widow, and once, while he was ex-
changing Z few words with her on the
hotel plaza, his wife, In sharp voice,
called him;
Joseph, Joseph, say"
"Ycssunl."
"Como here, Joseph"
When he came, she shook him and said:
Joseph, don't you know better than to
fool away your time that way! l don't
don't think you will have nae with you
mach longer, Joseph"
This assertion might have been cncour-
aging, tut ne had heard It too often.
"Dou't YOU know that can't DC with
yen always, Joscpht"
~ don't know" he replied.
"Why do you want to worry my life o'it
of mo?' and she burst into tears and
sobbcd.
''May tho Lord ever deliver mo from a
mauiln woman," remarked an uncon-
ccrncd, slip-shod sort of a fellow who
passed along.
81 don't blame yoa, rejoined the pretty
widow, who overheard the remark.
Good evening, Miss"
81 am not Miss" replied Mrs. Whit
low.
GLOW are you, sir2'
''I ain not sir. Man, you must be
crazy"
ooh, see. You are the rich young
widow Whose rage of imperous beauty
and-money have come so nearly stand
ing this neighborhood on its head. Well,
how 10 you find yourself, anyhow"
She looked at him for moment, with a
puzzled expression, and, with dignity,
replied:
az think, sir, that you are drawing very
heavily on so short IN acquaintance.
$50 the draft Is protested. Well, one
should never draw on a short acqUaint-
anco, for .hen an acquaintance is short,
hard run, rs is frequently the case, moth
ing but a protest can be expected"
~ don't know what to think Of YOU"
she said, walking along with him.
"Wcn, if distress you, don't hang
around mo-"
Without replying she turned quickly
and went mp stairs. AS she stood or an
upper balcony, surrounded by "squints"
and "blows," she saw her newly-made
acquaintance carelessly pursuing his way
toward the spring.
"Who is that man?' she asked OF &
"blow."
That's Mr.. John Mexleton, the humor-
ist, and editor OF the Fox Horn"
az have often read extracts from his
paper, but don't see how he gave il such
n reputation.
'By his writing, suppose"
"Of course, but don't see how he can
write such charming pieces when he is
such fool"
At supper she sat opposite the humorIst.
or, As she termed him, the fool, but only
looked up at him once. lie didn't look at
her. and she felt disappointed. The next
day she stole i WAY from her admirers, aud
with book attempted TO fhd amusement
under i tree. Pretty soon the humorist,
or rather fool, came along.
'Wen,'' he said, stopping, "is our ac-
qGin,auce sufficiently extended to admit
of catching up and tying together the
broken thread of discourse? You have
chosen pleasant place." seating himself.
81 came ont here to be alone, and-but
you are nobody"
eco ahead. DON'T pay any more atten-
ton TO me than If were your husband.
( What booI, have you?"