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

tudt country, ana VINO very poSSIoly hco
met him-perhaps had known him lntl-
mately! At that thought her heart beat
: qrick, and she looked very graciously at
the bearded stranger, who, wrapped In
Mr.. Townsend's slippers, and sitting in
! Mr.. Townsend s chair, beside Mr.. Town
sends wife, smoking Mr.. Townsend's pipe
with such an air of feeling most thorough
ly and comfortably at home!
Eyes, ma 'am, we been in California
! for the last six years. And before that L
ship!''
Good graeious"
The stranger sent puff of smoke curl
ing gracefully over his head.
Its very strange, my dear lady, how
often you see one thing as you go wander
lrs r'1ouU Jne worid aIJer JnaJ Iasnluu.
And what is that ?"
"Men without house or home above
their heads, rowing here and there, and
turning up in all sorts of places; caring
very little for life as general thing. and
making fortunes just to fling them away
again, and all for one reason. You don't
ask me what that is No doubt you know
already very we'll"
Il think not, sir.'
because woman has Tilted them -
/ Hele was long pause, and Mr.. Town
sends pipe emitted Snort puffs with sur
prising rapidity. A guilty conscience
needs no accuser, and the widows hand
some face was dyed with bushes as she
thought of the absent Sam.
II wonder how women manage when
they get served in the same way, "said the
stranger, musingly, you never meet them
roaming up and down in that style"
NO." said Mrs. Townsend, with some
spirit, IF woman is in trouble she must
stay at home and bear it the best way she
can. And there's more women bearing
such things than we know of, dare say"
Like enough. We never know whose
hand gets pinched In trap unless they
scream. And women are too shy or too
sensible-which you choose-for that"
''Did you ever in all your wanderings,
meet any one by the name of Samuel Pay
| QUIZ oohCu CHC WluOW. uuCOuCUTuOUIy.
! The stranger looked towards her. she
was rummaging the table-drawer for her
knitting work, and did not notice him.
When it was found, and the needles in
motion, he answered her.
"Pa, Sam Payson,? Why, he was
my most Intimate friend! Do you. know
him ?"
"a llttle-that is, 1 used to. when 1 was
a girl. Where did you meet him ?"
HE went with me on the whaling
voyage told you of, and afterwards to
California. We had a tent together, and
We worked the same claim for more than
six months.''
Il suppose he was quite we'll"
'::strong as an OK
"And and happy" pursued the wild
oW, bending closer over her knitting.
; "Hum-the less said about that the bet
ter, perhaps. But he seemed to enjoy life
after fashion of his own. And he got
! rich out there, or rather l will say, well
off,"
Mrs. Townsend did not pay much atten-
ton to that part of the story. Evidently
she had not finished asking questions. but
she puzzled about her Eext one. At last
she brought it out beautifully:
"Was his wife with him in California;"
ling ewes.
His wife, ma am! Why, bless you, be
has not got any wife"
sob, thought mean heard''-here
! the little woman remembered the fate of
Ananias and Sapphlra, and stopped short
before she told such a tremendous flo.
"Whatever you heard of his marrying
was all nonsense, [ can assure you. l
knew him we'll, and he had no thoughts
of the kind about him. Some of the boys
used to tease him about it, but he soon
made them STOP"
"How ?'
HE just told them frankly that the
only woman he ever loved had Tilted him
years before, and married another man.
After that no one ever mentioned the sub
ject to him again, except me-"
Mrs. Townsend laid her knitting aside,
and looked thoughtfully into the fire.
"He was another specimen of the class
of men | was speaking of. have seen him
face death score of times as quietly as
face the fire. 1t matters very little what
takes me off, he used to say; L have moth
ing to live for, and there's no one that
will shed tear for me when l am gone ,
It's sad thought for man to have, ism It
it ?n
Mrs. Townsend sighed as she said she
thought it was.
"Rut did he ever tell you the name of
the woman who Tilted him ?''
IL know her first name"
What was it ~
Maria
The plump little widow almost started
out of her chair, the name was spoken so
exactly as Sam would have said is.
Ibid you know her. too?" he asked look
ed, looking keenly at her.
eyes"
ultimately ?''
eyes"
"Where is she now? Still happy with
her husband. suppose, and never giving
thought to the poor fellow she drove out
into the world -
NO." said Mrs. Townsend, shading
her face with her hand. and speaking un-
steadily; mo, her husband is dead''
"Ah ! but still she never thinks of
SAM
There was dead silence.
"Does she %
"How can [ tell ?'
| care YOU still friends p''