The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-02-14

the hover OF ucf yonso, ~'s~
% ioolissly quarrslsd. he'd pitched bis
tsss, amer many vssdsrings, 10 that 'sr
al is.d. Her hsast warned 10 one Who,
vish something Of sans looks ssd ways
sbeus hin. hsd also bssu sojournisg 10
that country, asd Who very possibly had
me. him perhaps bad kscvn him init
ustsly. A that thsusht her heart beat
osisl, aad shs looked very erseious'y -
The bsArdsd stranger. who, wrapped IN
Mr.. Tow sssnd's drsssiag COWS. wearing
Mr.. Tovpssnd's slippers, and sitting IN
Mr.. Tewnsesas chair. bssias Mr.. Toss.
sead's wife, smoked Mr. Tovnssnds pipe
With such ~ air Of feeling most thorough
" and ssnisrtably II home
"Yss, masm. I've been 10 Californ'a for
ths last six years. And before that !
vent quite around the world in whaling
ship"
.sGood grAoiousl"
The stronger ssus ysR Of smoke curl.
ing srsoefully over bis head.
ITS very strange. my dear lady, how
often Yen - one thing = yos 90 wander
iug about The vsrid after that fashion,
"Aud what 10 THAR
men, witheut house % hons sbsvs
their hsads. rowing here and there. asd
turripg up il Ill sorts d odd plsess; car
iag very little for life. sss general shisG'
and makisg fortunes just to ding them
away asais, and al for enc reason. fon
don't ssk me what Aa iss No doubt you
know already. very we'll"
Il think not, SIR"
"f3ecauss . woman has Tilted them"
Here was long pause. aad Mr.. Town
sends pipe emitted short puffs with sur
prising rapidity. A guilty conscience
eeds no accussr. and the widows cheek
was dyed with blushss ~ she thought Of
the absent Sam. Is.
II wonder how women manage when
asv sst served in the same way" said the
stranger. musisgly; 'you never ses Me"
| roaming up and down in that style"
.Ne," said Mrs. Townsend. with ssu'
spirit, iii woman i in trouble shs mus'
stay Il home and bsar il the best way sh'
can. And there's more women bearing
such things than We know Of. dare say.
Like enough. We never know whos'
hands get pinchsd in trap unless ths'
scream. And women are too shy or to'
ssnsibls-vhieh you ehooss--for that"
ibid you ever in all your wandering
mest With any one by the name Of Samus
Paysous" askea the widow, unconcerpsd
lly.
The stranger locked toward her; sh
was rummaging the table drawer for he
knitting work, and did net notice him
Whom il Was found and the needles in mo
tion. he answered her
"Payson-Ssm Psysons Why. be va
i my most intimate friend. DO you know
Lisp ~
i "A liuls--that il, I used TO. whom Va
Il xirl. Where did you meet him?'
i "He wsnt with me on the whaling voy
ags tsld you OF. and aftsrwsrd to Gal
forpia We had tent together, and som
other fellows with us, aud we worked th
, same claim for more than six mcnths."
II suppose he WAS quite wellf'
"Strong as an OK"
"Aud--and happy?" pursued tho vic
ow.
"Hum-ths less said about that the be
Ter, perhaps. But be seemed to snjo
, life after . fashion Of his own. And b
II sos rich out there. or perhaps will %
+ well off.
Mrs. Townsend did not pay much >
D tsntion 70 that part Of the story. Evidsn
/ " she bad not finished asking question
4 but she was puzzled about her next on
! Al last she brought it out beautifully.
WAS his wife with him il California;
4 The stranger looked u her with twin
Il lise syss.
i "His wife, nam! Why. bless you.
hss net got any wife.
! "Oh, I thought mean heard-'hs
y ths little widow, remembering the fate
Auanias and djSapphira, stopped short b
q fore she told such trsmsndous fib.
"Whatevsr you heard Of bis marryi'
Vas all nonsense, ! osn assure you.
,e knew him we'll. aud lie had no thoughts
= the kind about him. Some Of the DO
\ used to tease him about it. but ho so'
made than stop"
y "Hsw?"
HE just told them frankly that the on
!" woman be ever loved had j'ltsd him ys'
before. and married saothsr man. Al
4 that no man ever mestioned the subject
him again, except ms
pr Mrs. Townsend laid her knitting ssit
and looked thoughtiully into the Are.
He was smother specimen OF the eli
4 u men / Va speaking o. ! hsvs %
"a him ises death score Of times y quis
u = I isce the fire. IL matters very lit
~ what takes me Of, be ussd 10 say; i
ID nothing 70 live for. and there's no one II
ut will shed tear for me when | am gor
On It's sad thought fer . msu to have, /.
ng'
,os Mr.. Townsend sighed ~ she said
be thought il vas.
~ "But did be ever tell you the name
the womas vhe jiltsd Kim"
10 Il knew her Jfra name
,er What Vas in"
Maria.
.. The plump little widow alnost star
out Of her chair. the nams ~ spoken
ipt exactly = Sam would have said y.
,sr did yoa know her, tooy BE- ssk
~ trns;n~ a her konnlv