Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-07
BEWARE OF WIDOWS.

BEWARE OF WIDOWS.
1t was typical winter day. A fine,
powdery snow was falling, and fringe
of icicles adorned the steep gables of
barns and farmhouses. The big trees
along the roadside ratified and shook
dismally.
But in spite of the cherries prospect,
Malvern Travers whistled cheerily to
himself as he breasted the driving wind
and made his way through the dry,
fast-falling snow towards his home.
III put it under her door tonight"
he was saying to himself, with smile
in his hazel-grey eyes.
Here his meditations were interrupted
by the sudden opening of the door as he
reached the threshold, and by a sharp
voice exclaiming:
Hurry up, for PHYS sake. Malvern,
and don't be a-letting the snow into the
house."
And Malvern obediently hurried in
as he answered with a smile:
mo danger of that, Priscilla. There's
not snow mountain.
There's mighty nigh it, them"
growled his sister-in-law. but you
don't seem to mind a-hamping over to
the post-office in such storm, and all
for nothin' I'll be bound. Git any let
ters?"
NO" returned Malvern meekly.
81 told you so, retorted Mrs. Pris-
ella in tone cf triumph
She was n worthy woman, and WELD
ed the domestic sceptre in her bachelor
brother-in-law's establishment with wis
dom and moderation.
But as there is no rose without n
thorn, Mrs Priscilla's really excellent
qualities were rather dimmed by the
possession of sharp tongue.
81 told the truth, smiled Malvern to
himself as he sought the privacy of his
own apartment. "She didn't ask if |
got a birthday card, so of course
wasn't obliged to tell"
And carefully taking a large, square
envelope from his overcoat pocket, he
drew out the card and examined it
carefully.
1t was very pretty card, with fam
cy border surrounding wreath of for
get-me-nots and orange-blosoms. which
encircled pair of doves with silver
wings. represented as billing and COO
ing atfectionately.
On the reverse side was simple
couplet in print.
AS to the oak tree clings the vine,
So my true heart will cling to thine"
The stnttie was not n very appropri-
ate one; but in Malvern's eyes it was the
pink of excellence.
lie was a very bashful man-so bash
full, in fact, that he passed his thir-
tieth birthday, and was still bachelor.
This fact was thorn in the side of
his sister-in-law, and many and sharp
were the lectures she had delivered to
him on the subject; but alas! with no
avail.
He could have shouldered his musket
and gone into a battle without a tremor:
but when it came to making love to
pretty girl, his heart and nerves both
failed him. And yet Malvern-poor
fellow-was in love.
lie had of late mustered up sufficient
courage to escort Electra Feversham
and her stepmother Ga widow to
church, and to a picnic or skating par
ty or other merrymaking on several oc-
casions.
But to his misfortune be it told he
found 1t easier to pay attention to the
elder lady than to the daughter; and.
as q consequence, the gossips of the
town had begun to connect his name
with that of Mrs. Ignatia Feversham,
much to their own amusement.
Now Electra was the prettiest Girl in
the village, with her sloe-black ewes.
and cheeks that matched the scarlet
chrysanthemumS she wore in her nut
brown hair, while her stepmother was
a snowy and not uncomely woman.
with Il sharp eye to the main chance.
and no decided objections to adopting
some other name i'll the place of Fever
sham.
Malvern Travers, though bashful,
was not wanting in decision. and he
had recently determined that if he
could only be reasonably well assured
that Electra would not refuse him. he
would manage TO make her an Offer
IN some fashion.
twas the morning before Electra's
birthday, and Electra was baking hard
IN the kitchen.
her stcpmother believed in early
breakfasts, and Electra was up before
daylight on the short winter mornings.