The Grenada gazette., 1886-01-30
A CALIFORNIA WIDOW.
At Last She Was Seen in a Very
Strong Light.

The idea of that little thing being a
widow
And widow of four years stand
ing! 1t fairly takes ones breath away.
She doesn't look day over fifteen.
''ENceptin in strong light In a strong
light she would be taken for every day
of twcnty-one, I never settle upon a
woman age until have seen her in 4
strong light"
This rather pointed remark from the
lips of Miss Pickett, spinster whose
age was frankly beyond repair, seemed
to produce an electric effect Every
woman on the piazza, as though sud-
denly reminded Of a neglected duty.
began carefully protecting her eyes
from the giarc of the sky.
Il wonder if she will get the English
man. began the first speaker again,
"She is putting in some pretty hard
work. H"r slightest glance is the in
carnaton Of hattery."
"A great mistake. Never rive a man
more than he eXpects--you will only
bore him. Syrup is 4 commodity which
should be used >paringly.'
Il am not sure of that. A man is a
very weak thing"
"Hr!l. mark my word-he doesn't
mean thing; he is only amusing HIM
self
a boarIing-house in Santa Barbara.
even when nestled amidst all the lux
uriance Of semi-tropical California, is
quite like other boarding houses after
all. Thus it was that Radcliffe man
sion, though shaded by graceful pep
pers and the stately eucalyptus, though
knowing the delights of figs and
oranges fresh from the trees, though
wrapped in an atmosphere fit for the
hours, was yet nothing more than a
regular American boarding-house 1t
the usual abundance of idle |
women, the usual scarcity of vigorous
men, the usual superfuity of gossip.
So it happened that the boarders at
mansion-which. by the way,
was no more of Il mansion than any re-
spectacle two-stOry building. but was
ourdcned with that title in Difference to
the prevailing California tendency to
make everything greater than it is
were all more or less interested in Mrs.
cora Tyrcll. Mrs. Tyrrell sat oppo-
ute me at table, and I used to watch
Ter in 4 sort of maze that anv one
'ould be 50 young and fresh and fair
nd yet be widowed. Her form was
bsurdly slight for full-grown wom-
n $ while her face was as sweet and
'uilclcss as a child's. She some way
eminded me of pansy, particularly
'hen she wore slightly faring hat,
s dusky brim setting off to perfection
lc Transparency of her complexion,
lc soft baby-like rings of her hair, the l
rye, tender, pathetic eyes. Beauty {
this sort wins women as well as men, {
ven crisp Miss Pickett, noted for the t
verify Of her mental atmosphere, !
zen Miss Pickett was subjugated. i
OF woman grudged Mrs. Tyrrell her
'auty, but several drew the line at the o
lglishman. Feminine generosity has c
J limits. h
You see Percy Elliott was the only n
gible man at Radcliffe mansion Ii
gible in the worlds acceptati0n of "
{ term, which has a well-defned k
ference to an irreproachable bank
rount-and it was hard to watch Il
n slowly disappear down the W
lows little throat. He was a tall, sc
nchalant young fellow, quite coll W
oed of his own importance, after di
fashion of his cOnntrymen. A GER in
a narrowness Of chest told why he to
s wntering in this far western land, N
| frequent horseback rides with Mrs. W.
rrcll told that he believed in fe
lgling business with pleasure She tn
J n wonderful horscwoman, riding ov
,asly without the saddle as with it. dr.
jumping any fence without a ter
nor These equestrian duets stimu- ieG
d the boarders to the liveliest CHI
Would she get him? ser
end upon it she wouldn't. En- evl
hmen don't marry poor widows. wa
ora certainly was not overburdened as
| money, though her taste in dress pro
fully concealed the deficiency. for
elry of every description she utter tie
schewed, but the gloom of her "
e was exquisitely relieved by cy
ers. She was never without chill
ers upon her breast, at first mod him
dempre violea, suggestive Of In b