The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-20
THE DOM Gs OF WOMEN FOLK.
Some of their Queer Notions Which
Attract attention.

Attract ACCenGlOn.
New York, Feb. lS.-There was buried
in Greenwood some few weeks since a
woman who will be missed from Brooklyn
streets. Every afternoon when the tide of
travel from New York was at It's height it
was met and stemmed by a quaint, bent
little figure trudging toward Catherine
Ferry 1t had white, abundant hair, curled
in a knot at the back of the head, eyes
bright as Rhine stones and a shrewd
wrinlled, uuZzical face. 1t never wore but
one gown. Summer or winter it was faith
full TO a soft old black silk, made in the
fashion of quarter of a century ago, with
lace collar at the throat, fastened with a
big brooch, incloSing braid of three or
four strands of hair. In warm weather it
wore a cashmere shawl, white once, but
yellowed with age, its tiowered sprays of
embroider frayed with many washings,
its long, knotted fringe reduced to the last
wiSp. In winter it was wrapped in a blanket
shawl that might have been 100 years Old.
Arrived opposite the exit from the ferry
house, there it stood, as if waiting for some
one. and in few minutes hobbled brskly
away alone.
Mrs. Green-few knew her name and in
any case she would not be recognized under
that title-waS woman of 50 or more, but
active enough to have been So She lived
in dingy side street to the north of the
bridge, in an old-fashioned, still stately
house, sadly in want of paint, whose
curiously wrought knocker and quantity
carved and paneled entrance tolu of a day
when fashion had not deserted that region
She had some money, but she lived abso-
lutely alone Had she wished it otherwise
doubt if she could have found domestics
to stay with her, for the few whom she took
so far into her confidence as to admit them
for an hour beneath her roof had an eerie
look when thew went away as If they had
seen ghosts.
MRS GREEN HAD BEEN FOR FORTY YEARS
a widow, and her three children died long
ago. She made will to suit her heirs but
warned them to keep at arms length. For
herself she reSurrected the dead past and
made it as if it were to her alive. When
her husband died she left his coat and hat
where they had hung in the hall. His gloves
were on the table, his cane leaned against
the wall She did not disturb his clothing
in the closets or the drawers. His slippers
were warming in front of the fire, his shaw
ing mug was in its accustomed place She
still set plate for him at table and opened
and dried the morning paper for his hand
Every afternoon she walked to Catherine
Ferry to meet him on his return from bust
less and home again as if he were at her
side. Her dead children she kept with her
in memory in the same way. Their playthings
were never taken from the floor, and a torn
dress lay for years across the window seat.
To step into her sitting room you would have
imagined it the abode of doIl-lOviug, horn
blowing boys and girls. In her fancy her
family was still unbroken, every room in
her house filled with mute witnesses to their
presence. But she was not forever young
woman and as her years came upon her so
naturally would they upon them If the
shopkeepers had known of her object it
would have been a strange sight to watch
her providing for the wants of that invisi-
Bile family. The baby's rattle was replaced
by TOYS and then by schoolbooks, and then
by the riding whip of the young man. Her
little girl had her first earrings, and then
her music lying about, and by and by the
teething ring of the first grandchild She
changed the fashion of her husbands clothes
as the years went by until she had him
finally wearing the muller and easy shoes
of an old man. The last time saw her she
was beginning upon the fourth generation,
or SO l imagined from the cradle which had
once more taken its place in her room. She
talked of her family and to her family con-
tinually. Passers heard her give the gossip
of the days doings to that unseen husband
as she walked up the hill with him at night.
She would interrupt a conversation to bid
Rachel be less noisy or to ask if you
noticed how rheumatism had taken hold of
the old man. In all other matters she was
a sharp business woman who managed her
own money affairs and turned neat little
sums by her prudence and skill. She had
her own opinions on questions IF the day,
and when things did not go to suit her she
was not slow to speak her mind. She never
hesitated to tell you if she thought you
dressed too richly for your income, and her
hobby was shoes, of which "Rache" and
Rachel's children had always good supply,
broadsoled, thick and low heeled ITS
saved 'em from ketchin' many a cold; Just
you try it, child, she has said to me- Her
husband and her son voted the Wing ticket
and then the straight Republican, aud she
never forgot election day any year If these
ballots did not count in the general result
they Jared little worse than those of some
more tangible men. Mrs. Green did her
best to keep her family up to all its duties,
and her devotion to her dream folk was not
the least amiable failing ever seen in
woman.
THE LATEST INSTANCE OF DRAMATIC Sue
CESS
on the part of an American girl in
England rejoices large circle of people
who knew Kathryn Kidder before she went
N tho That aytrap1nlu cIirY1