The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-07-20
HIS MATCH.

L
In the next he was a widower with four
children. (Orphies, being an only child,
was unused to children.) And lastly,
he was the crossest grained, most misery
man that ever existed.
Every one in Hillwood knew him.
They knew he had been the means of his
| first wife finding an early grave; and
now he wanted to break Miss French s
heart; pretty, dimpled, brown eyed
Orphies, the pride of the village and the
admiration of all.
How she came to choose surly selfish
man like Hector Hunter was wonder
to everybody. 1t was well known that
blue eyed, sunny faced Charlie Chester
stood ready to lay down his life for her
sake, and that James Singleton had Of
fered himself to her at least three times.
Either would have been considered a
good match, and yet it was quite evident
that Hector Hunter was the man she
loved, and she had been known to watch
beside him day and night when he was
ill, and refuse all food till she was sure
he was out of danger.
Yes, Miss French did love him. She
was engaged to him, too. and that sunny
morning in June was to witness her
bridal.
She was to be married in the little
church where she had been baptized, in
the presence of those who had known
and loved her from a child.
So what was really nobody's business
was everybody's business, and proved the
topic of conversation throughout the en-
tire village.
All her girl friends pitied her; all her
male acquaintance envied Hector Hun
ter. All the matrons bewailed her fate;
all the sires limited that the bridegroom
was lucky man.
Finally came the organ peals, then the
solemn service-for it was solemn-and
then pretty Orphies went down the aisle
leaning on the arm of her sour looking
husband as smilingly as if her path was
strewn with roses, and her future as
clear as a lake at even, when the glory
of the setting sun rests upon its placid
bosom.
81 can't afford to take wedding trip,
Orphies," Mr.. Hunter had said the night
he slipped the engagement ring on her
finger and listened to the shy "yes"
whispered under the tree that grew back
Of her home.
cit costs good deal to live nowadays.
The children need clothes, and twill take
a S. bill right out of my pocket to pay
the minister. You won't care, will you9
You had just as soon settle down as a
sensible woman, hadn't you9 That is
the way my first wife did"
And Orphies said "yes, she'd do any
thing he liked" like the dear little thing
she was.
So as soon as her gray haired pastor
had made her Mrs. Hector Hunter, she
walked quietly across the village cont.
mon to the large gloomy looking house
built on its edge, and closed the door in
the faces of those looking after her with
O world of COMMUNICATION in their eyes.
''She'n regret this act of hern, or my
name is not Miranda Highhyer," said one
narrow minded spinster to another.
''She'n look like wilted rose by the
time she has lived three weeks with those
children" said Miss Dean, the village
dressmaker, to her customer, Mrs. Flint.
81 know all about them. onca made a
dress for the first Mrs. Hunter, and had
a chance to see some of their actions"
"We've lost our pretty Orphies for
ever" said gray haired Farmer Slocum.
Crude hands have picked our sweet briar
rose, and there is none other so fair
"We are going to have Orphies French
for step mother" said the Hunter
children, pressing up to the window
which commanded view of Hillswood
common and church. ''She's awful
pretty, bat it's mystery how she came
to marry father"
"You know the young folks so well,
Orphies, that there is no need of an intro
duction," said Mr.. Hunter, as his young
bride kissed one rosy face after another
and sat down in his dead wife's rocking
chair with the youngest on her knee.
"When you are rested we will go
over the house and take look at things,
then we will have some dinner. I dis
missed the housekeeper today, as knew
we should not need her after you came.
Her month was up, and as penny saved
is penny earned, let her go. Rosa
Bell is large enough to help you about
the house. She is 16, and as tall as you
are. L guess you will pull together first
rate"
Pretty Orphies looked at her step
daughter questioningly.
81 hope So" she said, quickly. "Yes,"
kissing her, II am quite sure that we
shall"
That kiss won Rosa Bell.
'Arthur," she said to her 12-year-old
brother the moment the door closed be-
hind her new mother, stake heart. do
believe there is change coming. The
second Mrs. Hunter is very sweet and
smiling, but should not be surprised il
father had found his match. She doesn't
say great deal, but there is look in
her eye which makes me feel funny"
"He'll tame her before long," an
swered Arthur, with knowing shake Of
his head. "She'll have to knock under
the same as the rest of us. / wonder il
he'll let me go out on the common to-
night2 The boys are getting up base
ball match. Tom Jones was here this
morning and made me promise I'd come.
The Skinfiints are going to play against
the Ironsides, but I'll bet on the a
"You mustn't bet at ALL" interrupted
Rosa Bell, tying on her apron and bus
Ting about the poorly spread table in the
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