Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-01-27

never dream that I've dared TO let il TO q
woman-and a woman with little boy.
1 shall have to speak of you as party.
For really don't dare to go 50 far as to
call you "a single gentleman. ,"
This set the little widow laughing and
she looked prettier than ever-her smile
cleaning through her tears as she stood
on tiptoe and kissed the faded cheek
that had not been kissed before for
years.
So the young widow and her lovely
blue-ey golden haired boy-'the per-
feet model of little angel" Ursula. de-
cl4red him-were installed in the front
attic-room that very evening. And a
cosy room it was, too, with CHEEKY fire
in tiny stove, and warm crimson cur
tains draping the corner window that
overlooked the broad, busy street,
81 think you will find it real snug
quarters he-e, Mrs. Brown" said Dan
Lewis as he sat down the party's trunk.
Gle had been friend of her husband
and was always ready to do her good
turn.) "You won't see the old lady as
long as she is lame, and | guess that may
be for years, or it may be forever, as
the song says and the daughter, though
| haven't spoken to her more'n half
dozen times, strikes me as nice sort OF
woman. Pretty, too, if she wasn't so
awful thin"
And, as time went on, Mrs. Brown
found her nice sort Of wonan-in fact,
a very nice sort of woman. True, she
only saw her for about an hour every
afternoon, when old Tabitha Shape was
taking her aftcr-dinner nap, but given
an hour every afternoon for few weeks
and two women can become very
we'll acquainted. And soon-Ursula tell
ing it in chapters, as it were-the little
widow knew the whole history of her
landlady and her landlady's daughter.
Of which history it is only necessary that
should repeat that portion relating to
Ursula's only brothers wife and child.
And 1 will repeat it in Ursula's own
words.
my mother fairly idolized my
BROTHER she said, land hoped and
prayed that he would never marry.
But, shortly after my fathers death,
when he was but twenty three years old,
he died. And in two years his wife
deserted him and her baby-boy. He
lived only year after she left him.
Then my mother gave all her love
to his child, who looked as much like
an angel as your Walter does. Well,
when the boy was 5 years of age his
wicked mother stole him from us and
in spite of all our efforts we never saw
him again until one evening we found
him at our door dying from privation
and ill-usage. And when he passed to
the summer land, Never cried my
mother, never shall woman or child
enter my house again Then we left our
home, which is miles and miles away, and
came here, where my life has been lonely
enough [ can tell you, for my mothers
whole nature seemed to change on the
day of my little nephew's death, and
from being a kind and loving woman
she became very-a very arbitrary one.
Your coming has made it oh! so much
brighter, but 1 live in constant dread
that she will find out"
ooh no she WON'T" interrupted the
little widow. ''No one but Dan knows
Pm here and there's no fear of his telling.
He's good fellow, Dan is" and Ursula
as she said so.
eyes, he seems to be a good fellowr'
said the landlady's daughter, with
sigh.
Well, the widow had been installed in
LHc dGilC IOOHl 1OI duO d
half, when she awoke morning to say to
herself: "Dear me! This is the day be-
fore Walters holiday, and I'll have to
leave him home while go out to buy
him some toys. l must try and go while |
the old lady is taking her nap, so that
Ursula can stay with him"
But she couldn't get the work-on the |
payment for which depended the buying
Of the toys-done in time to carry out |
his plan, so she was obliged to start just !
after the old lady had taken her nap. !
And, fearing to leave the child in the
room with the fire, she carried him to the |
room beow heated by the cellar furnace,
the occupant of which being really "a
single gentleman" was away at business,
and after enjoining him to touch moth !
ng, but sit and look out of the window
until she came back, she kissed him !
goodbye and departed.
Walter sat still for long quarter of |
IN hour. Then he slid from the chair |
md walked about the room, looking at
,he pictures, and pipes, and canes, etc.
Then down the long stairs he toiled, |
20 be confronted by the closed parlor !
doors. "Guess there isn't any chimney |
n there" he said, after trying in vain to
urn the door-knobs, and away he went |
Down the next flight of stairs, till the |
owest hall was reached. And here,
at an open door, he looked in at |
grim old woman sitting. in a big, old |
fashioned rocking chair, with her knit !