The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-01-18


show a widows ring.
/ now saw that she was widow a
young and charming widow, and that the
infant was the pledge of love extin-
Fuished by the grave. She was free, and
i was about to be chained for life to
grandmother Gordoni
Come" she said with an angelic
smile; :" see you do not like my vencr-
able friend, but 1 am determined TO recon
Gle you 10 her. She IS a grandmother, il
is true. and therefore not so yoang a. she
has been, but she wears well-she is. in
deed. particularly healthy; and thus, if
you form a friendship with her, il is
likely to last for many years.
- That is the misery OF it, said I. IF
she were but like other old women-if she
were but subject 10 the common diseases
OF grandmothers-ny fate might be en-
durable"
Your fatei What has that to do with
Mrs. Gordon's longevity7"
" am only going TO be married to her
that's ALL and the absurd announce
ment was no sooner out OF my mouth
than the fair stranger broke into peals of
laughter which, TO my ears at that inaus-
picious moment, sounded ike the screams
| OF an evil spirit.
90 Pardon me" she said, endeavoring to
compose herself. = | am far too giddy for
a" and the widow kissed the orphan
| child. but the idea or a marriage be-
| tween you and Mrs Gordon Is SO ridicsI-
| lous. You appear TO be martyr to cir
cumstances. but has the Old lady given
| her conSentY'
"Her consent? Oh let her alone for
| that. There IS no likelihood OF her re-
| fusing me. and II refuse her, 1 may as
| well hang myself
Why think OF such an alternative?
| II you VIII not allow Mrs Gordon To en-
rlch you, there are fortunes in the world
\ still TO be made 10y the Industrious -
Give me motive cried 1 suddenly.
and Will both dare and suffer, l can
not do it for so poor a need as fortune;
| but place in the distance something
| worthy OF my efforts. something rich
enough TO reward them something"
| What che said mnocently.
| Love- cred |. IN desperation. and.
before she could prevent me had caught
| hold OF her baud and smCthered it with
| kisses.
! spent several hours with the lovely
| widow and Saw-ciearly saw-that only q
| little time was wanting to enable me 20
| gain EeE affections and then 1 hade her
adIeu exturting promise that she would
| not communicate my arrival 10 Mrs Cor
| don and hat when | called at the Court,
! she would see me alone that | might
have an Opportunity of telling her what
had passed between my uncle and my
self
When I arrived at my uncle's I found
him in very bad temper as he had ex-
pected me the day before and matte
we're not meDded when ! mentioned the
misgivings L had on the score OF domestic
/ happiness
Domestic fddlesticksr" cried he
What more would you have than a good
estate and u good wife-b healthy woman n
t. boot c,'Tpe of a long wibded race and
a. likely a. not to lay YOU beside my old
friend Gorlou' She is 8 grandpother
already. Dns5u that look welI2 You
| 10 hs4rf tn nd a III
gentleTnan grinned while 7 gave vent 70
a spasILodie exclamation Then what
distiIrhs you about her mora especially
when YOU tell me that theIe Is a vacancy
ia your hearth But here comes a letter
from the Court AMI tearing open a large,
old-fas shioued-looking mlssive presented
TO him by servant. he read as
follows.
my DEAR Sir am told that your
| nephew has arrived AMI a ta has been
| reported upon favorably ny o. who So
him yesterday and on whose taste and
judgment ! cah rely. ] am tempted 10
say. with the fraEkness Of nv character.
that i shall 6e happy 10 make his ac-
] qIain:ance.
/ am truly grateful for the many
obliging things / am told h. snil ~ me.
nnd 1 hope one day OF other he Will find
them all realized
|
TO you both. and, with test regards, ]
remain, as usual
GRANDMOTHER GORDON
''thero" cried the old gentleman,
with odious triumph There ia a
spirit for you, Why YOU dog. you will
be as happy as tie day Is long"
l scarcely heard him. Tor my thoughts
were crooiIRC bitterly over the Il eacheTy
| o! The beautifUl widow. She had broken
4 h44- a -.
| position 4 thogsard times more embar-
| ra-sIng bv Per's ;iadlng the wretched grand
mother that ] had lcen such an ass as 10
say complimentary things about her age,
uSl!ness and iniirm.ties. Ii was clear
that she was a Jilt that she had only
been laughing az my admiration, and
that she was now determined 10 extract
further amt -eTnent from my caIanlities
l resolved, however. TO die game.
Telling Iny uncle that. though we'll ac
quaintcd with Mrs. Gordon from report
desired TO see her personally before dc
Gliding. l threw myself on horseback anc
Galloped straightway to the Court
1t had teen my intention TO ask 70
Mrs. Gordon, but the willy widow wa.
on her guard, for. as the door opened
L heard her call to the servant in hel
silvery tones:
show the gentleman in here"
In another moment l stood once NOR,
in the presence of the unknown OF tht
forest.
e You forgot your promise" said
"you make Il sport OF my misery"
What could l have said when ques
ioned:' inquired she, sweetly. ''Bu
what misery do you allude to-the misery
OF marrying grandmother"
a. Ycs-when my heart il devoted *
another. But it is needless to talk 10 you
You are IS incapable OF passion as
statue. You could never have loveC
ever your husband =
You are in some degree wrong: still
I Was 50 young when 1 was married.
only sixteen-that / looked upon my hus
band moro as q guardian than a lover
was not quite seventeen when becam,
n mother"
rs ii possible? That Is not a grea
while ago"
Greater than you perhaps suppose
for a sound constitution and salubriou
air are apt 10 lead To mistakes. Woul,
you lake me to be well on toward thirty
fiveE"
:. What became of your ehild?" cried ]
suddenly.
We all married young in our family
replied the widow, hanging her head. Il
vas my daughters infant she continued
looking upat me with the most heautifu
ush that ever lit the checks ,f
giri, (which you restored To me vrst.r
day from among the daisies and butt "a
cups, and am Grandmother Gorlon."
During poiiu al lecture that wa,
being delivered short time since in ,
certain l.adical constituency, a rstnel
anu sing incident o curred. A numb