The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-03-01

terestP But she. was not a widow
widows are apt to be tricky. She was
an unmarried lady of twenty-odd
years, haIling from Boston, although
much travel had made her rather cos
mopolitan. A personal interview
showed that she was all my fancy
painted her. and l was inclined to
think that / had indeed discovered the
not impossible She
- L had my doubts of the delicacy Of
any woman who would answer such an
advertisement, but she confessed to
so much shame at having yielded TO
the whim that l could not help but
forgive her. Any man can forgive q
charming woman an indiscretion, par
ticularly when he is the cause of it;
and | waited impatiently for a second
interview. She told me that she was
engaged to a cousin, whom she detest-
ed; but family pride had forced her
into it, and she dreaded the day when
she must stand at the altar with him
/ hated that cousin; l wished that 1
might meet him under circumstances
that would give me half an excuse to
knock him down. / revolved plans
for breaking that engagement, and de-
termined 10 discuss the subject with
her at our second interview"
And did you break it?" inquired
Mr.. Carter, eagerly,
Don interrupt; it's impolite vixen
1 am talking, although necessary and
excusable when you are holding forth.
She sent an excuse the next day. To
say was disappointed is to put it very
mildly; and / wrote her note telling
l. l. L
bonds that kept her from me- Yes, it
was rather sudden, l know; but 1
really couldn't help it. She answered
evasively, and l wrote again, urging
her to see me. That's the way it went
on. One day was surprised to hear
that my professional services were re-
quired-'
Il should think it would be a sur
prise, remarked Mr.. Carter. WAS
it the fair Bostonian?"
The messenger told me that Mrs.
Gray wanted me to come at once. and
of course went 1 had no thought of
any thing but surprise at receiving
such a summons from any one and
had never heard of Mrs. Gray before.
l reached the house, and was con-
Quoted upstairs; then, for the first
time, l saw that il was my inamorata
that l was to attend.
"She blushed and stammered charm
| ingly when she saw me. She had not
| been feeling well, she said, and had
asked Mrs. Cray to send for a physi-
! clan, but did not know that had been
| summoned. Mrs. Gray was consider
! ate, and left US alone together. She
| drew from beneath her sofa-pillow the
| letters which L had written TO her.
You urge me to break the bonds
which bind me to another, and be
united to you. That other is my hus-
! band she said, in a low voice; what
| do you suppose that your rich, gener-
! Gus aud straitlaced maiden aunt would
say to your making love TO a married
! woman?'
But you told mel began, and
1 couldn't get any farther. She
! laughed, and put out her hand to me.
You're foolish boy she said,
and l forgive you for it. I suppose
you really couldn't help falling in love
with me; but the letters that you have
written would shock your respected
relative dreadfully. Wouldn't they.
| now?'
betrothed, but she laughed again; and
l remembered that the expressions L
had used would apply to husband as
well as to lover, to divorce as we'll
as to the breaking Of an engagement.
- Give me the pin which you wear
she said, and l will give you the let
ters.'
Il looked at her in astonishment.
The pin was a valuable stone, a gift
from my aunt last Christmas; and the
proposition seemed preposterous. She
was in earnest however, and finally /
made the trade. / really could not af-
ford 10 have my aunt get possession OF
those letters, with any such interpre-
tation attached to them"
But you said you were in love with
her. objected Mr.. Carter, apparently
bewildered by the change in the senti-
ments of his friend.
And so | was" replied DIR. Ray
mond, coolly; "but I'm not quite so
much so, now. Did you have an idea
that you were the only individual that
could indulge in buying up his own
letters"
"WeI, it strikes me that we have
both been DONE" remarked the law
yer, contemplatively
by the way, what did your divin-
ity look hke?" inquired Raymond. q
sudden suspicion crossing his mind.
This" was the laconic reply, as
the lawyer opened a drawer of his
desk and produced cabinet photo
graph of the dashing brunette.
We've botn been DONE" returned
the physician, reverting TO his friend s
former remark. as he gazed at tho
photograph; land, by George! it's the
same woman that's done it.
did you ever hear of going out for
wool and coming back shorn?" was
Mr.. Carter's inquiry, after the pair
had expressed their feelings rather
more freely than like to record.
Yes, I've heard of it, but l never
want to hear of this particular instance
again" was the answer; and the tone
was by no means lamb-like, although
the speaker may have felt sheepish.
Neither Mr.. Carter nor DIR. Ray
mond could afford to violate the conf
dence which the other had reposed in
him, and they continued to manifest
the Same fattering regard for each
other. The Kentucky widow, alias
the travelled Bostonian, was not given
to telling all she knew, and never
whispered to any one how she came
into possession of that two hundred
dollars and diamond pin. How, then.
did the present chronicler get posses
sion of the facts? y good story is
suggestive This one suggests that
question.-Miriam X. Davis, in Dem
orest's Monthly
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