The Delta independent., 1890-06-03
The 1lIidoW UIiley.

"Pinklebcrry, l heard a charming
young widow say the other day that
all bachelors were bears and that you
we're the 'Ursa Major of the lot-the
biggest bear of ALL"
"Humph! Hang widows, / say!"
.tYes, she said that such q man who
would live bachelors life in such a
pretty place as yours and put up
notices on the grounds warning off
tresspassers ought to be caught in a
trap and put out of their misery"
"Wcll, you can tell her for me that
I think the native East Indians the
most sensible people in the world.
When Il married man dies there they
burn his widow OH wood pile and
get rid of her at once. If that were
The law here we would be more COM
Portable. detcst widows, anyhow I"
Squire Durnham reported this con-
vcrsation, with few rhetorical addi-
lions, at the tea table of his sister-in-
Jaw, a pleasant-faced maiden lady, who
sked out rather narrow income by
aking half dozen summer boarders.
Her house, long and low and old-fash-
,oned and shaded by grove of ancient
sherry trees, was one of the Oldest in
The pretty little village of Edgewood,
out it delighted all strangers by its
picturesque surroundings.
The show place of the village was
The handsome stone mansion of Mr..
Pinkleberry, who was reputed to be
the richest man in the township and
who, as the ncighbors said with dis
gust, had "neither chick nor child to
leave his money to-" To speak more
ruthfully, his would have been the
show place if he had permitted visitors
within his gates, but he never enter
tained any strangers at his house, the
notices against trespassing which were
conspicuously posted up over every
entrance to his grounds kept away
those who would have been glad Of q
nearer view of his residence and Of q
sight of his household furnishings and
treasures which common report had
eabulously enlarged and overvalued.
All the boarders We're present at
Miss Harkins' tea-table when Squire
Burnham repeated his conversation
with Mr.. Pinklcberry. "The monster I"
said widow Smith, whose two sprightly
daughters from the metropolis had
made themselves recognized at Edge
wood as the bellies of the season.
ale ought to be married to an old
maid who would nag the life out of
him." said the elder daughter, and
changing would be too good for
him." chimed in the younger. Indeed,
it might have gone hard with the wo-
man-hating bachelor had this bevy of
ladies been made the jury with power
70 administer to him such punishment
IS feminine Judge Lynch should de-
eide upon.
There was one lady present who lis
sened to the discussion with quiet mien
but an ominous flashing of her hazel
.yes. She had been staying at the house
for nearly month, but no one knew
anythi G about the bright, pretty little
woman of twenty-five, whose face was
always demure but her conversation
sparkling and witty, except that her
name was Wiley. The fact that she was
\ guest there was sufficient evidence of
her responsibility, and her manners gave
the best of evidence to her good birth
and breeding. But the young ladies had
all along been puzzled to know whether
she was the rival they most feared in
their 1lirtations-a widow. In vain they
had applied to Miss Harkins for infor-
nation. That lady was accustomed to
speak, in the village vernacular, even
Of the most venerable of married ladies
IS "M-s Smith" or :.Miss Brown and
she answered their queries by saying :
"Law, me! I've something better to do
than go asking Miss Wiley If she has
ever buried a husband or notl"
1t was few days after this heaping
Of feminine anathemas on the head OF
Mr.. Pinkleberry that this gentleman
made his appearance at the boarding
house to consult Miss Harkins in REFER
encc to the proposed purchase of por-
ton of her land which lay contiguous
To his own. When the conference had
,ecn concluded the two walked out on
he front piazza where the pretty little
widow (for we may as well confess
here that "Afiss" Wiley was ga widow
ndeed'') sat in camp chair busily
crocheting in worsteds. Mr.. Pinkle-
berry nodded bare Acknowledgement
nf the Introduction which Miss Har.
sins gave him TO "Miss Wiley" but as
did so must have found the picture
presented TO his eyes most enhancing
nne--aDd, to be sure, he might have
n'Deycd fifty miles without meeting
!. more attractive face and figure-for
lie paused and, leaning againsta pillar
with his hands in his pockets aud hi,
bat on his ead, watched her busy
dainty fiDgeB for full minute before
lie spoke.
"Strangcr hcre?" at last asked thu
rich man Of Edgewood, in patroniz.
~ fasliion.
The lndy looked up will, a surprised
nthcr than naughty air and looked thu
von-clad bachelor squarely In the face
"Did you speak to me, sirr'
eyes miss. ! asked Il You wcra {