Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-05-09
A WOMAN'S FREAK.

an orphan, with fortune. She was
handsome and wanted to have all
the fun she could, and didn't care for
expense. She found that she was IL
able to be talked about if she had all
the fun she desired, so she asked the
advice of q widow with whom she
trained n good deal, and the widow
told the girl she ought to be a widow
and then she could have all the fun
she wanted to and nobody would
say anything about it. The girl
took the advice in a kindly way
and decided that she would be a
widow. She did not want to marry
man and be married woman with
all that name implied and wait for
healthy man to die, and raise a
family of children in the meantime.
She wanted to enlist as a widow at
once. She consulted n doctor and
asked him to pick out for her man
who was physical wreck and poor,
one who would die within few weeks
at most. To such a man she felt sure
that she could prove a blessing.
She would marry him and give him
money to live on, or rather to die
on, give him all he needed to make
him comfortable, and when he was
gone she would be widow as she
desired. The doctor took hold
of the case with q good deal OF
interest, and finally told the girl of
young printer who was in the last
stages of consumption. The girl
asked the doctor if he was sure the
young man would die early, and he
promised her that he would vouch
for the sick man and see that he
shuffied off the mortal coil right soon.
The girl had the young man trotted
out for inspection and his cough was
all that she could have desired in a
husband. He lay on astretcher, and
as she watched him and became ia
miliar with his features, and listened
to his charming cough, she felt that
unless things were hurried a little he
would die before he was on her hands.
She inspected him carefully and de-
cided that she would be his widow,
and the marriage service was pro-
nounced, and she was a happy wife,
happy in the thought that may be
tomorrow she would be widow.
She figured out how much money it
would take to board her sick hus-
band for week or two and to bury
him, and placed the money in the
hands of the doctor, wished her sick
husband speedy relief from his sick.
ness, said 'ta-ta," and went home,
stopping at p store on the way to
purchase some mourning goods, as
she felt that society would ex-
pect her to dress in mourning
for her husband. The next morn
ing she sent over to the doctor to
know how her husband passed the
night, and was Mortified to learn that
he had rested better than usual, and
had eaten quito u breakfast. Who
can picture the woe of the poor wife
as she worked over the mourningsuit,
with the feeling that prehaps the hus-
band of her choice would not die after
all. Sitting there under the vine clad
porch, with roses everywhere, she
should have been happy, and she
would have been if she should have
seen Grape on the door of the
doctors house, but with that
dread feeling that the glo-
rious climate of California you
can't tell what may happen to a CON
sumptive. she was indeed miserable.
The doctor tried to explain that fire.
quently consumptives seemed to be
improving when they were on the
verge of the grave, and he was sure
her husband would have q relapse
soon and pass over the river. She
was encouraged somewhat by the
doctors kindly words, but there was
u vague suspicion in her mind that
she was being trifed with, though she
hoped for the best, and went on with
the constructions of her mourning
outfit, singing some simple ditty as
she worked. 1t was labor of love.
The next morning, contrary to the
doctors prediction, her husband was
yet better and when the sun got warm
he walked over to her cottage. She
met him at the door with cold hau-
teur and asked him to what circum-
stance she was indebted for the visit.
He said he happened to be walking
around for his constitutional, and
thought he would drop in and see how
his wife was passing the honeymoon.
She showed him the work she was en-
gagged upon and tried on her Ii ourn.
ing bonnet aud asked him if he didn't |
think it was becoming. He said it
made her look perfectly lovely, and
when he thought of the pleasure it
would give her to wear it, he was
ashamed of himself for hanging on
to life so long. She was fattered by
the compliment and in reply told him
that she hoped he would not hurry
about dying for n day or two, us she
could not get her mourning dress
done before that time. Thus thew
chatted for few moments, when the
other widow was passing, and he said
he would run out and see her safe
home. AS her husband walked away
with the widow the bride felt the first
pang of jealousy that she had everex-
and when the widow called
upon her later in the day to condole
with her on the distressingly good
health of her husband she would not
lpeoE tn tho widow N = 1,,o+ m