The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-12-30

privations, and now that there were but |
two months more TO stay, she was half
sorry.
She had been putting away some OF
her summer clothes, and white Mother
Hubbard wrapper, favorite garment
Of the widows, hung upon clothesline
beside the house. 1t was dainty
thing, white cambric, with lace-edged
rufies and with pink ribbon bow with
long ends at the neck. Indeed, TO have
seen the widow in it would have recon-
ciled the most prejudiced person to the
much-maligned Mother Hubbard.
There had been little fitful gusts OF
wind all day and late in the afternoonit
became quite gale. The tumble weeds
hurried from spot to spot as the wind
veered about, and the dainty Mother
Hubbard tapped furiously inthe breeze,
but the widow was reading q very In
teresting book and never looked up until
crash came flying board against the
side of the house and the shanty began
TO sway and rock like cradle.
Il was short-lived storm and there
was no damage done, and in half an
hour the sky was again clear; but
when Mrs. Drake went out to look for
her gown It was gone. OF course the
wind had torn it TO tatters. There was
no use to look for II; it was gone for
ever, and with sigh the little woman
: went into the house. W
The next two months few very
!, swiftly. The bachelor had grown
bolder and had come to call, but the
lively widow did the most OF the talk
= ing and he replied In broken monosyl
A lables.
: The weather was still bright ant
a pleasant, and there had been no oliz
Il yards, no snow. That was remark
! able" too, for It was nearly holida.
% time.
Then came Xmas, such queer, quie
\. day with not even letter from Priscil
!. la. But even then there was genuin
= regret In her heart when Mrs. Drak
4 began to pack her belongings prepars
n tory to going back TO the states. Sh
!. was in better health and spirits tha
- ever before, and she had quarter SCI
ton Of land Of her own and she ha
. made some pleasant friends. On tn
whole 1t had paid well.
Il was New Years eve and she WI
| 70 leave the next morning. She put 9
n an extra lump Of coal and set u
\ lighted lamp In the window. 81
u thought II might cheer some one, yc
know, and II did; 1t shone way out Z
the path and lit the way for the bac
u elor as he came hurrying across u
= fields. t lt l-H
/, As he came into the little room, ba
of all the pretty little articles whi'
, had made IL SO cheerful and homelik
4 his heart gave thump 10 think that
~ would SO SON be empty and deserte
!, and he resolved to say what was on
mind at once. ....,
) But the words would not come;
= could only open the parcel which
had brought and take out-guess VIII
The tattered remnants Of q cambr
Mother Hubbard
As the widow gave little squeal
ct surprise, he said, with stately DO
md "T have bring ze-ze chemise
ris- madame, which ze wind brings TO
so long ago." And with an impetuc
on motion he tore open his coat and thu
not over his heart lay the folded pink T
old bon which had been at the throat OF
gown.
ers Somehow after that he didn't M
w's words, for the widows dark head res
.oy- ON the ribbon and both his arms w
the about her.
ice, Now there Is something irresisti
the funny about the courtship Of midt
5 a aged lovers. Young lovers are inter'
? Of ing enough, and old lovers are patti
ers, ically grotesque, but when two C
lose mon-place people in middle life fal
TO love with each other defy them
clrs behave so that they arc above ridic'
So we will draw the curtain HI
nty when tell you that after her lover
who gone the widow whispered TO Tom;
He romantic, isn't IL? But how absurd
he call IL chemise." The widow retur
as 10 her old home and to Priscilla; an
ired has leaked out that she is wearir
lary ring with Happy New Year" engra
inside, so the neighbors believe that
ften wedding is TO come of on an ami
Ipon sary Of that day. ..
fine But have told all that / am going
in now, and II you really want to lkno
,rly, they are married, just look among
only marriage notices on New Years day
the ..tH. = MARrF MORE MARS