The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-19
BARITONE'S WIDOW.
How a Mercenary Lover Received
His Just Deserts.

His Just Deserts.
The cool June light was Sitting
through the screen of Erape-leavcs that
vailed the milll-room window from the
inquisitive glare Of the sun: the bunch
of scarlet fCld-lilics in the handlcss
blue pitcher was scarcely faded yet;
and Columbinc Carter, skimminG the
leathrry folds Of wriukling cream from
the broad pans, wore a heightened col
or on her checks as she listened to Miss
Decima Johnson's words.
''Wiu Hamcrsic going to marry the
widow Baritonc?' said she. II don't
believe Il word Of it,"
~ ON can believe it or not. Just as
you choose, Biny Carter" said Miss
Dccima, bridling: but it's as true as
the text of Parson Dillingham's next
Sunday sermon. Why shouldn't he
marry her, I'd like TO llnow?'
Biny Cartcr-pronounced ''Beeny''-
was fair and plump and smooth
skinned, with tender blue eyes, and
lips redder than any wild plum. Miss
Decima was saIlow and specialized, with
angles enough for new edition of
Euclid"
zone reason is" Biny answered,
slowly, that he is engaged TO me-
That don't make no difference"
said Miss Decima, with a malicious
chucllle; now that breach-o'-promise
cases are out Of fashion men think they
can do as they please And Mrs. Bari
tone is very nice-looking woman yet,
if she IS gone sixty, and you know
there's the legacy she's just received
from old Uncle BaritOne's bachelor
brother, up in Utica. And VIII Ham
erslie always did set store by money!
His father, as everyone knows, was
miscr before him.
Biny Carter went on skimming her
milk with compressed lips and new
sparkle in her eyes. She was too proud,
before Decima johnson, TO let the tears
fall, which were already obscuring her
vision.
''Of course ne can do as he pleases," 3"
said she.
''Oh, of course. Nobody doubts that, ="
retorted Decima johnson. but the
main thing came for was to ask if you
were going TO the donation party to-
morrow afternOOn?'
No" said Biny, shortly; father
does not approve of donation parties"
Miss Baritone and VIII Hamerslie
are to be there, slyly suggested Miss
Dccima.
Are they?" said Biny. That makes
no difference to me"
oh" said Decima; and then, seeing
old Squire Ball jogging past in his road
wagon, she suddenly remembered that
she had promised n crochet pattern To
Mrs. Ball; and, taking a hurried leave
Of Biny Carter, she bounced out into
N. far-y-iJ S,,,r,a,- grlpyyy of fla n,tSiJa
world and disappeared.
Then, and not until then, Biny sat
down by bubbling little spring
walled up in the corner of the milk
room and cried.
care ali men like that, I wonder?''
said Biny, addressing her own reflection
in the limpid pool. IF they are,
think I'll 60 and be nun. Mrs. Bari
tone, indeed. \ woman old enough To
be his mother, And the widow of that
drunken old fiddler who fell over the
Lime Cliffs, three years ago, and per-
ishcd as miscrably as he had lived.
And all because of-a legacy! Oh, Eve
no patience with people,
And then Biny cried harder than
ever, and tried to convince herself that
the whole story was not true, but
only an otTshot of Decima Johnson's
imagination.
But it ,ras true. In some things Miss
Dccima Johnson's tongue had only
borne n correct witness. Willard Ham
erslic lad inherited somewhat of his
miscrly fathers gripping grinding tenn
permanent. lie was cmphatically
money worshiper, and had allowed
himself To be dazzlcd by the widow
Baritone's legacy.
Mrs. Baritone herself was a trim,
( neat-waistcd little woman, who looked
many years younger than her actual
age. People were uncharitable enough
10 say that she had become young since
the sudden death Of her husband, whose
numerous faults and bacllslidinEs had
kept her perpctually on the ragged
edge of apprehension.
.'He was trial, Baritone was, con
fcssed the widow, candidly. There
amt no denyin' that. But / never
I knew how much store ! set by him
until they brought home his poor, bat
| tered hat out OF the lime kiln, and told
me that was all that was left of him
Poor, dear Baritone. lie always AID
that women hadn't no business To mar
ry again; but he never could have fore
seen this legacy. How is a poor female
TO invest IL without little advice.
! And, really, Mr.. Hdmcrslic is 90 press
| ing; and I've lived a solitary life for
three years, come next October, and
Tho last conjunction w,.a swallowed