The herald., 1893-07-12
LOWRY'S WIDOW.

Lowry that he should have died at that
particular time. Had the unwelcome
event occurred month before it would
not have mattered SO much, but now,
just as he had struck it rich and had
written east for his wife to come on and
share his good fortune, it was, to say the
least very exasperating. But he was
dead beyond q doubt and likewise vari-
ously scattered, the result Of too close
intimacy with premature blast.
The miners gathered up his visible re-
mains and buried them with due 30
lemnity. Then they waited for the ad-
vent of the widow, but not withoutmuch
misgiving. How would they meet her9
And who of their number would assume
the delicate and embarrassing task Of
informing her that she was widowa
They talked 1t all over that night in
front Of Pete Simpsons bar.
Fac is, fellers," said One Eyed Jerry,
the autocrat Of the camp, as he turned
his solitary optic on the crowd, ''fac' is
it's tough job, but it's got to be done,
an I'll do tiff it takes q leg. Leave it to
me, fellers, an I'll let 'er down as sooth;n
as possible" And with deep feeling Of
relief that found expression in another
round of red liquor the miners left 1t to
Jerry.
In due course Of time a letter ddressed
to James Lowry in shaky, feminine
hand and postmarked Harrisburg ar
rived in camp and was opened by Low
ry's self appointed executors. 1t was
from Mrs. Lowry, and from it they
learned that she would not arrive for
several weeks.
One day about six weeks after the re-
ception of this letter as the stage ratified
up to the single so called hotel Of the
little Tuolumne mining camp the loun-
gers on the porch caught the glimpse of
dress inside. At once all was excite
ment.
"She's comei'' they all exclaimed.
"Where's jerry"
Jerry, who was seated at table in the
barroom, reluctantly laid down "pat
hand" and reached the outside in time
to assist the lady from the stage, awk-
wardly lifting his hat as he did so.
MRS. Lowry, ! reckon" said Jerry as
she alighted.
The lady threw back the veil from hn
face, smiled and answered:
eyes. Where's my husbandi"
The crowd that had gathered inquis-
! itively, but respectfully, about the stage
| fell back astounded, not at the question,
| but at the woman who asked It, Lowry
was so years old, if day, at the time he
was so unceremoniously fred out of exist
ence. He had never spoken much abou.
his wife, whom he had left in the east
fully 10 years before, yet from familiar
ity with Jim's age, his homely face and
still more homely ways the miners had
formed theimpression that his wife must
be a woman of 40 or as and equally angu-
lar and unimpressive in appearance. But
hero she was before them, a woman Of
possibly 80, plump and shapely, with a
face that was simply bewitching. She
was absolutely handsome, and there was
an expression in her eye and mouth that
seemed to indicate that she knew it.
The smile disappeared, and she looked
at Jerry somewhat anxiously. "Why
isn't MIR. Lowry here to meet me" she
asked.
There was painful pause. The min
ers looked at Jerry, and Jerry looked at
his boots.
"Fac' is, ma'am," he finally said as he
slowly twirled his greasy hat with one
hand, FAC Is, Jim's--a-ailin. Bin work
in ike-like blazes, you know, gettin
ready for you, an-an-sorter down with
fever or somethin. Fac is, hes-but
sayl You must be tired an hungry.
There's room fer you in this here hotel,
an FL take you over to see Jim later"
With apparent reluctance Mrs. Lowry
followed the hotel proprietor to the room
that had been fitted up for her weeks be-
fore and sacredly kept unoccupied ever
since, while the crowd, with exclama-
tions of astonishment and delight,
pressed forward to the bar.
"Fellers," said Jerry, with the air of
one who had just discovered rich
pocket" Of the yellow metal, "fellers,
here's to the widderp
An hour later Mrs. Lowry accompa-
MED Jerry to Jim's cabin, and on theway
up the trail he broke to her the sadn news
of her husbands death. But in what
way he impaired the melancholy infor-
NATION his companions never could
learn.
Fac is, fellers," he had said in reply
to their questions, 'tit makes me creepy
to think about it, she took on that terri
bic, but l let 'er down easy as poser
BILE. Thought she faint sure, special
when / showed her where Jim was
chucked. Her carryin on was mighty
depressin, I'm tellin you. Let's liquor"
The next morning the widow, who had
sat down at the supper table theevening
Of her arrival in gown Of soft toned
gray that at once took all the boarders
captive, surprised every one by appear
ing arrayed in a somber robe Of mourn
ing. Her face was pals and sorrowful,
ana there wss saailess III her voice that
excited the deep sympathy of all who
saw her.
All but one-Bradford, the "gentle.
man gambler" whose dark eyes and
long black mustache had dawned upon
the camp few months before, wore e
scowl as he got up from the late break
fast table He had eaten slowly, if in