Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-09-12

OF the parlor and shook hands with
him. q
1t was Mr.. wincher, whom he
knew very well. 'N
"We1l go in and see her in a mo-
ment, my dear fellow" he said in a
whisper. 'She's a little agitated.
Ladies always are on such occasions.
Well leave her to herself awhile"
Occasions what occasionsf
asked Tomlinson.
You haven't suspected me, thenr
Wincher said. "She has Just prom
ised to make me happy by becoming
Mrs Wincher."
Again Tom1inson, with a woeful
aspect, uttered congratulations. "
Again Mrs. Dinwiddie gave little
sigh and drove away a little thought,
She was married to Mr.. Wincher
in the spring, and there was no sud
den dissolution Of the marriage, for
Mr.. Wincher lived 80 years, which,
for gentleman who was 4s, on his
wedding day was not doing SO badly,
He died of something with an ex,
ceedingly long name, and having been
very kind indeed to his wife she shed
great many bitter tears and felt
very, very lonely.
She was So now and had no chill.
dren.
The second widows cap and Grape
veil shaded the face of an elderly
woman, but she had grown round
and had bloom in her cheeks. few
gray hairs and a splendid set Of false
teeth, '''
When she had been a widow six
months, Tomlinson Perrybrook. an
old bachelor Of 65, utterly bald and
grown woefllly thin, sat over his soil
tary fire.
ut is queer how old fancies hang
on, he said to himself II suppose
I could. have any beautiful young
girl I choose to propose to" s(an old
bachelor always believes that, and
the older he grows and the uglier he
gets the stronger this strange hallu-
cination becomes). But ] am fond
er of Priscilla than any OF them.
"She is changed, Of course; not
pretty now, and suppose other men
think her an old woman, but she's a
darling yet, and if I can get her to
marry third time and come here
and i've in the old house / made
ready for her when she was II the
end of my life will be its happiest
and, God bless herl I'll try my best
to make her happy too"
Then he went to his desk and
looked at a bit Of ribbon she had
dropped from her hair the day she
was first bride, and that he had
saved all these years and kissed it,
and taking his cane Che had already
had a twinge or two of rheumatism)
went to call upon his Cousin Priscilla.
Portly and rosy, she sat knitting
at. her fire, neatly clad in widows
weeds Opposite her sata stout gen,
tleman, perhaps two or three years
her junior.
This is my next door neighbor,
Mr.. Packer, Cousin Tomlinson," she
said.
Tomlinson bowed; 30 did Mr.. p.
ANY relative of Mrs. Winchers
I'm delighted to know, I'm sure, he
said, with great emphasis. but he did
not go.
It is etiquette for one caller to leave
soon after the arrival Of another,
Cousin Tomlinson knew, but perhaps
Mr.. Packer did not, At, all events
he sat and sat and talked and talked
until Tomlinson, rising, said;
Cousin Priscilla, viii you see me
to the doori I've q word TO say to
you,"
She smiled and went into the hall
with him, He drew the door shut. :
"He pays long calls, ! see, /" he said,
Indicating Mr., Packer, ''
Something like blush mounted to
Priscillas face.
Perhaps he thinks he has right
to do 80, she said. I'm glad you
called tonight, for when q woman
of my age takes such step she
doesn't like to break it to her friends
herself. You must do 1t for me,
cousin. You must mention that /
am engaged to Mr.. Packer He is
a worthy man and respects mo
very much and has IA motherless
children, and our estates join, and I
am lonesome-oh, 80 lonesomel And
when people at our time Of life do
this sort OF thing, what is the use Of
delayi l shall, Of course, not marry
before the year is out, but then
Poor Tomlinsonl He sat down ON q
hall chair and excused the act by
speaking Of his late attack Of rheun-
atisn. Then he added. apropos Of
her late words:
'sYes. yes, delays are dangerousP
And then he said very softly;
well, well Goodby, Cousin Pris-
cillal Goodby"
And he held her hand longer than
he had ever before and for the last
time in his life and went down the
long gravel path. She looked after