The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1895-10-19


when he married again he should choose
sweet sixteen as an antidote to his first
disappointment. If he made a model
husband to an elderly wife, what an
ideal companion for youth and mex
perience!
Meanwhile Robert Kester went on the
even tenor Of his way, not so much as
looking at spinster or maiden fair, or
troubling his head over the manifest
interest displayed toward him. He was
mourning sincerely the good woman
who had been taken from his home,
aud who had made his life most COM
Portable one. No question Of disparity
in age had ever come up between them
since he had asked her to marry him
and she had reminded him that she
was twenty years the older.
You will be ridiculed, and will be
blamed" she said, and persistently re-
fused him.
Then he was very ill from a long, tire
some fever, and she nursed him through
it. and he resumed his offer of mar
riage.
There is a law against a man marry
ing his mother" she said to this.
"Then be my mother-in-law," he urg-
ed, "only take me for better and for
worse" and he quoted something that
Emerson had just then written, to the
effect that he who loves is in no degree
Old.
Yes. but he says 'he'-that is for
man.
Man in the abstract. of whom wo-
man is a part. If you will not say yes
I will conjure up the fever again and
you will be sorry"
in this fashion he urged his suit, but
she drew ludicrous picture of the aged
wife outliving the affection of her hus-
band, who found too late that he want
ed youthful society and amusement
She even rehearsed all the unkind
things that would be sure to be said.
making them appear in their most
ridiculous light.
His answer included the illustrious
example of the Baroness Burdett-Coutts
and at last she relented and they were
married.
If people expected the middle-aged
bride TO put on youthful airs they were
disappointed. She was calm and digni-
fled. and her husband looked so thor
oughly satisfied that the gossipS Wefa
heart-broken. The world was not ex-
cluded from their domain: neither was
it exactly invited in. AS the years went
by Robert grew elderly and comforta-
ble-looking, possibly from association.
1t was noticed that when they gave d
PARTY, as they sometimes did. that he
went about with the young people and
entered into all their sports, and then
the gossips wagged their heads and
said, II told you sol" They could not
hear him say after the company had
gone:
isn't it a relief to be by ourselves.
mother? | tried to make myself agree
able as you asked me to, but it was
stupid trying. I wish we didn't have tu
entertain"
He called her mother" though no
child was theirs, and it was at times
on her "mothering."
One Sunday he had gone to church
alune-an unusual event, but she had
insisted. It was the beginning of the
end that was coming to their long court
ship, and she wanted to be alone and
think it overflow best to tell him. And
he had come home, disturbing a con-
ference with God, to say this:
Mother, how could you let me go to
church with the legs Of my trousers
rolled up like that?"
My dear boy''-he was always her
"dear boy" to the last hand-clasp-
"how could prevent you? You were
in such a hurry you did not present
yourself for inspection"
But you knew they were rolled up
the last rainy day."
"And hadn't you the sense to roll
them down when it was dry? Why,
Robert, living with me must have
turned your BRAIN"
That was enough. He kissed her
with all the warmth of lover. and that
was as far as ever quarrel progressed.
A year passed, and not only was Rob-
ert Kester still widower, but he had
not even begun to take notice. He lived
in the comfortable house which had
been his home for many years, and it
was taken care Of by a chore-woman
who came twice day and cared for
the premises when he was absent. No
invitations had wheedled him out Of his
solitude. and he had never noticed any
Of the sixteen-year-old girls who were
to succeed Mrs. Kester. All overtures
Of sympathy and respect were put
aside. and 1t loc I as If the most elig-
i5le widower in Green County was to re-
main widower to the end of his days.
Robert Kester owned a good horse,
which he drove to covered buggy, in
which he and Fis late wife had explored
every nook and corner of the town in
which they lived, and much Of the sur
rounding country.
After his wifes death he occupied the
buggy alone. It was the one pleasure
he allowed himself and he drove more
frequently than anywhere else to the
cemetery in which she reposed. He
went there at all hours, but no one could
say whether / rift or sentiment took
him there. The lot was kept like her
flower garden at home. and no other