The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-01-09

passed him, with the good-natured
''Howdy" that was the customary
greeting of the country.
The widow had watched him often
from the window as he plowed up his
claim, and She admired his fine manly
bearing, and she did wish in heart he'd
be q bit neighborly, and she told Tom
50; bat Tom only purred and stretched
himself in the sun.
Now, as | said, the schoolma'ams
were passionately fond of flowers and
were discouraged and chagrinned that
nothing would grow in their door
yard. So one day when they saw the
owner of Vine cottage, as they called
it, setting out for town, they equipped
themselves with a basket and trowel
and, stopping for the widow, they
went on tour of pilIage-
They all entered into the fun of the
thing and in an hour or more a droop-
ing, dejected-looking vine was cling
ing to 5 string beside the door of each
cottage.
And the odd thing was, that while
the vine of the schoolma'ams faded
and died, that of the widow grew and
throve marvelously. So wonderful
was its growth that soon it began to
spread over the walls and roof until
her shanty rivaled the vine cottage in
the way OF verdure. And the two old
maids jolled the widow and caused her
to blush furiously at the undignified
prank she had played in getting the
vine.
In time, the shy man grew little
neighborly and sometimes a brace OF
prairie chickens would be hung, with
out word, on the widows door. Or
again il would be a lot of rare pebbles,
quartz and agate, or a trout or pickerel
from the lake near by. And at each
offering the widow would nod her
pretty head wisely and smile 10 her
self.
Nature was kind to the pioneers that
year. There had bcen no severe storms,
no terrible heat c: drought, and in
November it was still mild and warm,
without a sign of frost. Everyone said
that il was a remarkable season, just as
though the remark were quite new and
original.
The widow was saying TO herself one
afternoon that after all it had been
very pleasant to be q pioneer woman.
There had been no great discomtorts
and depriyations, and now that there
were but two months more 10 stay, she
was half sorry.
She had been putting away some Of
her clothes, and a white Mother Hub
bard wrapper, "a favorite garment of
the widows, hung upon a clothcslinc
beside the house. 1t was a dainty
thing, white cambric, with lace-edged
rIfiies and with pink ribbon bow
with long ends at the neck. Indeed,
to have seen the widow in it would
have reconciIcd the most prcjudiced
person to the mIch-mlligned Mother
Hubbard.
There had been little fitful gusts OF
wind all day and late in the afternoon
it became quite a gale. the tumble
weeds hurried from spot TO spot as the
wind veered about, and the dainty
Mother Hubbard tapped furiously in
the breeze, bat the widow was reading
Il very interesting book and never look
ed up until crash came flying board
against the side of the house and the
shanty began to sway and rock like a
cradle.
Ii was Il short-liycd storm and there
was no damage done, and in half an
hour the SKY was again clear; bat
when Mrs. Drake went ont to look for
her gown it was gone. or course the
wind had torn it to tatters. There was
no use to look for it; it was gone for
ever, and with a sigh the little woman
went into the house.
The next two months flew very rap
idly. The bachelor had grown bolier
and had come to call, but the lively
widow did most of the talking and he
replied in broken monosyllables.
The weather was still bright and
pleasant, and there had been no biz
yards, no snow. That was remarka
BILE, too, for it was nearly holiday
time.
Then came Xnas, such queer, qui-
ct day with not even letter from Pris-
ella. But even then there was genu-
Inc regret in her heart when Mrs.
Drake began to pack her belongings
preparatory 10 going back to the states.
She was in better health AMI spirits
than ever before, and she had quar-
ter section of land of her own and she
had made some pleasant friends. On
the whole il had paid well.
Ii was New Years eve and she was
to leave the next morning. She put on
an extra lump of coal and set the light
ed lamp in the window. She thought
il might cheer some one, you know,
and it did; it shone way out on the
path and lit the way for the bachelor
as he came hurrying across the fitlds.
As he came into the little room, bare
of all the pretty little articles which
had made it so cheerful and homelike,
his heart gave a thump to think that
it would 50 soon be empty and desert
cd, and he resolved 10 say what was on
his mind M once.
But the words wolld not come; he
could only open the parcel which he