New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-19

emit ministers but his mind wandered in a vague.
pieasa mt way and he found that he could not fol-
low their WORDS. =, $780,
At noon tickets were given to the people from
ont Of town to the residents. Each ticket bore
a name and address. and entitled the bearer 10
a dinner ,..,
time among the Baptsts.
Mr.. Littefield took his bit Of pasteboard. found
the right street and the right house. ard when ne
reached the yard he nung up h!s head anu WANNA
smartly up the path.
He could not help little start when the dark
woman with the gray hair opened the door 10
him. Then he gathered himself up and SAID
II guess I'm ir luck this time to git sent
here"
The two sat ale ne at the dinner table After
the first cup OF tea they began to talk.
Does any one call youth frank? There Is moth
ing like the frankness Of age. and nothing Ike
age for the asking of leading questions
As he stirred his cream and tea MIR. Little
''Is your husband living?' Mrs Tate looked
steadily down into her teacup as she answered:
THE Lord took Mr. Tate five years ago the
18th of last February. He had old-fashioned con-
sumption. He sick long time
1T must have ben real wearin' to you Mis-
Tate"
seemed to roll off him. To sit opposite this wo-
man. and talk with her while he drank ex-
cellent tea and ate an excellent dinner. was hav-
ing the effect Of a miracle upon him
"'Twas wearin'.' was the response. put the
Lord helped me to bear It.
The man liked this reference to the Lord.
He was silent for a moment. Then he passed
his cup a third time.
II dknow when I've drunk such tea ne SAID.
What kind do you use. Mis- Tate?'
Regular black. But guess IT'S In the steep
in"
Il guess likely it's Lyddy, she's apt to bile her
ut sp!les tea to bile IT," remarked Mrs. Tate
80 tell UNI
lis this house your'n?" suddenly asked Mr..
rittlehed.
mo. faint But | have the use Of it IS longs
The speaker paused and dull red crept over
her face
"'Tlll what"
~ marry hut faint no ways likely sh'll
marry again"
~ d'knnw bout that" returned Mr.: Littleheld
with a great deal Of meaning. "A lady like YOU,
young lookn = you he, must have lots ~
chances" 49, .
Mrs rate made no reply to this save by a
conscious smile a..
nt,o,s n chances" repeated the man. boldly
Suddenly MI i,ltteneid began 10 o'la'n UPON
tho lonely condition of a widoWet even 'h"ush
he lived with his married dauah'er i'e Went
on 10 explain that he owned ne mouse, 'ha' n'
had ST. 900 IN the hank, and that II he should take
another wife he should give her $1,000 outright
lie said he never had been mean, and he want
gon' to begin now.
"You don't know nothin' bout me- he wen,
m,
anybody over To WinslOw N have nm ask all
they want to, m II things amt s say, why
The speaker paused, He was gazing al the
woman opposite him. and thinking how pleasant
her face was. and what good housekeeper she
seemed 10 be and how good her tea tasted
''If YOU amt no objections" he began again
1T wish you'd git somebody to go over to WINS
low will yOu?"
Mrs Tate was folding her napkin contemplate
lively. She glanced up at the sturdy face opposite
her. IT,, .soxo" s,o 70
Yes but Zenas. he's got house. m they en-
move there We see" confdentally they've got
other interests n I'm tired OF bein an ou.s, ,.
rye hen an outsider ever sence Lyddys mother
died The Lord seems to have led me mere. Inc
Lords hand Is In It
IT guess I'll send Deacon Miller over to Winslow
some time next week.. SAID Mrs late' ii'" oiN
be ye Mr. Littleheld?" -,
The man passed his hand over his mustache. re
hesltated an instant; then he answered: i sh u
be sevcnty-thrce next August
And to himself he said: 80 shall be seventy
three then. , II.
lie could not put that question to the woman sit
ting there. But Mrs. Tate remarked win sreh'
"'Tain't no use keepin' such things hid was
nfty-sx last birthday.
She was sxty-hve last birthday. ,.. .,u go
Mr. Littleheld came up bravey Win MS re-
toinder "You was" he exclaimed. IT'S SION
ishlng how young you look
Deacon Miller was duly sent 10 Wihslow 70
Mrs Tate that everything was just as Mr. Little
field had said, only. Here he paused an'
grinned.
"Only WHAT" impatenty
In the mean time the wdower had PAID tn'
| widow several visits. and the counting was az
vanced wonderfully. as Is the way with wioowe,s
"Hes eighty years old-or will be In August
| Mrs Tate smiled.
"'Tain't much matter" she replied. -.
| So II happened that Zenas had to take his WIZ
| IN his own house before the summer was over IL
! swore about it, He said Lyddy's pa ought 10 ~
| mt in an asylum He began TO say something
| extremely disrespectful about widowers, but Lyd
| DIV looked at him so strangely that he remembered
| and did not finish his sentence.
| Mr. IJttlefield carried himself with the air OF
conouering hero He talked Of Mrs Tate L
every one who would listen. He SAID tnat son
| folks didn't believe that God answered prayer
but. as for him. he was sorry for them kind o
| folks" Mr. Simpson would not allow his wife L
| 90 10 the wedding He said ut was all mess
| tomfoolerv. and Ukelys not 1t never'd have com
| about II she'd had sense enough to have went t
| that convention with the old man.