Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-01-02

y
gloves and was comfortably seated on
one side of the broad fireplace. while
the widow was rocking herself gently
to aud fro at the other.
As his good temper increased the
deacon kept looking over at the widow.
What nice, pleasant little woman
she was, to be sure, and she was pref
ty, too--there was no mistake about
that He sat there enjoying his move.
sensations without speaking for long
time. Surely there was something
the matter with him this New Years
eve. He was usually able to talk
about something wherever he was,
but now he couldn't say word If his
| life had depended on it, though he
tried desperately several times to start
a conversation. And the widow just
sat there, apparently entirely uncon.
scious, with her mind seemingly fixed
upon some trifle she was sewing. Did
she have an idea of what was passing
in her visitors mind? OF course not:
women are such dear, innocent crea-
lures, especially widows. The deacon
grew very restless as the minutes
passed swiftly by and finally, as il the
heat was too great he got up and
moved away from the fire. Somehow
when he settled down again his chair
was much nearer the widow, but she
didn't seem to notice the change and
kept on sewing
Its powerful cold today, Mrs Mar
tin. There'll be a heavy frost to-
night, ! reckon, remarked the dea-
con, finding his speech at last.
do tell, deacon" replied the wild
ow, shuddering. ..but don't you think
you'll get chilled if you sit so far from
the fire. Do draw up closer and get
warm; you've got quite way to 60
to town and you must take care Of
yourself in such terrible weather.
Eyes, ma am; it be chilly, that's a
| fact. think I'll move up piece to
+ the fire."
How kind she isl" the deacon kept
repeating to himself as he edged near
er toward the blazing logs and at the
same time drew closer to the rocker,
where the widow still sat sewing.
II saw you at church last Sunday,
Mrs. Martin. The minister preached
a powerful fine sermon, didn't hep
remarked the deacon, after another
long interval.
Ives. deacon; and it did me pow
er Of good, too.
"I'm real glad to hear you say that,
Mrs. Martin" exclaimed the deacon.
His face fairly beamed with delight,
while if the truth must be told he abb
solutely chuckled aloud and rubbed
his hands on his knees asif something
had happened with which he was i'm
mensely delighted. do you recall
what the parson preached about"
1t must have been the heat fromsthe
burning logs that caused the widows
cheeks to blush so. She couldn't even
look up from her sewing as she re-
piled:
"Well, come to think Of it, deacon,
think 1t vast about weddings and
such things But amt quite sure,
for I'm afraid / didn't pay much at
tention to that part of the discourse :"
The chairs were getting very close.
That's it, that's it, cried the dea-
con, bringing his hands down upon
his knees with slap that startled the
canary from his perch and set the
widows heart beating furiously.
That's it. And don't you remember
where he said it wasn't good for man
to live alonel l think he told the
truth don't your
The chairs touched now. The dea-
con was absent from the town meeting
that New Years eve.
Il When the villagers assembled at
church next day they saw little wo-
man sitting beside Deacon Harding.
1t was the Widow Martin. She was
welded to the deacon New Years
morning, for the parson had said it
wasn't good for man to be aloue. B.
A. Mcdonald, in Chicago Mail